Thu May 29 03:00:00 UTC 2025: **Summary of the Text:**

The article discusses the concerning situation in India where the position of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha has remained vacant for an extended period. The author argues that this vacancy violates the spirit of the Constitution, undermines parliamentary democracy, and concentrates power within the ruling party. The convention of offering the Deputy Speaker position to the Opposition fosters harmony and ensures checks and balances. The article highlights the constitutional provisions and conventions related to the Deputy Speaker, emphasizing the urgency and necessity of filling the position to maintain democratic resilience.

**Rewritten as a News Article:**

**India’s Parliament Faces Criticism Over Vacant Deputy Speaker Post**

**New Delhi, May 29, 2025** – Concerns are mounting over the prolonged vacancy of the Deputy Speaker position in the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament. For the last six years, the position has been lying vacant, sparking criticism of the ruling government’s adherence to constitutional principles and democratic norms.

Experts argue that the vacant position undermines the spirit of parliamentary democracy and concentrates power within the hands of the ruling party. Conventionally, the Deputy Speaker’s post is offered to a member of the Opposition to foster harmony and ensure checks and balances.

“The framers of the Constitution adopted a parliamentary form of governance to ensure effective representation of the people of India in the political system. This idea would lose its significance if the system does not function properly, effectively and smoothly,” says C.B.P Srivastava, President of the Centre for Applied Research in Governance.

Article 93 of the Constitution mandates the election of both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, using the phrase “as soon as,” implying urgency. While Article 93 does not specify a timeline, experts warn that misinterpretation of the phrase leads to constitutional distortion.

Critics also point to Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha 1952, which states that the election of the Deputy Speaker “shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix”.

According to Article 180 of the Constitution, the Deputy Speaker has the power to conduct the duties of the Speaker when his chair is vacant. This vacancy violates Articles 93, 94 and 180 of the Constitution, it is also inconsistent with the Rules of Procedure.

The government’s failure to uphold the tradition of offering the position to the Opposition further undermines consensus-driven politics. It also raises concerns about a potential constitutional crisis in the event of the Speaker’s resignation or incapacitation.

The issue highlights the importance of constitutional conventions and the need for cooperation between the ruling party and the Opposition to ensure effective and balanced governance.

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