The Speaker holds a crucial position in the Lok Sabha, responsible for overseeing the functioning of the House. This includes deciding the agenda for parliamentary meetings and permitting motions such as adjournments and no-confidence motions.
In case of disputes regarding the House’s rules, the Speaker interprets and applies these rules, and their decisions cannot be challenged. Given that the House comprises members from both the ruling and opposition parties, the Speaker’s role must remain non-partisan.
This role is particularly significant because the Speaker is also an elected member of the Lok Sabha, representing a specific party. However, there have been instances where Speakers have resigned from their party before assuming the role. For example, N. Sanjiva Reddy resigned from the Congress after being elected Speaker of the fourth Lok Sabha in March 1967.
Given the BJP’s reliance on its allies, there could be situations where the government faces a crisis on the floor of the House. In such scenarios, the Speaker’s role becomes pivotal. The Speaker also has the authority to discipline members for unruly behavior and can disqualify members on grounds of defection under the 10th schedule of the Constitution.
What’s the Loksabha Speaker Debate?
The debate over the post of Lok Sabha Speaker has intensified. Key opposition leaders are signaling to TDP and JDU that, under any circumstances, the Speaker’s position should not go to the BJP. They are openly offering deals to TDP and JDU, and there is talk that the opposition might field its own candidate for Speaker, creating a commotion over the issue. Despite the opposition’s efforts, the Speaker is expected to be from the BJP.
The opposition camp is in disarray, displaying unprecedented desperation. Rahul Gandhi’s tactics are a blatant attempt to engage in political maneuvering, including horse trading, to prevent the BJP from securing the Speaker’s post.
Opposition’s Strategy
The opposition’s intentions appear to focus on destabilization. Their demands and actions suggest a willingness to disrupt the government’s functioning. There is speculation that the opposition will indeed field a candidate for Speaker, adding to the political drama. Rahul Gandhi should be leading the opposition. However, his actions suggest confusion and reluctance. The opposition should be working cohesively, but Gandhi’s indecision hampers their efforts. The responsibility of electing the Speaker lies with the government, yet Gandhi’s interference suggests a misunderstanding of this fundamental aspect of parliamentary procedure.
NDA Allies’ Strategy
Nitish Kumar’s stance remains clear. His party, JDU, has stated that they will support whatever decision the Prime Minister makes, closing the matter from their end. This contrasts with the opposition’s erratic demands and strategic confusion. Similarly, Chandrababu Naidu has expressed his unconditional support for the Modi government.
Prime Minister Modi’s Decision and the Reality
The government faces no threats, and there is no discord among its allies. With the formation of the government and the division of ministerial responsibilities complete, the next step is the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker. The opposition parties are scrambling for this position. The expectation is that the Speaker will be from the BJP and the Deputy Speaker from an allied party.
The opposition’s demand for the Deputy Speaker position is seen as an attempt to destabilize the process. Despite the opposition’s attempts to disrupt the process, the BJP’s stance remains unyielding. The party has made it clear that they will not compromise on the Speaker’s position. With Rajnath Singh leading discussions to build consensus, and the opposition’s continued meetings, it is anticipated that the Speaker’s post will be secured by the BJP, further solidifying Modi’s position in the government.