Om Birla, the NDA candidate for the Lok Sabha speaker post, on Tuesday filed his nomination. The INDIA bloc has fielded Congress MP K Suresh for the post against Birla. Previously, the INDIA alliance said that it will support the NDA candidate for the Speaker post provided it gets the deputy speaker post.
Since the NDA was non-committal about giving the deputy speaker to the Opposition, the INDIA bloc fielded its candidate for the post of the Lok Sabha Speaker. The Speaker will be elected on June 26, marking the beginning of the Parliament session scheduled from June 24 to July 3.
The post becomes vacant just before the new Lok Sabha convenes. The President appoints a Pro-tem Speaker for a short period till before the Speaker election results are out to administer the oath to the newly elected MPs. The first two days of the session are dedicated to this oath-taking ceremony.
How is the Lok Sabha speaker elected?
Governed by Article 93 of the Constitution, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected on simple majority. This implies that the candidate who receives more than half the votes from the members present in the House is elected as the Speaker.
Why is the post so important?
Lok Sabha speaker is the principal spokesman of the House, and his decision in all Parliamentary matters is considered to be final. Besides this, he is also the guardian of powers and privileges of the members, the House as a whole and its committees.
Within the House, he is the final interpreter of the provisions of the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha and the parliamentary precedents.
Primary responsibility of the Speaker is to maintain order and decorum inside the House for conducting its business and regulating proceedings. The speaker also has the authority to disqualify members for unruly behaviour under the 10th schedule of the Constitution.
Moreover, he appoints the chairmen of all parliamentary committees of the Lok Sabha and supervises their performance. The speaker can also allow a 'secret' sitting of the House if the Leader of the House requests so.
In this meeting, no stranger can be present in the chamber, lobby or galleries without the speaker's permission.
He also decides on whether a bill is a money bill. If a bill is classified as a money bill, it is transmitted to Rajya Sabha for recommendation and presented to the President for assent. After this, the Speaker endorses it as a money bill.
Lok Sabha Speaker is also the chairman of the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purpose Committee.
When can the Lok Sabha Speaker be removed?
Usually, the Speaker remains in office till the life of the Lok Sabha. He, however, will have to vacate office if: (a) he ceases to be a member of the Lok Sabha, (b) he resigns by writing to the Deputy Speaker, and (c) he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all then members of the Lok Sabha.
A resolution to remove the Speaker can only be moved after giving an advance notice of 14 days. When the resolution is under consideration of the House, the Speaker cannot preside over the proceedings though he may be present.