The Indian Parliament is composed of two houses, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha, or the House of the People, is the lower house of the Parliament and consists of members who are directly elected by the people. The Lok Sabha is presided over by the Speaker, who is assisted by the Deputy Speaker. In this article, we will delve deeper into the role and functions of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha in India.
Role and Functions of the Deputy Speaker
The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is the second-highest-ranking legislative official in the House of People, and his role is to assist the Speaker of the Lok Sabha in carrying out his duties. In the event of the Speaker’s absence or inability to perform his duties, the Deputy Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha. The Deputy Speaker is elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from amongst themselves. Apart from his role as the presiding officer in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker has several other functions. He is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the House during the proceedings. He also oversees the process of voting on bills and motions, and has the authority to disallow any member from speaking in the House if he or she is deemed to be violating the rules of the House.
The Deputy Speaker role
The Deputy Speaker plays an important role in the various committees of the Lok Sabha. He is the ex-officio Chairman of the Committee of Privileges, and also a member of the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee, and the General Purposes Committee. The Deputy Speaker also participates in various inter-parliamentary delegations and represents the Lok Sabha in various international forums.
Election of the Deputy Speaker
Article 93 of the Indian Constitution mandates the election of the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. However, it does not provide a specific time frame for the election. In general practice, the Deputy Speaker is elected during the second session of the House, while the Speaker is elected during the first session of the House.
The election of the Deputy Speaker is conducted through a voting process, in which all the members of the Lok Sabha are eligible to vote. The candidate who secures the majority of votes cast is declared the Deputy Speaker. In the event of a tie, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has the casting vote.
