Officers of Parliament: Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman, Deputy Chairman
Indian Polity › Parliament · Topic 16.5
The Speaker (Lok Sabha) and the Vice-President as Chairman (Rajya Sabha) preside over their Houses, with Deputy officers and panels; the Speaker alone certifies money bills and presides over joint sittings and is removable only by an effective majority.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · Polity · Parliament
At a Glance
- What it is The presiding officers of the two Houses
- Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker
- Rajya Sabha Chairman (the Vice-President) and Deputy Chairman
- Removal Effective majority with 14 days’ notice
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Polity: Parliament
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the category on Parliament. Each House has its own presiding officer, with a panel of chairpersons or vice-chairpersons to help. The Speaker is the head of the Lok Sabha and its representative.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from among its members, as soon as may be after its first sitting; the date is fixed by the President. The Speaker usually remains in office during the life of the Lok Sabha, but vacates earlier on ceasing to be a member, on resigning by writing to the Deputy Speaker, or on removal by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members (effective majority) after 14 days’ notice. When a resolution for removal is under consideration, the Speaker cannot preside, though he may be present, speak and vote in the first instance, but not in the case of a tie. On dissolution, the Speaker does not vacate office and continues till the newly elected Lok Sabha meets.
The Speaker is the head and representative of the Lok Sabha, guardian of the powers and privileges of members, the House and its committees, and the principal spokesperson. The Speaker derives powers from the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure and parliamentary conventions. The duties include: maintaining order and decorum; being the final interpreter of the Constitution, the Rules and precedents within the House; adjourning the House or suspending the meeting in the absence of a quorum; voting only as a casting vote in a tie; presiding over a joint sitting; allowing a secret sitting; deciding whether a bill is a money bill; deciding disqualification on the ground of defection under the Tenth Schedule (subject to judicial review per Kihoto Hollohan, 1992); acting as ex-officio chairman of the Indian Parliamentary Group and of the conference of presiding officers; and appointing chairmen of committees, being himself chairman of the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purposes Committee.
Independence of the Speaker
Security of tenure, with removal only by an effective majority on a motion supported by at least 50 members; salary and allowances fixed by Parliament and charged on the Consolidated Fund; work and conduct not open to discussion except on a substantive motion; powers of regulating procedure, conducting business and maintaining order not subject to the jurisdiction of any court; and the casting vote only; and a high position, seventh in the order of precedence along with the Chief Justice of India. In Britain the Speaker resigns from the party and remains politically neutral, a convention not fully established in India.
Deputy Speaker, Chairman and Deputy Chairman
| Officer | Key points |
|---|---|
| Deputy Speaker | Elected by the Lok Sabha after the Speaker; acts as Speaker when absent or vacant; not subordinate to the Speaker; becomes chairman of any parliamentary committee to which appointed; usually from the opposition |
| Chairman, Rajya Sabha | The Vice-President ex officio; not a member of the House; cannot vote except to break a tie; removed only if removed as Vice-President; lacks the Speaker’s powers to certify money bills and to preside over joint sittings |
| Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha | Elected by the Rajya Sabha; performs the Chairman’s duties when vacant or when the Vice-President acts as President; not subordinate to the Chairman; removable by an effective majority after 14 days’ notice |
| Panel of Chairpersons (Lok Sabha) | Not more than ten nominated by the Speaker; preside in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker |
| Panel of Vice-Chairpersons (Rajya Sabha) | Nominated by the Chairman; preside in the absence of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman |
| Speaker Pro Tem | Appointed by the President from the seniormost members after the Speaker of the last House vacates office; administers oath to new members and enables election of the new Speaker |
If both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are vacant, the President appoints a member to perform the Speaker’s duties; a panel member cannot preside then. The institutions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in 1921 under the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, that introduced dyarchy in the provinces and…">Government of India Act of 1919; G.V. Mavalankar and Ananthasayanam Ayyangar were the first Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Other Functionaries
Each House has a separate secretariat headed by a secretary-general appointed by the presiding officer. The Leader of the House is the Prime Minister or a minister nominated by the Prime Minister; the Leader of the Opposition was given statutory recognition in 1977, with the status and facilities of a cabinet minister, and a party needs one-tenth of the total membership for recognition. Whips, not mentioned in the Constitution or the Rules, ensure party attendance and discipline; the chief whip of the government in the Lok Sabha is the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Powers of the Speaker List questions are common
- Chairman versus Speaker Two special powers of the Speaker
- Removal rules Effective majority with 14 days’ notice
What Came Next?
The next topic covers legislative procedure for ordinary bills.
Key People and Terms
- Casting vote Vote only in a tie
- Speaker Pro Tem Temporary presiding officer
- Effective majority Majority of all the then members
- Chief whip Party floor assistant
- Secretary-General Head of a House secretariat
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Speaker removal: effective majority, 14 days notice, 50 members support.
- Speaker certifies money bills and presides over joint sittings.
- Chairman of Rajya Sabha is not a member.
- Speaker resigns to the Deputy Speaker.
Do Not Confuse With
- Chairman and Speaker powers Two powers only the Speaker has
- Deputy Speaker and panel members Panel members cannot preside when both offices are vacant
- Speaker and Speaker Pro Tem Temporary role till new Speaker is elected
Memory Hook
Speaker rules the Lok Sabha, Vice-President chairs the Rajya Sabha; money bill and joint sitting are the Speaker’s alone.
Mains Angle
Questions on this topic usually ask about neutrality. Use these points to add depth.
- Impartial presiding officer Safeguards for independence
- Anti-defection role Subject to judicial review
- Party neutrality British convention not fully followed
- Deputy posts Opposition convention
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the role and powers of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the safeguards for impartiality.”
How to Answer
- Introduction Presiding officers.
- Powers Ten duties.
- Safeguards Independence.
- Conclusion Neutrality convention.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha elected and removed?
The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from among its members. The Speaker can be removed only by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members after 14 days’ notice, moved with the support of at least 50 members.
What are the main powers of the Speaker?
The Speaker maintains order, is the final interpreter of the Constitution and Rules within the House, adjourns the House for want of quorum, casts a vote in a tie, presides over joint sittings, certifies money bills and decides defection disqualification.
How does the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha differ from the Speaker?
The Chairman, the Vice-President ex officio, is not a member of the House, cannot certify money bills and does not preside over joint sittings. Like the Speaker, the Chairman cannot vote in the first instance but has a casting vote.
What is a Speaker Pro Tem?
When the Speaker of the last Lok Sabha vacates office before the first meeting of the new House, the President appoints a member, usually the seniormost, as Speaker Pro Tem, who administers oath to new members and enables election of the new Speaker.
How is the independence of the Speaker secured?
The Speaker has security of tenure, salary charged on the Consolidated Fund, protection from discussion of conduct except on a substantive motion, and immunity of procedural decisions from court jurisdiction, besides a high position in the order of precedence.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The Speaker of the Lok Sabha resigns by writing to the President.
To the Deputy Speaker.
2 The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is a member of the House.
He is not.
3 The Speaker presides over a joint sitting.
Chairman does not.
4 A Speaker can be removed by a simple majority.
Effective majority.
Related Topics
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