Importance of the Deputy Speaker in Lok Sabha

General Studies Paper-2

Context: The position of the Deputy Speaker has been lying vacant for the last six years raising questions on constitutional adherence and democratic resilience.

Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

• 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.
• 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 such a sitting.

Election of Deputy Speaker

• The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is elected by the Lok Sabha itself from amongst its members.
• Article 93 states that “The House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker”.
• The election of Deputy Speaker is governed by Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. According to Rule 8, the election “shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix”.
• Usually, the Speaker is chosen from the ruling party or ruling alliance, while the Deputy Speaker is selected from the opposition party or opposition alliance.
  • However, there have been exceptions to this convention.
  • The first four Deputy Speakers, from 1952 to 1969, were from the ruling party.
  • There was no Deputy Speaker for the entire duration of the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24).

Powers and Privileges

• While performing the duties of or acting as the Speaker of Lok Sabha (i.e. while presiding over the sitting of Lok Sabha or a Joint Sitting of both the Houses), he/she assumes all the powers of the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
  • Thus, in such times, the Deputy Speaker cannot vote in the first instance, 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 any other Ordinary Member of the House.
  • Thus, in such times, the Deputy Speaker can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings, and vote in the first instance on any question 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 automatically becomes its chairman.

Removal of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

• The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha can be removed by a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha by an Effective Majority (i.e. a majority of the total membership of the House excluding the vacant seats).
• A motion of removal of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice to the Speaker.
• When a resolution for removal of the Deputy Speaker is under consideration, he/she cannot preside at the sitting of the house, though he may be present.

Concerns Over Prolonged Vacancy

• The absence of the Deputy Speaker contradicts the intent of constitutional norms and undermines the concept of an inclusive and pluralist parliamentary democracy.
• It dilutes the representational balance between government and Opposition.
• In the event of the Speaker’s resignation or incapacity, legislative functioning may stall, leading to institutional paralysis.

Concluding remarks

• The office of the Deputy Speaker is a constitutional necessity, not a political choice. Its prolonged vacancy violates the spirit of the Constitution and undermines democratic norms.
• The issue calls for urgent correction to restore institutional balance and ensure the proper functioning of the Lok Sabha in accordance with constitutional values.