Lok Sabha Speaker – Functions, Tenure, Powers of Speaker of Lok Sabha

Speaker of Lok Sabha

The History of Lok Sabha Speaker goes back to 1919. The terms Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker were added much later. Here is a quick history of it.

• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha possesses a variety of powers that he is entitled to by the means of the Indian constitution, Parliamentary Conventions, and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha.
• The institutions of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker were initiated after the Government of India Act 1919 in the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms.
• Till 1947 the President used to refer to the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
• Frederick Whyte and Sachidanand Sinha were elected as the first speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly.
• Vithalbhai J. Patel accounted to be the first Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly in 1925.
• Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar was the Speaker from 15th May 1952 to 27th February 1956 after Independence.
• Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar served as the first Deputy Speaker and the first speaker of Lok Sabha in the Indian Parliament.
• A Lok Sabha Speaker heads all the proceedings that happen in the Lower House of the Parliament.

Article 93 of Indian Constitution

As per Article 93 for the speaker and deputy speaker of Lok sabha, it states that as soon as possible, the House of the People shall elect two members to serve as its Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively. Whenever one of those positions becomes vacant, the House shall elect a new member to fill the vacancy, as appropriate.

Lok Sabha Speaker Article

The Constitution of India has specified the provisions of Deputy Speaker and Lok Sabha Speaker in Articles 93 to Articles 96. The salient features of these Articles are as follows:

Constitutional Provisions of the Offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Article 94	It deals with the resignation, vacation leave, and removal provisions for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Article 95	The Deputy Speaker’s or another person’s authority to carry out the functions of the Speaker or to act in that capacity
Article 96	The Speaker or the Deputy Speaker is allowed to preside when the resolution for his/her removal from office is under consideration.

Powers of Speaker of Lok Sabha

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha determines his authority and roles from three sources: the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha, and Parliamentary Conventions. They are the main spokesperson of the House, and their decision by them is final. As per the Indian Constitution, he/she is vested with the administrative and discretionary power that has been mentioned below here.

Speaker of Lok Sabha PDF

• He/She presides over all the meetings in the Lower house and maintains decorum among the members.
• The Lok Sabha speaker is responsible for guarding the rights and privileges of all the members who are there in the House. He decides who should speak, what kind of questions to be asked, etc.
• He/She decides whether a bill is a money bill or not, and his/her decision on this question is final.
• If a quorum is absent then he/she can adjourn the proceedings of the House or suspend the meeting till the time quorum is met.
• The Speaker decides the agenda that should be discussed during the meeting of the Parliament.
• He/She has great power to interpret the Rules of Procedure. He/She is a member of the House as well as the Presiding Officer.
• The Speaker has the power to disqualify a Member of Parliament from the House on the grounds of defection as per the 10th Schedule of the Constitution.
• As the Speaker of Lok Sabha, he has the power of motion of adjournment, the motion of no confidence, and the motion of censure, among others.

Voting Powers of Lok Sabha Speaker

The Speaker of Lok Sabha is not entitled to cast a vote. However, he/she has the power to resolve a deadlock. He/She is allowed to call for a ‘secret sitting of the house at the request of the Leader of the House.

Lok Sabha Speaker’s Administrative Role

The Lok Sabha Speaker is also the Head of the Lok Sabha Secretariat. His authority is supreme over the Secretariat staff of the House and its security arrangements. He/She decides the form and manner in which the proceedings of the House are published. There can be no alteration or addition in the Parliament house without the Speaker’s permission. The decisions of the House are conveyed to the individuals and authorities outside the Parliament, through the Speaker.

Election of Speaker of Lok Sabha

There is no specific qualification to be elected as the Speaker of Lok Sabha. The Constitution of India states that he/she should be a member of the House. Generally, a member who belongs to the ruling party is appointed as the Speaker. Here is the procedure for the election of Lok Sabha Speaker.

