At present, a panel of chairpersons presides over sittings of the House in the absence of the Speaker. The panel of 10 MPs was appointed by the Speaker in last July.The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha saw an unprecedented showdown between the NDA and the Opposition over the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker. The contest for the Speaker post, the fourth instance in the history of Independent India and the first in nearly 50 years, was necessitated after the Opposition and the government failed to reach a consensus on the issue of the post of Deputy Speaker. Though Speakers have been chosen mostly by consensus, the Opposition argues that it was compelled to field its candidate after the Modi government refused to concede the Deputy Speaker post to them.Experts point out that as per Rule 8, election to the post of the Deputy Speaker “shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix.” The Deputy Speaker is elected once a motion proposing his or her name is moved. According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the LS, the Deputy Speaker enjoys the same powers as the Speaker when presiding over a sitting House. According to Article 180 of the Constitution, the Deputy Speaker has the power to perform the duties of the Speaker when the chair is vacant.In the 16th Lok Sabha, during PM Modi’s first term, the post was held by M. Thambidurai of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).During the tenure of UPA 1, Charanjit Singh Atwal, a leader of the then-BJP ally Akali Dal, held the post of Deputy Speaker. During UPA 2, the BJP’s Kariya Munda held the post as deputy speaker. During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure from 1999 to 2004, P M Sayeed of the Congress held the post.
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