Context

• The Office of the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, enshrined within the Constitution of India, holds far more than ceremonial significance.
• Mandated by Article 93, it is a constitutional imperative designed to ensure the seamless functioning of the lower House of Parliament.
• However, a disturbing trend has emerged in recent years, the persistent vacancy of this vital office, posing serious questions about constitutional adherence and democratic resilience.

Constitutional Mandate and Historical Significance

• Constitutional Mandate
  • Article 93 of the Indian Constitution unequivocally demands that 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 language used, particularly the phrase as soon as may be, implies urgency and necessity, not discretion.
  • Furthermore, Article 94 reinforces the continuity of the Deputy Speaker’s office until resignation, removal, or disqualification.
  • Thus, the framers intended for no disruption in leadership, safeguarding the stability of parliamentary proceedings.
• Historical Significance
  • The roots of this office extend back to colonial India, when it was known as the Deputy President of the Central Legislative Assembly.
  • Sachidanand Sinha’s appointment in 1921 marked the institutional beginning of this role.
  • Post-independence, the Constituent Assembly deliberately continued this office, recognising its indispensable contribution to parliamentary democracy.
  • Notably, M.A. Ayyangar’s seamless transition to Acting Speaker following Speaker G.V. Mavalankar’s sudden demise in 1956 demonstrated the practical necessity and importance of the Deputy Speaker as a ready and capable leader.

Role and Relevance in Parliamentary Functioning

• While the Speaker is the primary presiding authority, no individual can personally oversee every minute of legislative business.
• As constitutional expert S.C. Kashyap observed, the Speaker’s responsibilities are too vast to allow for continuous chairing of sessions.
• The Deputy Speaker, therefore, plays an indispensable role in maintaining the continuity of legislative work.
• Moreover, the Deputy Speaker’s responsibilities extend beyond substitution.
• They preside over committees, oversee crucial debates, and serve as neutral arbiters during sensitive discussions.
• Once elected, the Deputy Speaker, like the Speaker, is expected to act impartially, setting aside partisan loyalties to uphold parliamentary decorum.
• An equally important convention has been the informal practice of offering the Deputy Speaker’s post to a member of the Opposition.
• Although not legally mandated, this tradition has served to develop bipartisanship, moderation, and trust across the political aisle, values critical to the health of a parliamentary democracy.

A Growing Constitutional Vacuum

• Despite the constitutional clarity and historical precedents, the office of the Deputy Speaker has remained vacant throughout the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) and, as of now, the newly constituted 18th Lok Sabha as well.
• This is an unprecedented dereliction. Though the Constitution does not impose a strict timeline, interpreting "as soon as may be" to permit years-long delay is a distortion of constitutional intent.
• The absence of a Deputy Speaker centralises procedural authority in the hands of the ruling establishment, disrupting the delicate institutional balance envisioned by the framers.
• In events of sudden crises, such as the resignation, incapacitation, or death of the Speaker, the lack of a designated second-in-command could cause confusion and paralyze the House’s functioning.
• Additionally, the failure to uphold the tradition of offering the office to the Opposition undermines the spirit of consensus-driven politics and erodes democratic goodwill.
• It signals not mere oversight but an active sidelining of constitutional morality and parliamentary conventions.

The Way Forward: Towards Legislative Reform and Democratic Renewal

• This prolonged vacancy invites the urgent question: should the Constitution be amended to introduce a strict deadline for the election of the Deputy Speaker?
• For instance, mandating that the post be filled within 60 days of the first sitting of a new Lok Sabha could reinforce compliance and ensure continuity.
• Alternatively, a statutory intervention could empower the President, upon advice from the Prime Minister or Speaker, to initiate the election process if the House fails to act within a stipulated time frame.
• Either measure would close the dangerous loophole of indefinite delay that currently undermines institutional integrity.
• Ultimately, the Office of the Deputy Speaker is neither symbolic nor dispensable.
• It is a constitutional safeguard, a critical cog in the machinery of India’s parliamentary democracy.
• Neglecting it not only violates the explicit provisions of the Constitution but also diminishes the spirit of democratic resilience that underpins the Indian Republic.

Conclusion

• The election of a Deputy Speaker must no longer be treated as a procedural afterthought.
• It is a litmus test of Parliament’s commitment to rule-based governance, institutional robustness, and constitutional fidelity.
• At a time when democratic institutions globally are under stress, India’s Parliament must lead by example, by reaffirming its respect for constitutional norms and promptly restoring the dignity and functionality of the Office of the Deputy Speaker.
• The Constitution demands it. Democracy deserves it. The nation awaits it.