• The date of the election is fixed by the President. After the first sitting of the Lok Sabha, the Speaker is elected by the House from amongst its members.
• Whenever the office of the Speaker is vacant, the lower House
• The candidate’s name is suggested by the Prime Minister or the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
• If the House is newly constituted, the Speaker pro tem will preside over the election of the Speaker.
• The Deputy Speaker takes the gavel if the election takes place later in the term of a Lok Sabha.
• The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition lead the Speaker-elect to the Chair once the results are declared.

Term/Tenure of the Speaker of Lok Sabha

The term of the Speaker of Lok Sabha is for five (5) years from the date of his/her election to the day before the first Lok Sabha meeting. Here are some interesting points to note regarding the term of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha:

• The Speaker continues to remain in office until the foremost meeting is conducted by the newly elected member.
• He/She is eligible for re-election.
• The Speaker remains in office even though he or she is no longer a member of the Lok Sabha after it is dissolved.
• The Lok Sabha Speaker can leave his office in any one of the following three cases:
  • If the Speaker  is not a member of Lok Sabha;
  • If he/she is taken out by a resolution sanctioned in the lower House of Parliament.
  • If the Speaker puts resignation by writing to the Deputy Speaker.

Removal of Lok Sabha Speaker

The Lok Sabha Speaker is appointed for a period of 5 years through a transparent process in which the members of the Lower House are involved and they vote. If under certain unforeseen circumstances, the Speaker of Lok Sabha needs to be removed from his/her position, this can be done via a proper procedure. There are mainly three ways in which a Lok Sabha Speaker can be removed from office.

• If a resolution is passed by an absolute majority by the members of the Lok Sabha according to Articles 94 & 95 of the constitution.
• A Lok Sabha Speaker is allowed to be present in the proceedings of the House related to his/her eviction & is allowed to put in a vote but only in the 1st round. The vote will also be allowed only in case the votes for removal are not divided equally.
• If he/she is disbarred from office through Sections 7 & 8 of the Representation of the People Act of 1951.

Speaker Pro Tem

The President designates a member of the Lok Sabha as Speaker Pro Tem when the Speaker of the previous Lok Sabha steps down immediately before the first sitting of the newly elected Lok Sabha. The Speaker of the House in a vacancy-filled position. Typically, the most senior member is chosen for this position. The President swears the person in and has all the Speaker’s authority. He or she gives the freshly elected House members their oaths. However, once the new Speaker of the Lok Sabha is chosen, his or her term ends.

Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

The Deputy Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha amongst its members after the election of the Speaker. The date for the election of the Deputy Speaker is fixed by the Speaker since the 11th Lok Sabha. Prior to this, both Speaker and Deputy Speaker were elected by the ruling party. His/Her salary and allowances are fixed by Parliament and are charged to the Consolidated Fund of India.

How is the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha Elected?

The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is elected by the Lok Sabha amongst its members after the Speaker’s election. Here is the election process of Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker:

• The Election of the Deputy Speaker takes place after the Speaker of Lok Sabha’s election.
• The Speaker sets the day for the Deputy Speaker’s election.
• There is no mention of the qualifications to become a Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.
• The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is not entitled to take any oath or affirmation.

Powers and Functions of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

The Deputy Speaker is second in command of the Lower House. He substitutes for the chair of the Speaker in case of his absence. The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is allowed to vote in case of a tie in either both the houses of the Parliament or during a voting session.

• A special advantage that a Deputy Speaker possesses is that he/she can become the chairman of a judicial or parliamentary committee, as soon as they are appointed as a member of the same.
• The Deputy Speaker also heads the joint sitting of Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha in case the Speaker is absent.

Speaker of Lok Sabha UPSC

The Office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha forms an integral part of our Indian Constitution to run the country. Hence, it forms a major part of the UPSC Exam. Candidates preparing for the UPSC Exam should make it a point to go through the major topics related to Lok Sabha Speaker such as functions, provisions, removal and appointment of Lok Sabha Speaker, etc.

To enhance your knowledge further on it, you should also refer to good content UPSC books. You should also refer to NCERT books to clear your basics.

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