Legislative Leaders at the Parliament
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, is a constitutionally mandated position elected by members of the Lok Sabha from amongst themselves. Historically evolving from colonial legislative frameworks into a key democratic institution post-independence, the Speaker's role centers on presiding over Lok Sabha sessions, ensuring orderly conduct, and upholding parliamentary rules and privileges.
Historical Evolution
The position of the Lok Sabha Speaker stems from British colonial legislative practices but was formalized by the Indian Constitution's provisions after independence in 1950. The Speaker is elected by Lok Sabha members during the first session of each newly elected house. Over time, the Speaker’s role has expanded from merely presiding over debates to administering parliamentary functions, overseeing discipline, interpreting rules, and representing the Lok Sabha externally.
Role and Significance
The Speaker presides over debates, ensures decorum, decides on the admissibility of motions, and protects the rights and privileges of members. The Speaker has the casting vote in case of a tie. The Speaker rules on procedural matters and adjudicates disputes related to the conduct of members and business of the house. Certain legislative powers such as admitting money bills exclusively originate from the Lok Sabha under the Speaker’s authority. The Speaker plays a critical role in maintaining parliamentary democracy by safeguarding the balance between government and opposition, ensuring fair discussion. The Speaker represents the Lok Sabha in the Rajya Sabha and with the President of India.
Convention of Apolitical Speaker and Its Implications
Upon election, the Speaker resigns from active political roles and refrains from partisan activity to maintain impartiality. This convention is crucial to prevent the Speaker from being seen as biased towards the ruling party. The impartiality of the Speaker is considered fundamental for the credibility of parliamentary proceedings and democracy. However, the Speaker’s apolitical stance may pose political dilemmas. The case of Somnath Chatterjee is significant: although a member of CPI(M), upon becoming Speaker he maintained neutrality even after his party withdrew support from the ruling coalition, leading to his expulsion from the party. This situation reveals the tension between party allegiance and constitutional duty, highlighting the complex role the Speaker must balance.
The apolitical convention fosters respect across parties and reinforces parliamentary integrity but can isolate the Speaker politically and limit their capacity to influence legislation beyond procedural enforcement.
Key Figures
Vithalbhai J. Patel became the first Indian and the first elected Speaker of the central legislative assembly in 1925. Frederick Whyte and Sachidanand Sinha were the first Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, of the Central legislative assembly in 1921. As Speaker of the First Lok Sabha, G.V. Mavlankar's role was that of a moderator and facilitator of proceedings, a Statesman to establish rules, procedures, conventions, and customs that suited the ethos of the land.
Money Bills
A money bill does not include bills providing for the imposition of fines or other pecuniary penalties, demand for payment of fees for licenses or services, or the imposition, abolition, remission, or regulation of any tax by local authorities. A money bill must contain provisions dealing with the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration, or regulation of any tax, the regulation of borrowing of money by the Union government, or the custody of the Consolidated Fund of India or the contingency fund of India, among other things. The Speaker endorses a bill as a money bill when it is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha and presented to the President for assent. If the Speaker does not certify a bill as a Money Bill, it will be considered a Financial Bill instead.
In India, the Speaker of the Parliament enjoys many powers to function in an independent manner and is expected to follow the convention established by reputed personalities in that position, such as G.V. Mavlankar. The Government of India Act, 1935, changed the nomenclatures to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. On his initiative, the 'Question Hour' in its modern sense became a regular and meaningful feature of parliamentary Sessions, and devices like Short Notice Questions and Half-an-Hour Discussions were introduced as means to make the Government truly accountable to the Parliament. The decision of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha regarding a bill being a money bill or not is final and cannot be questioned in any court of law or in either the House of Parliament or by the President. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, while apolitical, is not devoid of political influence. G.V. Mavlankar observed the decorum of the House and enforced it on others. He was a model Speaker, firm yet flexible, stern yet kind and sympathetic, and always fair to all sections of the House.
- The Speaker's role in the Lok Sabha has expanded historically, moving from a position centered on debates to one that includes administering parliamentary functions, overseeing discipline, interpreting rules, and external representation - activities that fall under the umbrella of policy-and-legislation and politics.
- In Indian politics, the Speaker's convention of maintaining impartiality stems from the need to safeguard parliamentary democracy and uphold general-news values such as fairness and integrity, despite potentially posing political dilemmas.
