 "Why are all eyes on the next Lok Sabha speaker? Can the INDIA bloc get the deputy speaker post?")
Ahead of the beginning of the special session of Parliament next week, speculations are rife over who will be the next Lok Sabha speaker. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to announce its candidate on 26 June.
While the Lok Sabha speaker post was held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in 2014 and 2019, the saffron party does not enjoy absolute majority in the lower house this time. With the BJP relying on its NDA allies to stay in power for a third consecutive term, the Speaker post has become a key talking point.
What is going on? Why is Lok Sabha speaker’s post important? Can the Opposition claim the deputy speaker post? Let’s take a closer look.
All eyes on Lok Sabha speaker
Reports say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will propose the name of Lok Sabha speaker on 26 June during the special session. As per News18, the motion is likely to be backed by Union minister Rajnath Singh.
Five to six such proposals are expected to be put forward for the candidacy. “All the alliance partners will make these proposals for the post of Lok Sabha speaker,” a top source told News18.
In case, the Opposition fields its own candidate for the post, an election will take place. If this happens, it would be the first such instance in Independent India’s history as the presiding officer has always been chosen by a consensus, noted PTI.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe names of Andhra Pradesh BJP president Daggubatti Purandareshwari and Bhratruhari Mahtab, a seven-term MP who quit the Biju Janata Dal Odisha (BJD) to join the BJP, are doing the rounds for the coveted post.
The saffron party is also reportedly considering retaining Om Birla, the 17th Lok Sabha speaker, for the post. He is the first Speaker since 2004 to have successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections. Birla won the Kota Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan on a BJP ticket by a margin of over 41,000 votes.
“Birla-ji became the first Speaker in two decades to be voted back into the Lok Sabha. The last one to do that was PA Sangma of the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), in 1998, after he had held the Speaker’s post in the 11th Lok Sabha,” a source in the government told The Hindu.
The name of GM Harish Balayogi, a first-time Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP from Amalapuram, has also come up for the Speaker post.
While the NDA partners – TDP and Janata Dal (United) – had reportedly demanded the Lok Sabha speaker post after the results, they have softened their stance now.
Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has stated it will support the BJP candidate for the post. Chandrababu Naidu ’s TDP is calling for a consensus “NDA candidate”.
NDA sources told Indian Express that the allies will agree to a BJP pick, only after consultations.
“The position of the Lok Sabha speaker is the most dignified post of the House. The ruling party has the first right on the seat,” JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
While the TDP is speaking of a NDA candidate, it is not rigid in its demand. Speaking to Indian Express, a source in the party said that “if there’s a consensus, the TDP will not insist on anyone. At the NDA meeting, we will be going with a larger consensus of the NDA on the nomination of the Speaker”.
TDP spokesperson Pattabhi Ram Kommareddy reportedly said, “The NDA partners will sit together and decide who our candidate for the Speaker is going to be. Once a consensus is reached, we will field that candidate and all partners, including the TDP, will support the candidate.”
The Opposition is egging on the TDP to claim the post of Lok Sabha speaker. Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has gone on to say that the INDIA bloc will support the TDP’s candidate if it fields one for the Lok Sabha speaker’s election.
Taking a dig at the BJP, he accused the saffron party of breaking the parties of its allies to bolster its own numbers.
“I hear the TDP wants to field its candidate. If that happens, INDIA bloc partners will discuss the issue and will try to ensure that all the INDIA partners extend support to the TDP,” Raut said earlier.
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says, "This fight of Lok Sabha Speaker is important. This time, the situation is not similar to 2014 and 2019. The government is not stable... We have heard that Chandrababu Naidu has asked for the Lok Sabha Speaker… pic.twitter.com/lovUT2JHZE
— ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2024
Why is the Speaker’s post crucial?
The Lok Sabha speaker has considerable authority over the functioning of the House. The leader presides over the Lok Sabha sessions and decides the agenda.
The post is considered a symbol of the ruling party or alliance’s strength and control over the legislative process in the House, as per India Today.
The Speaker interprets and applies procedural rules. The holder of this post decides whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not.
The occupant also oversees the composition of the Lok Sabha committees.
The Speaker’s post is also crucial as they take a call on the disqualification of a member and is the final authority on defection issues.
While Sumitra Mahajan was the Lok Sabha speaker in 2014, Om Birla took over the post in 2019.
Opposition wants deputy speaker post
The Opposition INDIA bloc is eyeing the post of deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha. The position has been vacant for the past five years.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MP M Thambidurai was the deputy speaker between 2014-19 when his party was a part of the ruling NDA.
During the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) terms, the deputy speaker post was offered to BJP’s Charanjit Singh Atwal in 2004 and the saffron party MP Kariya Munda in 2009.
Buoyed by its surge in strength in the Lok Sabha, the INDIA group is now after the deputy speaker post, which is conventionally held by a member of the Opposition party.
As per Indian Express, the NDA is pitching for a consensus candidate for Speaker. While the Opposition is in favour of this, it is asking for the post of deputy speaker citing convention.
“We will force a contest for the post of Lok Sabha speaker if the government does not agree to have an opposition leader as deputy speaker,” a senior Congress leader said, as per PTI.
Sources in the government told Indian Express that they do not want a “confrontation” with the Opposition over the matter of the speaker or deputy speaker. “But everything depends on how the Opposition responds to our overtures,” a leader said.
With inputs from agencies
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