Speaker of Lok Sabha

 

Speaker of Lok Sabha

Q     The Speaker of Lok Sabha is the Presiding Officer of the Lower House of Parliament of India – the Lok Sabha.

Q     The Speaker is the constitutional and ceremonial head of the Lok Sabha.

Q     The Speaker is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the house, conducting its business, and ensuring that the legislative process is carried out smoothly.

Q     Additionally, the Speaker represents the Lok Sabha in its relations with the President of India, the Rajya Sabha (the Upper House), and other external bodies.

Q     Article 94: The Speaker of the Lok Sabha shall be chosen from amongst the members of the house and shall vacate his/her office when he/she ceases to be a member of the house.

History:

Q     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).

Q     At that time, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were called the President and Deputy President respectively and the same nomenclature continued till 1947.

Q     The Government of India Act of 1935 changed the nomenclatures of President and Deputy President to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.

Election of Office of the Speaker:

Q     Criteria:

o   The Constitution of India requires the Speaker should be a member of the House.

o   Although there are no specific qualifications prescribed for being elected the Speaker, an understanding of the Constitution and the laws of the country is considered a major asset for the holder of the Office of the Speaker.

o   Usually, a member belonging to the ruling party is elected Speaker. The process has evolved over the years where the ruling party nominates its candidate after informal consultations with leaders of other parties and groups in the House.

o   This convention ensures that once elected, the Speaker enjoys the respect of all sections of the House.

Q     Voting:

o   The Speaker (along with the Deputy Speaker) is elected from among the Lok Sabha members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.

o   Once a decision on the candidate is taken, his/her name is normally proposed by the Prime Minister or the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

o   Term of Office of the Speaker: The Speaker holds Office from the date of his/her election till immediately before the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha (for 5 years).

o   The speaker once elected is eligible for re-election.

o   Whenever the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker does not vacate his office and continues till the newly-elected Lok Sabha meets.

Oath and Affirmation of Speaker of Lok Sabha

Q     The Speaker of Lok Sabha, while assuming his/her office, does not make and subscribe to any separate oath or affirmation.

Q     Their oath as a Member of Parliament suffices for his/her role as Speaker of Lok Sabha.

Removal of Speaker of Lok Sabha

Q     The 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).

Q     A motion of removal of the Speaker of Lok Sabha can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice to the Speaker.

Q     This motion of removal can be considered and discussed only when it has the support of at least 50 members.

Q     When a resolution for the removal of the Speaker of Lok Sabha is under consideration of the House, he/she cannot preside at the sitting of the House, though he/she may be present in the House.

Q     However, he/she can speak and take part in the proceedings of the House at such a time and vote in the first instance, though not in the case of an equality of votes.

Salary and Allowances of Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Q     The Speaker of Lok Sabha is entitled to a regular salary and allowance fixed by the Parliament.

Q     The salary and allowances of the Speaker of Lok Sabha are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India and hence are not subject to the annual vote of Parliament.

Role of Speaker of Lok Sabha

Q     The Speaker is the head and the representative of the Lok Sabha.

Q     He/she is the guardian of the powers and privileges of the members, its committees and the House as a whole.

Q     He/she is the principal spokesperson of the House.

Q     He/she is the final deciding authority in all Parliamentary matters.

Powers and Functions of Speaker of Lok Sabha

Q     He/she maintains order and decorum in the House for conducting its business and regulating its proceedings. This is his/her primary responsibility and he/she has final power in this regard.

Q     Within the House, he/she is the final interpreter of the provisions of: The Constitution of India, The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha, and The Parliamentary Precedents.

Q     He/she adjourns the House or suspends the meeting in the absence of a Quorum. The Quorum to constitute a meeting of the House is one-tenth of the total strength of the House.

Q     He/she does not vote in the first instance. But he/she can exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie. In other words, only when the House is divided equally on any question, the Speaker is entitled to vote. Such a vote is called a casting vote, which aims to resolve a deadlock.

Q     He/she presides over a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament. Such a sitting is summoned by the President to settle a deadlock between the two Houses on a bill.

Q     He/she can allow a ‘secret’ sitting of the House at the request of the Leader of the House. When the House sits in secret, no stranger can be present in the chamber, lobby or galleries except with the permission of the Speaker.

Q     He/she decides whether a bill is a Money bill or not and his/her decision on this question is final. When a Money Bill is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha for recommendation and presented to the President for assent, the Speaker endorses on the bill his/her certificate that it is a money bill.

Q     He/she decides the questions of disqualification of a member of the Lok Sabha, arising on the ground of defection under the provisions of the Tenth Schedule.

Q     The Speaker of Lok Sabha acts as the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Indian Parliamentary Group which is a link between the Parliament of India and the various Parliaments of the World.

Q     He/she acts as the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Conference of the Presiding Officers of legislative bodies in the country.

Q     He/she appoints the Chairman of all the Parliamentary Committees of the Lok Sabha and supervises their functioning.

Q     He/she is the Chairman of:

o   The Business Advisory Committee,

o   The Rules Committee and

o   The General Purposes Committee.

Significance of Speaker of Lok Sabha

The Speaker of Lok Sabha holds significant importance in the Indian parliamentary system. The major significance of the Speaker of Lok Sabha can be seen as follows:

Orderly Functioning of House – The Speaker ensures orderly conduct of proceedings, maintaining decorum, and upholding the rules of the House.

Impartiality – The Speaker is expected to maintain impartiality and fairness while conducting the business of the house. They are responsible for giving all members an equal opportunity to express their views.

Decision-Making – The Speaker makes crucial decisions on matters of parliamentary procedure, interpretation of rules, and maintaining discipline among members.

Committee Appointments – The Speaker plays a role in appointing members to various parliamentary committees, which are essential for the functioning of the legislative process.

Custodian of Parliamentary Privileges – The Speaker safeguards the privileges of the members and the dignity of the house, ensuring that parliamentary proceedings are conducted with respect and integrity.

Conclusion

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is a pivotal figure in the Indian parliamentary system, serving as the guardian of the Lok Sabha’s powers, privileges, and democratic principles. While the office of the Speaker is endowed with significant authority and autonomy, the persistent challenges to its impartiality and fairness underscore the need for continued vigilance and adherence to the highest standards of parliamentary conduct.