100th Anniversary of Vitthalbhai Patel as First Indian Speaker

General Studies Paper-1

Context

• All India Speakers’ Conference held in New Delhi, marking the 100th anniversary of Vitthalbhai Patel’s election as the first Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly.

The Central Legislative Assembly (CLA)

• The Central Legislative Assembly (CLA) was the lower house of the Indian Legislature in British India, established by the Government of India Act 1919 as part of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms.
• The 1919 Act created a two-house system: the Central Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the Council of State (upper house).
  • The CLA was constituted in 1921 following the 1920 elections.
• Composition: It had 145 members, with 104 being elected and the remaining 41 nominated by the Governor-General.
• Powers and Functions: CLA could debate the budget and pass resolutions. The members could ask questions, introduce resolutions, and vote on demands for grants.
  • However, the Governor-General retained veto powers and could certify bills even without Assembly approval.
• The CLA was dissolved on August 14, 1947, with the establishment of India’s independence and the formation of the Constituent Assembly.

About Vitthalbhai Patel

• Contribution as Speaker (1925–1930): In 1925, he became the first Indian to be elected as President (Speaker) of the Central Legislative Assembly.
  • He asserted the independence of the legislature from the executive, laying the foundations for parliamentary autonomy.
  • He created the Legislative Department, an innovation that was later accepted by the Constituent Assembly and continues under presiding officers in both Parliament and State legislatures.
• Climbing the Political Ladder: He won a seat in the Bombay Legislative Council (1912) after securing eligibility through property ownership.
  • Advocated free and compulsory elementary education (1917) for Bombay Presidency—though the Bill was never implemented, it reflected his reformist zeal.
  • Entered the Imperial Legislative Assembly in 1920, where he became one of the most active members, posing 62 questions in a single session.
• Differences with Gandhiji: He disagreed with Mahatma Gandhi’s suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922.
  • He became a founding member of the Swaraj Party (1923), a “pro-changer” group that believed in entering legislatures to expose colonial rule from within.

Legacy of Vitthalbhai Patel

• The office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha derives much of its institutional legacy from the President of the Central Legislative Assembly during colonial times.
• Thus, Vitthalbhai Patel is often seen as a precursor to the modern Lok Sabha Speaker.

All India Speakers’ Conference 2025

• Reaffirming the Role of the Speaker: The Speaker is both a guardian of legislative dignity and a servant of democracy, tasked with ensuring impartiality.
• Debate as the Soul of Democracy: Without debate, legislatures risk becoming “lifeless buildings.”
  • Cited objectives of law-making: welfare of people, inclusive development, efficiency, and national security.