Table of Contents
List of Deputy Speakers of Lok Sabha of India
The Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is also elected under Article 93 of the Indian Constitution. The Deputy Speaker ranks second after the Speaker in the Lok Sabha. He acts as the presiding officer in the case of leave or absence caused by the death or illness of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Deputy Speaker is not subordinate to the Speaker. He is directly responsible to the Lok Sabha.
The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha were normally appointed from the ruling party till the 10th Lok Sabha. Since the 11th Lok Sabha, it has been settled that the Speaker will hail from the ruling party, while the Deputy Speaker will come from the leading opposing party.
There have been 14 Deputy Speakers of the Lok Sabha of India. Refer to the table given below to learn about the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1952 to 2019.
| S.NO | Name | Tenure |
| 1 | Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar | 30 May 1952 – 7 March 1956 |
| 2 | Hukam Singh | 20 March 1956 – 31 March 1962 |
| 3 | S. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao | 23 April 1962 – 3 March 1967 |
| 4 | Raghunath Keshav Khadilkar | 28 March 1967 – 1 November 1969 |
| 5 | George Gilbert Swell | 9 December 1969 – 18 January 1977 |
| 6 | Godey Murahari | 1 April 1977 – 22 August 1979 |
| 7 | Govindaswamy Lakshmanan | 1 December 1980 – 31 December 1984 |
| 8 | Munisamy Thambidurai | 22 January 1985 – 27 November 1989 |
| 9 | Shivraj Patil | 19 March 1990 – 13 March 1991 |
| 10 | Siddananjappa Mallikarjunaiah | 13 August 1991 – 10 May 1996 |
| 11 | Suraj Bhan | 12 July 1996 – 4 December 1997 |
| 12 | Padanatha Mohammed Sayeed | 17 December 1998 – 6 February 2004 |
| 13 | Charanjit Singh Atwal | 9 June 2004 – 18 May 2009 |
| 14 | Kariya Munda | 8 June 2009 – 18 May 2014 |
| 8 | Munisamy Thambidurai | 13 August 2014 – 25 May 2019 |
| Vacant Position | Since 23 June 2019 |
Election and Tenure
The Deputy Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha itself from among its members. He is elected after the election of the Speaker has taken place. The date of election of the Deputy Speaker is fixed by the Speaker. No specific qualifications are prescribed in the Constitution for being elected Deputy Speaker. The only qualification is that the Deputy Speaker should be a member of the Lok Sabha.
Whenever the office of the Deputy Speaker falls vacant, the Lok Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy. Generally, the Deputy Speaker remains in office during the life of the Lok Sabha, but his office may terminate earlier in any of the following ways:
- if he ceases to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
- if he resigns by writing to the Deputy Speaker.
- if he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the members of the Lok Sabha. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice. Further, when a resolution for the removal of the Deputy Speaker is under consideration of the House, he cannot preside at the sitting of the House, though he may be present.
Powers and Functions
Some of the powers and functions of the Deputy speaker are given below:
- The Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker’s office when it is vacant. He also acts as the Speaker when the Speaker is absent from the sitting of the House. In both the situations, he assumes all the powers of the Speaker.
- He also presides over the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament, in case the Speaker is absent from such a sitting.
- The Deputy Speaker has one special privilege. Whenever he is appointed as a member of a parliamentary committee, he automatically becomes its chairperson.
- When the Deputy Speaker is presiding over the House, then he cannot vote in the first instance. He can only exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie.
- When the Speaker presides over the House, the Deputy Speaker is like any other ordinary member of the House. He can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings and vote in the House.
- The salary and allowance of the Deputy Speaker are fixed by Parliament and charged to the Consolidated Fund of India.
Some Important Facts about the Deputy Speakers of the Lok Sabha
Some important facts related to the Deputy Speakers of the Lok Sabha of India are given below:
- Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar was the first Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He was the second Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- Hukam Singh was the second Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He was the third Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- S. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao was only Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha who also served as Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
- Munisamy Thambidurai was the longest serving Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
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