parliamentary leaders
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha: A Pillar of India's Parliamentary Democracy
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament, has evolved as a crucial constitutional authority in the country's parliamentary democracy. This role, shaped alongside the development of India's parliamentary system, is central to the certification of money bills and the functioning of the Indian legislature.
Historical Evolution
The Speaker's role in the Lok Sabha has its roots in parliamentary traditions inherited and adapted after India's independence. As the Lok Sabha became a constitutionally empowered law-making body, the Speaker's role evolved in structure and function. While the detailed historical evolution of the Lok Sabha Speaker is not fully elaborated, references to the Kerala Legislature’s evolution show a pattern of legislative bodies moving from advisory or princely state assemblies to constitutionally sanctioned legislatures. The Speaker's role in this process became institutionalized as parliamentary democracy matured post-independence.
Role in Money Bills
The Speaker's most significant role comes into play with money bills. According to Article 110 of the Constitution, the Speaker certifies a bill as a money bill, covering financial subjects like taxation, borrowing, and expenditure. This certification restricts the Rajya Sabha's authority, as money bills can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha, and the upper house cannot amend or reject them, only make non-binding recommendations within 14 days.
The Speaker acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring the bill’s proper classification without external consultation. The Speaker's decision is conclusive and judicially unchallengeable, centralizing power and enhancing the executive's legislative efficiency in financial matters. However, this centralization of power has occasionally been subject to political and legal scrutiny, as seen in ongoing debates and pending court cases over the misuse or expansive classification of money bills.
The Speaker of the First Lok Sabha
G.V. Mavlankar, as the Speaker of the First Lok Sabha, played a significant role in establishing rules, procedures, conventions, and customs that suited the ethos of the land. Mavlankar, who was a member of the Indian National Congress, did not take any active interest in politics while he remained the Speaker, despite not severing his linkages with the party. He observed the decorum of the House and enforced it on others, becoming a model Speaker, firm yet flexible, stern yet kind and sympathetic, and always fair to all sections of the House.
On Mavlankar's initiative, the 'Question Hour' in its modern sense became a regular and meaningful feature of parliamentary Sessions. Devices like Short Notice Questions and Half- an-Hour Discussions were introduced as means to make the Government truly accountable to the Parliament.
The Speaker in the U.K.
In contrast, the Speaker of the House of Commons in the U.K. is elected at the beginning of parliament by and from among the members of the House of Commons. In the U.K., the Speaker severs all ties with their political party while in office to be seen as an impartial presiding officer. If the Speaker of the outgoing Parliament is still a member of the house and is willing to be re-elected, they can do so and are usually re-elected as many times as they want. Even after leaving office, the Speaker in the U.K. normally takes no part in party politics. If elevated to the House of Lords, they would normally sit as a crossbencher.
In summary, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, historically arising from India's constitutional parliamentary development, has a pivotal and constitutionally mandated role in certifying money bills, thereby shaping financial legislation under a mechanism that limits the Rajya Sabha’s powers and consolidates authority within the Lok Sabha and specifically the Speaker’s office.
In the evolution of India's parliamentary democracy, the Speaker's role in the Lok Sabha has been central to the certification of money bills and the functioning of the Indian legislature, reflecting the institutionalized position of the Speaker within policy-and-legislation and general-news realms of politics.
The Speaker's role as a gatekeeper in money bills, with the power to certify bills and ensure proper classification, has been instrumental in shaping financial legislation, positioning the Speaker as a crucial figure in politics and policy-and-legislation.
