The Indian Lok Sabha is scheduled to elect a new Speaker on June 26. The newly elected 18th Lok Sabha will hold its first session from June 24 to July 3.
As speculation continues over who will be the next Speaker, the Indian Opposition has maintained that key posts in the Lower House should be allotted to the Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), partners of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Why is the chairman’s post important this time?
Unlike the previous two Modi-led governments, in which the BJP had a landslide majority, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third federal government is dependent on allies.
In the recently concluded 2024 Indian Lok Sabha elections, the results of which were announced on June 4, the BJP won 240 seats, 32 short of a majority. Naidu’s TDP, led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD-U won 16 and 12 seats respectively, and emerged as the major parties in Prime Minister Modi’s new government.
What are our allies saying?
While TDP leaders have said the candidate will have to be decided jointly by the NDA partners, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi has suggested the party may also support a candidate nominated by the BJP.
How is the Speaker of the House elected?
The rules for electing the speaker are set out in Article 93 of the Constitution. The post becomes vacant just before the new House of Representatives meets for the first time, which in this case is June 24.
According to procedure, before the start of the parliamentary session, the President appoints a temporary Speaker and swears in the newly elected members of Parliament. For the session that begins on June 24, the first two days (June 24 and June 25) are dedicated to swearing in the newly elected members of the House of Representatives. June 26 is set as the date for electing a new Speaker of the House of Representatives. Notice of motion in support of a candidate must be submitted by members by noon on June 25, the day before the election.
The Speaker of the House is elected by simple majority vote, meaning that more than half of the members present in the chamber must vote for a particular candidate to become Speaker.
There are no specific criteria for the appointment of the Speaker. BJP leaders Sumitra Mahajan and Om Birla have served as Speakers of the Indian Lok Sabha in the last two terms (2014-2019 and 2019-2024).
What are the powers of the Speaker of the House?
The Speaker is an important position in the House of Representatives as he is responsible for running the House. The Speaker sets the agenda for Parliament and approves motions such as adjournments and motions of no confidence.
If there is a dispute regarding the rules of the House, the Speaker interprets and applies these rules and cannot be challenged.Since the House has members from the ruling and opposition parties, the Speaker’s Chair must be non-partisan.
The role of the Speaker is even more important as he or she is also a member of the Indian Lok Sabha representing a particular political party. However, there have been cases where Speakers have left their parties before assuming the role. For example, N Sanjiva Reddy resigned from the Indian National Congress after being elected as the fourth Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha in March 1967.
As the BJP relies on its allies, a situation could arise where the government faces a crisis in Parliament, and in such a scenario, the Speaker would have a role to play.
The Speaker also has the power under Article 10 of the Constitution to punish irregularities and to disqualify members for leaving the party.
Who is the most likely candidate?
Some reports suggest that Om Birla will continue as Speaker of the Indian Parliament. Birla won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP candidate from Kota in Rajasthan.
Birla said on June 16 that it was up to political parties to decide on the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lower House. NDA leaders met at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence in the national capital on June 16 to discuss the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Other candidates in the running for the Speaker post include Daggubati Purandeswari, daughter of TDP founder NT Rama Rao, a BJP politician from Andhra Pradesh and party leader in the state.
Purandeswari served as Minister of Human Resource Development in 2009 and Minister of Commerce and Industry in 2012. Purandeswari won the recent Lok Sabha elections from Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh by a margin of over 230,000 votes. He is not included in the Union Cabinet as he is a candidate for the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Purandeswari’s election as Speaker may please TDP chief Naidu. Naidu’s wife, Nara Bhuvaneswari, and Purandeswari are sisters. Purandeswari was present as a special guest at the swearing-in ceremony of Naidu and his Cabinet in Andhra Pradesh last week.
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