The deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha is the second-highest-ranking authority of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the parliament of India. He acts as the presiding authority in the event of leave or absence caused by the death or illness of the speaker of the Lok Sabha. As per Article 93 of the constitution, it says that the Lok Sabha (House of the People) shall, as soon as may be, choose two members to be speaker and deputy speaker so often as the offices become vacant. However, it does not provide a specific time frame. It is a parliamentary convention to elect a deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha from a party other than the ruling party to run an accountable democratic parliament.
The deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected in the first session after the general elections for a term of five years among the elected members of parliament. He is elected by a simple majority of those present and voting. The speaker fixes the date for electing the deputy speaker, and there is no need for a separate oath. The opposition party has held the post of deputy speaker on several occasions since 13 August 1991. Since 1952, Lok Sabha has had 14 deputy speakers. The longest-serving deputy speaker is M. Thambi Durai from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), who held the office for over nine years in two non-consecutive tenures, while Shivraj V. Patil from the Indian National Congress (INC) has the shortest tenure (only 359 days). The 17th Lok Sabha is the first Lok Sabha that did not have a deputy speaker.
The current Lok Sabha does not have a deputy speaker, and the post has remained vacant since 26 May 2019.
List Key Resigned Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term (1) (1) (3) (1) (7) (1)PortraitName Elected constituencyTerm of officeLok SabhaPolitical partySpeakerAssumed officeLeft officeTime in office1M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar(1891–1978)Tirupati30 May 19527 March 19563 years, 282 days1stIndian National Congressrowspan=5 G. V. Mavalankarrowspan=7 2Hukam Singh(1895–1983)Bathinda20 March 19564 April 19575 years, 333 daysM. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar17 May 195731 March 19622nd3S. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao(1902–1968)Shimoga23 April 19623 March 19674 years, 314 days3rdHukam Singh4R. K. Khadilkar(1905–1979)Khed28 March 19671 November 19692 years, 218 days4thNeelam Sanjiva Reddy
G. S. Dhillon5G. G. Swell(1923–1999)Shillong9 December 196927 December 19706 years, 315 daysAll Party Hill Leaders Conferencerowspan=2 G. S. Dhillon
Bali Ram Bhagat27 March 1971 18 January 19775th6Godey Murahari(1926–1982)Vijayawada1 April 197722 August 19792 years, 143 days6thIndian National CongressNeelam Sanjiva Reddy
K. S. Hegde7G. Lakshmanan(1924–2001)Chennai North1 December 198031 December 19844 years, 30 days7thDravida Munnetra KazhagamBalram Jakhar8M. Thambi Durai( 1947)Dharmapuri22 January 198527 November 19894 years, 309 days8thAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam9Shivraj V. Patil(1935–2025)Latur19 March 199013 March 1991359 days9thIndian National CongressRabi Ray10S. Mallikarjunaiah(1931–2014)Tumkur13 August 199110 May 19964 years, 271 days10thBharatiya Janata Partyrowspan=2 Shivraj V. Patil11Suraj Bhan(1928–2006)Ambala12 July 19964 December 19971 year, 145 days11thP. A. Sangma12P. M. Sayeed(1941–2005)Lakshadweep17 December 199826 April 19994 years, 232 days12thIndian National Congressrowspan=3 G. M. C. Balayogirowspan=2 27 October 19996 February 200413thG. M. C. BalayogiManohar Joshi13Charanjit Singh Atwal( 1937)Phillaur9 June 200418 May 20094 years, 343 days14thShiromani Akali DalSomnath Chatterjee14Kariya Munda( 1936)Khunti3 June 200918 May 20144 years, 349 days15thBharatiya Janata PartyMeira Kumar(8)M. Thambi Durai( 1947)Karur13 August 201425 May 20194 years, 285 days16thAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra KazhagamSumitra Mahajan–Vacant (Since 26 May 2019)
Timeline
Statistics List of deputy speakers by length of term NamePartyLength of termLongest continuous termTotal duration of deputy speakership1M. Thambi DuraiAIADMK4 years, 309 days9 years, 229 days2G. G. SwellAPHLC5 years, 297 days6 years, 315 days3Hukam SinghINC4 years, 318 days5 years, 333 days4Kariya MundaBJP4 years, 349 days4 years, 349 days5Charanjit Singh AtwalSAD4 years, 343 days4 years, 343 days6S. V. Krishnamoorthy RaoINC4 years, 314 days4 years, 314 days 7S. MallikarjunaiahBJP4 years, 271 days4 years, 271 days8P. M. SayeedINC4 years, 102 days4 years, 232 days9G. LakshmananDMK4 years, 30 days4 years, 30 days10M. Ananthasayanam AyyangarINC3 years, 282 days3 years, 282 days11R. K. KhadilkarINC2 years, 218 days2 years, 218 days12Godey MurahariINC2 years, 143 days2 years, 143 days13Suraj BhanBJP1 year, 145 days1 year, 145 days14Shivraj V. PatilINC359 days359 days
List by party +Parties by total time-span of their member holding DSO ( )Political partyNumber of deputy speakersTotal days of holding DSO1Indian National Congress7 days2Bharatiya Janata Party3 days3All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam1 days4All Party Hill Leaders Conference1 days5Shiromani Akali Dal1 days6Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam1 days
Parties by total duration (in days) of holding Deputy Speaker's Office
See also Speaker of the Lok Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Secretary General of the Lok Sabha Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha
Notes
References
External links Deputy Speaker Post Website of the Lok Sabha Website of the Parliament of India