DEPUTY SPEAKER OF LOKSABHA (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: With the Opposition’s increased strength in Lok Sabha, its members are hoping to get the post of Deputy Speaker.

Deputy Speaker

• About: It serves as the Second-in-Command Presiding Officer of the Lower House of Parliament of India – the Lok Sabha.
• Article 95(1): The Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker if the post is vacant.
• General Powers: The Dy. Speaker has the same general powers as the Speaker when presiding over the House.
• Appointment Timeline: The Constitution does not specify a time frame for making the appointments. This gap in the provision allows governments to delay or avoid appointing a Deputy Speaker.
• Election: 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”.
• State Assemblies Provision: Article 178 contains the corresponding provision for the Speakers and Deputy Speakers in the state Assemblies.
• Term of Office: Like the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker remains in the office usually during the life of the Lok Sabha.
• Removal Process: Under Article 94 (and Article 179 for state Assemblies), the Speaker or Deputy Speaker must vacate office if they cease to be a member of the House. They may also resign to each other or be removed by a resolution of the House passed by a majority.

Power and Functions

• The Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker’s office when it is vacant.
• He also acts as the Speaker when the latter is absent from the sitting of the House.
• Deputy Speaker is not subordinate to the Speaker. He is directly responsible to the House.
• He also presides over the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament in case the Speaker is absent from such a sitting.
• When the Speaker presides over the House, the Deputy Speaker is like any other ordinary member of the House.