Syllabus:

GS2: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Context: 

The Deputy Speaker post in the Lok Sabha has remained vacant for six years, drawing criticism from constitutional experts and Opposition parties, who argue that the delay violates the Constitution’s provision for this crucial parliamentary position.

About the Deputy Speaker

• The Deputy Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from among its members, after the election of the Speaker.

• Under Article 93 of the Indian Constitution mandates that the Lok Sabha "shall, as soon as may be," elect both a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker.

Election Process:

• The date of the election is set by the Speaker.
• Members are informed via a Parliament bulletin.
• Voting is done through a ballot paper.

Term and Vacating Office (Under Article 94): The Deputy Speaker remains in office during the life of the Lok Sabha but may vacate the office earlier in any of the following cases:

• Ceasing to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
• Resignation by writing to the Speaker.
• Removal by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the Lok Sabha (effective majority), with 14 days’ advance notice.

Powers and Functions

• The aim is that Lok Sabha must never function without a second-in-command, a constitutional safeguard to ensure continuity, stability, and institutional balance.
• Acts as the Speaker when the Speaker’s office is vacant or the Speaker is absent. (Article 95(1)
• Presides over the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament in the Speaker’s absence.
• Not subordinate to the Speaker; directly responsible to the House.
• Automatically becomes the chairman of any parliamentary committee if appointed as a member.
• While presiding over the House, cannot vote in the first instance but has a casting vote in case of a tie.
• Cannot preside over the House when a resolution for his/her removal is under consideration but may be present.

Role When Not Presiding

• When the Speaker is presiding, the Deputy Speaker functions as an ordinary member: can speak, participate, and vote.

Salary and Political Convention:

• Entitled to a regular salary and allowances fixed by Parliament and charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Typically, the Speaker is from the ruling party/alliance, and the Deputy Speaker from the opposition; however, exceptions exist.

• Order of Precedence: The Deputy Speaker ranks 10th, alongside the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Union Ministers of State, and members of the Planning Commission.

The Constitutional Anomaly

Vacancy in the 17th and 18th Lok Sabha:

• Since 2019, the Deputy Speaker post has remained vacant — a first in India’s parliamentary history.
• The 18th Lok Sabha (post-2024) has yet to elect one, continuing this unprecedented gap.
• The government’s justification of “no urgency” starkly contrasts with the constitutional imperative as it questions about adherence to constitutional mandates and respect for parliamentary norms.
• Counters Constitutional Ethos: Vacancy in Deputy Speaker position creates redundancy in leadership because such position are not afterthoughts, they are foundational to the system’s resilience.

MAINS PYQ: ‘Once a Speaker, Always a Speaker’! Do you think this practice should be adopted to impart objectivity to the office of the Speaker of Lok Sabha? What could be its implications for the robust functioning of parliamentary business in India? (2020)