With the increased strength of the opposition parties in the Lok Sabha, its members are hoping for the post of Deputy Speaker. The 17th Lok Sabha will not have a Deputy Speaker for the entire term (2019-24). As the Deputy Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19) then BJP’s ally A.DMK- Winn M. Thambidurai was there.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the opposition parties are ready to support the NDA candidate for the post of Speaker if the government follows parliamentary procedure and gives the post of Deputy Speaker to the Opposition.
From 1990 to 2014, the post of Deputy Speaker of the Opposition was continuously held.
The government has sought support from the opposition for Speaker candidate Om Birla. However, he did not want to give any guarantee for the post of Deputy Speaker. Therefore, Congress’s K. With Suresh at the fore, the India alliance is forced to compete. However, it is not known whether the Trinamool Congress will support Suresh.
What does the Constitution say about the post of Deputy Speaker?
According to Article 95(1), if the office of the Speaker is vacant, the Deputy Speaker shall perform the duties of the Speaker. The Deputy Speaker has the same general powers as the Speaker while presiding over the House. All references to the Speaker” in the Rules shall be construed as references to the Deputy Speaker and the times he or she presides.
Both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker should be appointed “as soon as possible”. Article 93 states that “the people shall, as soon as possible, elect two members as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively”.
Article 178 contains relevant provisions for Speakers and Deputy Speakers in State Assemblies.
Is Deputy Speaker mandatory under the Constitution?
The Constitution does not specify a time limit for appointment. A loophole in the provision allows governments to delay or avoid appointing a Deputy Speaker.
Constitutional experts, however, have pointed out that both Article 93 and Article 178 use the words “may” and “as soon as possible”—not only that the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker is mandatory, but that it should be held as soon as possible.
What are the rules for election of Deputy Speaker?
Generally, in both the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, it is customary to elect the Speaker in the first session of the new House – usually on the third day, after the first two days of swearing-in and taking of oaths.
Although there is no restriction on holding this election in the first session of the new Lok Sabha or Assembly, the election of the Deputy Speaker is usually held in the second session. But the election of the Deputy Speaker is usually not delayed beyond the second session unless there is some real and unavoidable impediment.
In the Lok Sabha, the election of the Deputy Speaker is governed by Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct in the Lok Sabha. According to Rule 8, “The election shall be held on a date fixed by the Speaker. The Deputy Speaker shall be elected after the motion proposing his name is passed.” It is customary for the Deputy Speaker, once elected, to hold office until the House is dissolved.
Under Article 94 (and Article 179 for State Assemblies), the Speaker or Deputy Speaker vacates his office if he ceases to be a member of the House of Commons. They may resign (mutually), or be removed from office by resolution of the People’s Assembly.
Does the Deputy Speaker ever need to fill in for the Speaker in his absence?
The first Speaker, G.V. After Mavalankar died in 1956 before the end of his term, Deputy Speaker M. Ananthasayanam Iyengar filled the remainder of the Lok Sabha seat from 1956 to 1957. Later, Iyengar was elected Speaker of the second Lok Sabha.
Again, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) GMC who was the Speaker in the 13th Lok Sabha. After Balayogi’s death in 2002, Deputy Speaker and Congress MP PM Saeed became interim Speaker for two months until Shiv Sena’s Manohar Joshi was elected Speaker.
How many times have opposition parties won the post of Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
During the Congress-led UPA-I (2004–09) and UPA-II (2009–14) governments, the post of Deputy Speaker was held by the opposition – first by Saranjit Singh Atwal of the Shiromani Akali Dal and later, by the BJP. There was Kariya Munda of Ka.
When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister from 1999 to 2004, the Congress party’s P.M. Saeed held that position. Saeed was also Deputy Speaker during the short-lived BJP government from 1998 to 1999.
From 1997 to 1998, I.K. There was no Deputy Speaker during the Gujral-led United Front regime. Between 1996 and 1997, H.T. When Deve Gowda was Prime Minister, BJP’s Suraj Ban held the post.
In the 10th Lok Sabha (1991-96), B.V. When Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, BJP’s S. Mallikarjunaiah was the Deputy Speaker.
When Chandra Shekhar was Prime Minister (1990-91), Shivraj Patil (Congress) served as Deputy Speaker.
ADMK’s Thambidurai was first Deputy Speaker in the 8th Lok Sabha (1984-89) when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. DMK’s G Lakshmanan served in the Indira Gandhi government from 1980 to 1984. Each of these parties were then allies of the Congress Party.
