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Indian Polity & Constitution25 Essential Exam Concepts
How the Speaker of the Lok Sabha Is Elected: Constitutional Rules
In the constitutional framework of the Republic of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha occupies an office of supreme institutional significance. As the constitutional head and presiding officer of the House of the People (the lower house of the Union Parliament), the Speaker symbolizes the collective authority of the House, safeguards parliamentary privileges, maintains decorum, and represents the nation’s democratic ethos. The office is governed directly by constitutional mandates set forth in Articles 93 through 97 of the Constitution of India, as well as the codified provisions of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. Understanding the exact constitutional and procedural mechanisms governing the election of the Speaker is essential for comprehending the operational mechanics of Indian parliamentary democracy.
The constitutional genesis of the election lies in Article 93, which mandates that the House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively the Speaker and Deputy Speaker thereof. Whenever the office of the Speaker falls vacant, the House must proceed to elect another member to fill the vacancy. Following a general election, the newly constituted Lok Sabha convenes without an elected Speaker. Under Article 95(1), the President of India appoints a senior Member of Parliament as the Speaker Pro-tem (temporary Speaker). The President administers the oath of office to the Speaker Pro-tem at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Speaker Pro-tem then presides over the preliminary sittings of the newly elected House, administers the parliamentary oath or affirmation to all newly elected Members under Article 99, and presides over the formal election of the permanent Speaker.
The procedural conduct of the election is regulated by Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. Under this rule, the exact date of the election of the Speaker is formally fixed and notified by the President of India. Any sitting member of the Lok Sabha may give notice in writing to the Secretary-General of a motion proposing another member for the office of Speaker, seconded by a third member and accompanied by a declaration of willingness to serve. On the appointed election day, the motions are moved in chronological order of receipt. The election is decided by a Simple Majority of members present and voting. Once a motion is carried, the presiding officer declares that member elected, and the newly chosen Speaker is traditionally escorted to the Chair by the Prime Minister (Leader of the House) and the Leader of the Opposition.
High-yield conceptual summaries for competitive exams and rapid revision.
Article 93 of the Constitution of India mandates that the Lok Sabha shall choose two of its members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker as soon as may be.
The date for the election of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is formally fixed by the President of India under Rule 7 of the Lok Sabha Rules.
Before the election of the permanent Speaker, the President appoints a senior MP as Speaker Pro-tem under Article 95(1) to preside over initial sittings.
The President administers the oath of office to the Speaker Pro-tem in accordance with Article 99 of the Constitution.
The Speaker Pro-tem administers the oath or affirmation to all newly elected Lok Sabha MPs and conducts the election of the Speaker.
To nominate a candidate for Speaker, any MP can give written notice of a motion to the Secretary-General before noon on the day preceding the election.
Every nomination motion must be seconded by another MP and must include a statement that the nominee is willing to serve if elected.
The election of the Speaker requires only a Simple Majority—more than 50% of the members present and voting in the House.
Voting is traditionally conducted by voice vote; if challenged, division is called using electronic voting or paper slips.
If only one nomination motion is moved and accepted, that member is declared elected without putting subsequent motions to a vote.
Once elected, the Speaker is formally conducted to the Chair by the Leader of the House (Prime Minister) and the Leader of the Opposition.
The Speaker does not take a separate oath upon assuming the Chair; they have already subscribed to the standard MP oath under the Third Schedule.
G.V. Mavalankar was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in independent India, serving from 1952 to 1956.
The Speaker holds office from the date of election until immediately before the first meeting of the newly elected Lok Sabha following a dissolution.
Under Article 94(b), the Speaker may resign from office at any time by submitting a written letter of resignation addressed to the Deputy Speaker.
The Speaker can be removed from office under Article 94(c) by a resolution passed by an Effective Majority of the Lok Sabha, requiring 14 days' advance notice.
Under Article 96, when a resolution for the Speaker's removal is under consideration, the Speaker cannot preside over the sitting of the House.
In regular proceedings, the Speaker does not vote in the first instance, but exercises a Casting Vote under Article 100(1) in the event of a tie.
The Speaker holds the sole constitutional authority to decide whether a bill is a Money Bill under Article 110(3), and their decision is final.
Under Article 118(4), the Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over any Joint Sitting of both Houses of Parliament.
Under the Tenth Schedule, the Speaker functions as the deciding authority on petitions seeking disqualification of Lok Sabha MPs for defection.
The salary and allowances of the Speaker are charged directly upon the Consolidated Fund of India under Article 112(3)(b) and are not subject to annual voting.