Context
Recently the post of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha has become a bone of contention between the ruling and the opposition party of India.
About
- The Deputy Speaker serves as the Second-in-Command Presiding Officer of the Lower House of Parliament of India – the Lok Sabha.
- According to Article 95(1), the Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker if the post is vacant.
Election of Deputy Speaker
- The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is elected by the Lok Sabha itself from among its members.
- Article 93 states that “The House of the People shall, as fast as may be, pick contributors of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker”.
- The election of Deputy Speaker is ruled by Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. According to Rule 8, the election “will be hung on such date as the Speaker may also restore”.
- Usually, the Speaker is selected from the ruling party or ruling alliance, even as the Deputy Speaker is chosen from the opposition celebration or opposition alliance.
- However, there have been exceptions to this convention.
- The first 4 Deputy Speakers, from 1952 to 1969, have been from the ruling Congress.
- There was no Deputy Speaker for the whole length of the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24).
Roles and Functions of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
- The Deputy Speaker performs the obligations of the Speaker while the office of the Speaker is vacant.
- The Deputy Speaker acts as the Speaker when the latter is absent from the sitting of the House.
- The Deputy Speaker presides over joint sittings of both Houses of Parliament in case the Speaker is absent from this kind of sitting.
Powers and Privileges
- While performing the duties of or performing as the Speaker of Lok Sabha (i.e. even as presiding over the sitting of Lok Sabha or a Joint Sitting of both the Houses), he/she assumes all of the powers of the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
- Thus, in such times, the Deputy Speaker can’t vote in the first example, rather he/she can only exercise a Casting Vote in case of a tie.
- When the Speaker presides over the House, the Deputy Speaker is like another Ordinary Member of the House.
- Thus, in such times, the Deputy Speaker can speak within the House, take part in its court cases, and vote inside the first example on any query before the House.
- He/she has one special privilege -Whenever the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is appointed as a member of a Parliamentary Committee, he/she robotically becomes its chairman.
Removal of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
- The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha can be eliminated by means of a decision exceeded by the Lok Sabha via an Effective Majority (i.e. a majority of the full membership of the House except the vacant seats).
- A motion of removal of the Speaker of Lok Sabha can be moved most effectively after giving 14 days’ notice to the Speaker.
- When a decision for elimination of the Deputy Speaker is considered, he/she cannot preside at the sitting of the residence, even though he is present.
Source: The Indian Express
UPSC Prelims Practice Question
Q. Consider the following statements: (2017)
- In the election for Lok Sabha or State Assembly, the winning candidate must get at least 50 percent of the votes polled, to be declared elected.
- According to the provisions laid down in the Constitution of India, in Lok Sabha, the Speaker’s post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker’s to the Opposition.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans: (d)
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