In this article you will learn about the Speaker of Lok Sabha in Political Science.
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The Speaker of Lok Sabha is the presiding officer of the Lower House of the Indian Parliament. He/she is the most powerful man in the Lok Sabha. He/she is elected by the Members of Parliament from among themselves and holds a very important position in the functioning of the Lok Sabha. He/she enjoys supreme authority on the floor of the House. In the order of precedence of the State, he/she ranks seventh and enjoys a status equal to that of the Chief Justice of India.
The office of the Speaker is of great respect and dignity. He/she is respected by all the members to the extent that when he/she stands in the House no other member stands, and when he/she speaks no one else speaks.
Method of Election of the Speaker : Article 93 of the Indian Constitution provides, “The House of People shall as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively known as Speaker and Deputy Speaker.” After the new Lok Sabha is constituted, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected by the House in its first meeting after the general elections. He/she is normally elected unanimously. The leader of the majority party proposes the name of the Speaker after consulting the leaders of the opposition parties. The leader of the opposition party seconds the name so proposed. The election to the office of the Speaker takes place only if the majority party and other parties disagree over any issues. Sh. G.V. Mavalankar was the first Speaker of the first Lok Sabha.
By convention, the Speaker always belongs to the majority party. The Deputy Speaker is always elected from an opposition party of the Lok Sabha. Only a member of the Lok Sabha can get elected as the Speaker.
Qualifications : There are no specific qualifications for the office of the Speaker. Any sitting member of the Lok Sabha can be elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The qualifications that are essential for the membership of the Lok Sabha are also the essential qualifications for the office of the Speaker. However, only a popular and experienced member is always elected to this coveted office.
Role of the Speaker of Lok Sabha : The Speaker of Lok Sabha is the guardian of the powers, privileges, and immunities of the Members of Parliament, and the House as a whole. The Speaker is also responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the House, and for ensuring that the proceedings of the House are conducted in a fair and impartial manner.
Tenure : The tenure of the Speaker goes side by side with that of the Lok Sabha which is 5 years. However, he/she continues to be in office even after the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. He/she holds office till a new Lok Sabha elects its Speaker. He/she can resign from his office at any time before the completion of full tenure.
Method of Removal : The Speaker of Lok Sabha in India can be removed from their position through; a notice of resolution to remove the Speaker must be given to the Secretary-General by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha. The notice must state the grounds on which the removal of the Speaker is sought. The Speaker must be given at least 14 days notice before the resolution is moved in the Lok Sabha. The resolution can be introduced in the Lok Sabha only with the permission of the Speaker. The resolution must be passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Lok Sabha present and voting. After the resolution is passed, it is sent to the Rajya Sabha for concurrence. If the resolution is also passed by a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha, the Speaker stands removed from office.
Conclusion
The Speaker of Lok Sabha plays a crucial role in the functioning of the Indian Parliament. The Speaker is responsible for maintaining order and decorum in the House, conducting the business of the House in a fair and impartial manner, and ensuring that the proceedings of the House are conducted in a civil and orderly manner. The Speaker is also responsible for representing the Indian Parliament in various international forums and for maintaining good relations with other Parliaments around the world. Overall, the Speaker of Lok Sabha is an important figure in Indian politics and is responsible for upholding the democratic values and principles of the Indian Constitution.
This article on Speaker of Lok Sabha in Political Science is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.