The Supreme Court on Monday scheduled a plea seeking the election of a deputy speaker for the vacant Lok Sabha position since the new Parliament’s formation.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, agreed to list the matter for July 22.
Apart from the Lok Sabha, the plea also seeks the election of deputy speakers in the state assemblies of five states.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija, representing the petitioners, highlighted the urgency of the central government providing a status report on the appointment of deputy speakers, particularly for the vacant position in the Lok Sabha, Live Law reported.
“If the Union of India in the meanwhile can file the Status regarding the Deputy Speakers and why they are not being appointed especially in the Lok Sabha…the reason why I am saying this is that in this session also the situation continues. That’s the problem,” Makhija stated.
In the previous hearing, Makhija pointed out that states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Manipur (which was not mentioned in the petition) currently do not have a deputy speaker, despite the mandatory requirement for state legislatures to conduct elections for the post of deputy speakers.
The position of deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha has been vacant since June, 2019. It was last held by M Thambi Durai of the AIADMK, a former BJP ally, during the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-19).
The Congress-led INDIA bloc is now vying for the post, which is traditionally held by the Opposition.
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