Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Sansad / Parliament |
Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Lok Sabha / House of the People |
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Rajya Sabha / Council of States
|
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
Title |
Speaker of the Lok Sabha |
Term |
- duration: 5 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, ceasing to be a Member of the House, being removed removed from his office by a resolution of the House, death, dissolution of the Parliament |
Appointment |
- elected by all the Members of the Lok Sabha at a date fixed by the President following the newly elected Parliament
- after newly elected Members are sworn in |
Eligibility |
any Member may give a motion addressed to the Secretary General with the name of the chosen Speaker - all the motions which are in order are entered in the List of Business which is issued on the day preceding the election |
Voting system |
- formal and open vote
- simple majority is required |
Procedures / results |
- the Speaker pro tempore appointed by the President presides over the Lok Sabha during the voting
- the Speaker pro tempore supervises the voting
- the Speaker pro tempore announces the results without delay
- the results cannot be challenged |
STATUS |
Status |
- ranks 6th in the hierarchy of State, equally with the Chief Justice
- Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Vice-President of India) has precedence over the Speaker of Lok Sabha
- represents the Lok Sabha with the public authorities
- is ex officio member of a committee which nominates the Chairman of the Press Council of India
- represents the Lok Sabha in international bodies
- in the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker presides over the deliberations of the House |
Board |
|
Material facilities |
- salary (40,000 rupees/ month)
+ constituency allowance ((3 000 rupees/month) + daily allowance (200 r./day) + sumptuary allowance (1 000 r./month) + travelling allowance for him/her and his/her family
- free medical treatment
- official residence
- official car
- railway pass
- secretariat
- body guards |
FUNCTIONS |
Organization of parliamentary business |
- organizes the debates and ensures that time is divided between the party in power and other groups in proportion to their respective strength in the House
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- constitutes and appoints parliamentary committees and appoints the presiding officers |
Chairing of public sittings |
- can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- announcements concerning the Lok Sabha are made at times by the Speaker and by the House in regard to certain matters
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up (if a Member requests that any amendment be put separately, the Speaker shall do so) and selects which amendments have to be debated
- calls for a vote and invites Members to say yes or no and gives his/her opinion about the results - this opinion can be challenged, in this case, the Speaker puts the question a second time and if his/her opinion is again challenged, orders that the votes be recorded by division
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the texts adopted and the records of debates |
Special powers |
- supervises the establishment of the Lok Sabha's budget prepared by the Secretariat
- recruits, assigns and promotes staff with the Secretariat,
- appoints the Clerk
- supervises the Secretariat who organizes the services of Parliament
- heads the parliamentary delegation abroad and receives delegation from other Parliaments
- is responsible for relations with other Parliaments, through bilateral exchange of parliamentary delegations
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Lok Sabha |
Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- has only a casting vote which he/she must exercise in case of an equality of votes
- intervenes in the parliamentary oversight procedure, according to the Rules |