Post of Deputy Speaker is not Symbolic or Optional

Context: Prolonged vacancy of the Deputy Speaker’s office during the 17th and 18th Lok Sabha represents a serious constitutional anomaly. It poses a threat to the resilience and procedural integrity of India's legislative democracy.

Office of the Deputy Speaker

• Article 93 of Indian Constitution provides for the office of Speaker & Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha.
• The Deputy Speaker’s role is not optional. The Constitution places this office on an equal footing with the Speaker in terms of its necessity to the parliamentary structure.
• The Office of Deputy Speaker is not merely a ceremonial seat. It is a constitutional imperative designed to ensure the continuity, stability, and procedural integrity of the Lok Sabha. 
• However, the prolonged vacancy of this office during the 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) and continuing into the 18th Lok Sabha represents a serious constitutional anomaly, undermining the spirit of parliamentary democracy.

Historical Evolution of the Office of Deputy Speaker: 

• The institutions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker originated in India in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms). 
• At that time, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were called the President and Deputy President respectively. Sachidanand Sinha was appointed as the first Deputy President in 1921.
• By the time India achieved independence in 1947, the Deputy Speaker had already become an institutional fixture in legislative governance. During the sessions of the Constituent Assembly (Legislative), a conscious decision was made to continue the office, recognising its importance even before the formal adoption of the Constitution.
• M.A. Ayyangar became the first elected Deputy Speaker of the First Lok Sabha post-independence. Following the death of Speaker G.V. Mavalankar in 1956, M.A. Ayyangar served as the Acting Speaker, demonstrating the Deputy Speaker’s critical role as a constitutional safeguard for leadership continuity.

Relevance of Deputy Speaker in Parliament

• Ensuring Procedural Continuity: As articulated by constitutional expert S.C. Kashyap, the Speaker cannot preside over all sittings continuously. The Deputy Speaker, therefore, acts as a vital constitutional functionary, stepping in to ensure the uninterrupted conduct of parliamentary proceedings.
• Beyond Procedural Backup: The Deputy Speaker’s role is not limited to substituting the Speaker; they are empowered to chair significant sessions, preside over select parliamentary committees, and oversee sensitive debates requiring procedural neutrality.
• Symbol of Bipartisan Norms: A well-established parliamentary convention — though non-binding — is to offer the Deputy Speakership to the Opposition, reinforcing institutional balance and cross-party cooperation.
• Strengthening Non-partisan Ethos: The tradition of an Opposition Deputy Speaker reinforces the non-partisan character of the Speaker's office. This promotes consensus-based functioning and upholds the neutral character of the presiding authority.
• Institutional Safeguard Against Centralisation of Power: A functional Deputy Speaker acts as a procedural counterweight within the House, ensuring that presiding authority does not get overly centralised in the Speaker alone, thereby maintaining democratic checks within the legislature.

Growing Constitutional Vacuum: 

• Despite its clear constitutional basis and historic continuity, the vacancy of Deputy Speaker’s post marks a clear constitutional lapse, not just a procedural delay. Never before in India’s parliamentary history has the office remained vacant for such extended periods of time.
• Article 93 clearly states: “The House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker....” The phrasing “as soon as may be” implies urgency, and not discretion.
• The delay raises fundamental questions about adherence to constitutional mandates and respect for parliamentary norms.

Impact of Vacant Deputy Speaker's Post

• Erosion of institutional safeguards: Article 94 provides that the Deputy Speaker holds office until resignation, removal, or disqualification as a Member of Parliament, underscoring the constitutional mandate for an uninterrupted second-in-command to uphold continuity, stability, and institutional balance in Lok Sabha. The delay undermines institutional safeguards established by the Constitution.
• Centralise procedural powers: It centralises procedural power solely within the Speaker and the ruling party, eliminating a vital counterbalance.
• Risk of leadership vacuum in Emergencies: In cases like the Speaker’s resignation, death, or removal, the lack of a Deputy Speaker could lead to confusion or a temporary leadership vacuum in the House.
• Disregard for Parliamentary Conventions: The ongoing delay also signals a broader disregard for parliamentary conventions, particularly the unwritten rule of offering the post to the Opposition, which historically promoted inclusivity and moderation.
• Sidelining consensus politics: The vacancy reflects an active sidelining of consensus politics, limiting the role of the Opposition and undermining deliberative democracy.
• Contradiction of democratic ethos: The argument that there is “no urgency” to appoint a Deputy Speaker runs counter to the entire ethos of constitutional democracy.
• Restoring balance: Reviving the practice of appointing a Deputy Speaker from the Opposition is essential to rebuild institutional credibility and inject balance into legislative proceedings in an era of increasing political polarisation.

Need for Legislative Reforms:  

• Time-Bound Election: Set a mandatory time frame for electing the Deputy Speaker. A specific deadline, for instance, within 60 days of the first sitting of the new Lok Sabha could close this loophole of delay and warrant compliance
• Statutory Empowerment for Executive Action: Introduce legislation enabling the President to initiate the election process upon the advice of the Prime Minister or the Speaker, ensuring institutional accountability for delays.

It is time for Parliament to reaffirm its respect for constitutional norms and institutional integrity. Electing a Deputy Speaker is not just a formality, it is a test of the House’s commitment to rule-based governance. India’s Parliament must not fail this test any longer.

Also Read: Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha