Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha

Aspirant IAS Academy

Context: Impending elections for the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker Post in 18th Lok Sabha

About Deputy Speaker:

Article 95(1) of the Constitution of India talks about the office of Deputy Speaker and the duties performed by the person in case the post of Speaker is vacant. 

Election: 

  • Deputy Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha itself from amongst its members. 
  • He/she is elected after the election of the Speaker has taken place. 
  • The date of ejection of the Deputy Speaker is fixed by the Speaker. 
  • Whenever the office of the Deputy Speaker falls vacant, the Lok Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy. 

Removal:

  • Like the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker remains in office usually during the life of the Lok Sabha. However, he/she may vacate his/her office earlier in any of the following three cases: 
  1. if he/ she ceases to be a member of the Lok Sabha. 
  2. if he/she resigns by writing to the Speaker; and 
  3. if he/ she is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the Lok Sabha (i.e., an effective majority). Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice. 

Duties of Deputy Speaker:

  • The Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker’s office when it is vacant. 
  • He/she also acts as the Speaker when the latter is absent from the sitting of the House. 
  • In both the cases, he/she assumes all the powers of the Speaker. He/she also presides over the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament, in case the Speaker is absent from such a sitting. It should be noted here that the Deputy Speaker is not subordinate to the Speaker. 
  • He/ she is directly responsible to the House. The Deputy Speaker has one special privilege, that is, whenever he/she is appointed as a member of a parliamentary committee, he/she automatically becomes its chairman. 
  • Like the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, while presiding over the House, cannot vote in the first instance; he/she can only exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie. Further, when a resolution for the removal of the Deputy Speaker is under consideration of the House, he/she cannot preside at the sitting of the House, though he/ she may be present. 
  • When the Speaker presides over the House, the Deputy Speaker is like any other ordinary member of the House. He/she can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings and vote on any question before the House. 
  • The Deputy Speaker is entitled to a regular salary and allowance fixed by Parliament and charged on the Consolidated Fund of India. 
  • Usually, the speaker comes from the ruling party (or ruling alliance), while the post of Deputy Speaker goes to the opposition party (or opposition alliance). However, there have been certain exceptional cases in this regard. 
  • The Speaker and the Deputy while assuming their offices, do not make and subscribe any separate oath or affirmation.

Historical background of the office:

  • The institutions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in India in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms). 
  • At that time, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were called the President and Deputy President respectively and the same nomenclature continued till 1947. 
  • Before 1921, the Governor-General of India used to preside over the meetings of the Central Legislative Council. In 1921, the Frederick Whyte and Sachidanand Sinha were appointed by the Governor-General of India as the first Speaker and the first Deputy Speaker (respectively) of the central legislative assembly. 
  • In 1925, Vithalbhai J. Patel became the first Indian and the first elected Speaker of the central legislative assembly. 
  • The Government of India Act of 1935 changed the nomenclatures of President and Deputy of the Central Legislative Assembly to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. 
  • However, the old nomenclature continued till 1947 as the federal part of the 1935 Act was not implemented. G.V. Mavalankar and Ananthasayanam Ayyangar had the distinction of being the first Speaker and the first Deputy Speaker (respectively) of the Lok Sabha. G.V. Mavalankar also held the post of Speaker in the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) as well as the provisional Parliament. 
  • He held the post of Speaker of Lok Sabha continuously for one decade from 1946 to 1956. 

PYQ 2022:

Q. With reference to Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, consider the following statements:

  1. As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the election of Deputy Speaker shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix.
  2. There is a mandatory provision that the election of a candidate, as Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha shall be from either the principal opposition party or the ruling party.
  3. The Deputy Speaker has the same power as of the Speaker when presiding over the sitting of the House and no appeal lies against his rulings.
  4. The well-established parliamentary practice regarding the appointment of Deputy Speaker is that the motion is moved by the Speaker and duly seconded by the Prime Minister.

Which of the statements given above are correct

(a)1 and 3 only

(b)1, 2 and 3

(c)3 and 4 only

(d)2 and 4 only

Answer: (a)

MCQ based on the issue:

Q. With reference to Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, consider the following statements:

  1. The institution of Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in India in 1935 under the under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1935.
  2. The office of Deputy Speaker is subordinate to the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
  3. Whenever he/she is appointed as a member of a parliamentary committee, he/she automatically becomes its chairman.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Only one 
  2. Only two 
  3. All three
  4. None

Answer: (a) Only one

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The institution of Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in India in 1921 under the provisions of

  • the Government of India Act of 1921. The Government of India Act 1935 changed its nomenclature to Speaker and Deputy Speaker from President and Deputy President. However, the old nomenclature continued till 1947.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: The office of Deputy Speaker is in no way subordinate to the Speaker of Lok Sabha.

Statement 3 is correct: Whenever he/she is appointed as a member of a parliamentary committee, he/she automatically becomes its chairman.

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