NEW DELHI: India’s parliament Wednesday elected its first woman speaker, Meira Kumar, who is also a member of the low-caste ‘untouchable’ Dalit community.

Kumar, 64, was elected unopposed by a voice vote in India’s 543-seat lower house of parliament.

A five-term MP, Kumar was a career diplomat who entered politics in 1985.

In the April-May national polls, she was elected to parliament from the impoverished eastern state of Bihar.

Kumar had described her nomination as India's first woman speaker as an ‘historic moment’ for the country and an ‘overwhelming moment’ for herself.

Her name was put forward by the Congress party following its resounding general election victory. — AFP