Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Background and evolution

The office traces back to the President of the Central Legislative Assembly; Vithalbhai Patel, elected in 1925, was the first Indian to hold it and set early standards of independence from the colonial executive. After independence, G. V. Mavalankar became the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 1952 and laid down many conventions that still guide the office, including the idea that the Speaker belongs to the whole House rather than to a party.

The British model, where the Speaker leaves the party and is usually re-elected unopposed, was never fully copied in India. Indian Speakers normally come from the ruling party or alliance and often return to party politics afterwards. This makes the conventions of neutrality, rather than formal rules, the main safeguard of impartiality.

Key features and provisions

• Election and tenure: chosen by members from among themselves after a new House meets; holds office until just before the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha, so the Speaker continues even after dissolution.
• Removal: by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members, after at least 14 days' notice. While such a resolution is under consideration the Speaker does not preside, but may speak and vote in the first instance.
• Powers in the House: maintains order, interprets the rules, decides points of order, adjourns the House when there is no quorum, and decides who may speak.
• Voting: does not vote in the first instance; has a casting vote to break a tie.
• Money Bills: decides whether a Bill is a Money Bill; this certificate cannot be questioned in the Rajya Sabha or by the President.
• Joint sittings: presides over joint sittings of both Houses under Article 108.
• Anti-defection: decides questions of disqualification under the Tenth Schedule, subject to judicial review.
• Committees: chairs the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purposes Committee, and appoints chairs of other committees.