With the I.N.D.I.A bloc parties having 234 members in the 18th Lok Sabha, expected to begin on June 24, opposition leaders are keen on the post of Deputy Speaker, a post that remained vacant for five years. If denied, the bloc is likely to demand an election for the Speaker, a practice that has not been uncommon in the history of the House.
Has happened so between 1925 and 1945, the Assembly elected speakers six times. After the first general election in 1952, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were formed. Following Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar's death in 1956, M. A. Ayyangar, then Deputy Speaker, became Speaker. In 1957, after the second general election, he was reappointed as Speaker. Since independence, the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker has been by consensus.
The BJP allies in the coalition government are also expected to take the Speaker's post, with support from the opposition. A senior Congress leader said that if the opposition leader is not accepted as vice chair, and the government will be pressured to hold a Speaker election.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab has been appointed Pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha for now who also has to administer oath of MP's. The first two days of the Lok Sabha session are for oath-taking. On the third day, members submit notices for Speaker candidates. The Speaker election is held on the fourth day. The Speaker is elected by a simple majority of members present, meaning over half must vote for a candidate.
Unlike MPs representing constituencies, the Speaker represents the entire Lok Sabha, controlling proceedings and ensuring smooth operations. The Speaker decides if a bill is a Money Bill, ensures respectful behaviour, and can punish or suspend MPs for misconduct.
The Speaker allows MPs to use various parliamentary procedures like motions and notices and decides discussion topics. MPs address speeches and comments to the Speaker, who also presides over joint meetings of both houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).
Lok Sabha Speakers and their tenure:
Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar 15 May 1952 – 27 February 1956
M. A. Ayyangar 8 March 1956 – 10 May 1957 and 11 May 1957 – 16 April 1962
Sardar Hukam Singh 17 April 1962 – 16 March 1967
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy 17 March 1967 – 19 July 1969
Gurdial Singh Dhillon 8 August 1969 – 19 March 1971 and 22 March 1971 – 1 December 1975
Bali Ram Bhagat 15 January 1976 – 25 March 1977
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy 26 March 1977 – 13 July 1977
K. S. Hegde 21 July 1977 – 21 January 1980
Balram Jakhar 22 January 1980 – 15 January 1985 and 16 January 1985 – 18 December 1989
Rabi Ray 19 December 1989 – 9 July 1991
Shivraj Patil 10 July 1991 – 22 May 1996
P. A. Sangma 23 May 1996 – 23 March 1998
G. M. C. Balayogi 24 March 1998 – 19 October 1999 and 22 October 1999 – 03 March 2002
Manohar Joshi 10 May 2002 – 02 June 2004
Somnath Chatterjee 4 June 2004 – 30 May 2009
Meira Kumar 30 May 2009 – 04 June 2014
Sumitra Mahajan 6 June 2014 – 16 June 2019
Om Birla 19 June 2019 – 4 June 2024
Reports suggest the current Speaker, Om Birla, may retain his position, though other candidates like Daggubati Purandeswari are also being considered. Purandeswari, a BJP leader from Andhra Pradesh, has gained support within the NDA. The Speaker election, scheduled for 26 June, is highly anticipated due to its potential impact on the new Lok Sabha's functioning.
