Article 93 of the Constitution of India deals with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the People (Lok Sabha). It provides for the election of these two important presiding officers of the Lok Sabha.
- Meaning of Article 93
- Speaker of Lok Sabha
- Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
- Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker
- Speaker and Deputy Speaker Must Be Members of Lok Sabha
- Importance of the Speaker
- Speaker’s Casting Vote
- Deputy Speaker’s Role
- Speaker and Deputy Speaker – Comparison
- Article 93 and Article 94
- Article 93 and Article 95
- Article 93 and Article 89
- Article 93 and Article 100
- Importance of Article 93
- Article 93 at a Glance
- Common Confusions
- Quick Revision
- Conclusion
Meaning of Article 93
Article 93 provides that the House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are therefore:
- Elected by the Lok Sabha;
- Chosen from among the members of Lok Sabha; and
- Responsible for presiding over the proceedings of the House in accordance with the Constitution and parliamentary rules.
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The Speaker is the principal presiding officer of the Lok Sabha.
The Speaker is elected by the members of Lok Sabha from among themselves.
The Speaker is responsible for maintaining order and ensuring that the proceedings of the House are conducted according to the Constitution, parliamentary rules and established conventions.
Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
The Deputy Speaker is also elected by the members of Lok Sabha from among themselves.
The Deputy Speaker performs the functions of the Speaker when the office of Speaker is vacant or when the Speaker is unable to perform the duties of the office.
The constitutional provisions relating to the Deputy Speaker’s functions are further dealt with under Article 95.
Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Article 93 states that the Lok Sabha shall choose two members of the House to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The Constitution does not prescribe a particular procedure or exact date for their election. Parliamentary rules and practice regulate the election.
The expression “as soon as may be” indicates that the House is expected to choose these presiding officers without unnecessary delay.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker Must Be Members of Lok Sabha
Both offices can be held only by members of the House of the People.
Therefore:
Speaker → Member of Lok Sabha
Deputy Speaker → Member of Lok Sabha
This differs from the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, who is the Vice-President of India by virtue of Article 64.
Importance of the Speaker
The Speaker occupies a central position in the functioning of Lok Sabha.
The Speaker:
- Presides over meetings of Lok Sabha;
- Maintains order and discipline;
- Regulates debates and discussions;
- Interprets and applies the Rules of Procedure;
- Decides whether certain motions and proceedings are admissible under the rules; and
- Performs other constitutional and parliamentary functions.
The Speaker also has important responsibilities in relation to Money Bills and parliamentary committees.
Speaker’s Casting Vote
Under Article 100, the Speaker ordinarily does not vote in the first instance.
However, in the event of an equality of votes, the Speaker may exercise a casting vote.
This allows the Speaker to maintain neutrality while still providing a mechanism to resolve a tie.
Deputy Speaker’s Role
The Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker when required.
When presiding over the House, the Deputy Speaker generally exercises the powers of the Speaker for that sitting.
The Deputy Speaker therefore provides continuity in the functioning of Lok Sabha when the Speaker is unavailable.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker – Comparison
| Speaker | Deputy Speaker |
|---|---|
| Elected by Lok Sabha | Elected by Lok Sabha |
| Must be a Lok Sabha member | Must be a Lok Sabha member |
| Principal presiding officer | Assists and acts in place of Speaker when required |
| Presides over Lok Sabha | Presides when required |
| Has casting vote under Article 100 in case of equality | Exercises voting rights subject to constitutional rules |
Article 93 and Article 94
Article 93 provides for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Article 94 deals with the vacation, resignation and removal of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Therefore:
Article 93 → Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Article 94 → Vacation, resignation and removal
Article 93 and Article 95
Article 95 deals with the power of the Deputy Speaker or another person to perform the duties of Speaker.
Thus:
Article 93 → Who holds the offices
Article 95 → Who performs the Speaker’s duties when necessary
Article 93 and Article 89
The constitutional arrangements for the two Houses can be compared:
Rajya Sabha
- Article 89 → Chairman and Deputy Chairman
- Chairman → Vice-President of India
- Deputy Chairman → Chosen by Rajya Sabha
Lok Sabha
- Article 93 → Speaker and Deputy Speaker
- Speaker → Chosen by Lok Sabha
- Deputy Speaker → Chosen by Lok Sabha
Article 93 and Article 100
Article 100 deals with voting in Parliament and the casting vote of the presiding officer.
The Speaker’s voting position is therefore closely connected with Article 100.
Importance of Article 93
1. Establishes the Presiding Officers
Article 93 provides the constitutional basis for the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
2. Ensures Internal Election
Both officers are selected by the Lok Sabha itself.
3. Supports Parliamentary Functioning
The Speaker and Deputy Speaker ensure that proceedings can continue in an orderly manner.
4. Provides Continuity
The Deputy Speaker can perform the Speaker’s duties when the Speaker is unavailable or the office is vacant.
Article 93 at a Glance
| Point | Constitutional Position |
|---|---|
| Article | Article 93 |
| House | Lok Sabha |
| Offices | Speaker and Deputy Speaker |
| Chosen by | Lok Sabha |
| Chosen from | Members of Lok Sabha |
| Election timing | As soon as may be |
| Speaker’s role | Principal presiding officer |
| Deputy Speaker’s role | Performs Speaker’s duties when required |
| Vacation/removal | Article 94 |
| Performance of Speaker’s duties | Article 95 |
Common Confusions
Who Elects the Speaker of Lok Sabha?
The members of Lok Sabha elect the Speaker from among themselves.
Who Elects the Deputy Speaker?
The Lok Sabha chooses the Deputy Speaker from among its members.
Does the Constitution Fix a Specific Date for Election?
No.
Article 93 only states that the House shall choose them “as soon as may be”.
Can a Non-Member Become Speaker?
No.
The Speaker must be a member of Lok Sabha.
Is the Speaker the Same as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha?
No.
The Speaker presides over Lok Sabha, while the Vice-President is the ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
What Happens When the Speaker Cannot Perform the Duties?
The Deputy Speaker may perform the Speaker’s duties in accordance with Article 95.
Quick Revision
- Article 93 → Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.
- Both are chosen by Lok Sabha from among its members.
- They are to be chosen as soon as may be.
- Speaker → Principal presiding officer of Lok Sabha.
- Deputy Speaker → Performs Speaker’s duties in specified circumstances.
- Article 94 → Vacation, resignation and removal.
- Article 95 → Deputy Speaker or another person performing Speaker’s duties.
- Article 100 → Voting and casting vote.
- Rajya Sabha’s corresponding provision → Article 89.
Conclusion
Article 93 establishes the constitutional offices of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha. Both are chosen by the House from among its members and play a central role in ensuring the orderly functioning of parliamentary proceedings.
The key point to remember is:
Article 93 → Lok Sabha chooses two of its members as Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
