What is the common examiner trap about Polity in UPSC exams?

They may ask who decides on a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, expecting the answer 'Deputy Speaker', but then trap you by asking who decides if that post is vacant. Another trap is confusing the roles of Speaker pro-tem (appointed by President for a new House) and Deputy Speaker (elected by House).

What should UPSC aspirants remember about Polity for Prelims?

1. Target this Data: Deputy Speaker's office has been vacant since 2019. 2. Target this Nodal Body: Lok Sabha (Constitutional Office of Speaker/Deputy Speaker). 3. Target this Legal Point: Article 93 (Deputy Speaker) & Article 94 (Vacancy of Speaker's office).

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Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker vacancy since 2019 creates constitutional crisis over no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla

Q: As per the Constitution of India, who appoints the Speaker pro-tem for the Lok Sabha?

The President of India, The Speaker pro-tem is appointed by the President of India under Article 95 to preside over the first sitting of a newly constituted Lok Sabha until the new Speaker is elected. This ensures the office of the Speaker is never vacant.

Q: Consider the following statements regarding the office of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha: 1. The Deputy Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members. 2. When the office of the Speaker is vacant, the Deputy Speaker cannot exercise the powers of the Speaker until formally elected as Speaker. 3. The Constitution mandates that the office of the Deputy Speaker shall be filled 'as soon as may be' after the commencement of the House. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Only 1 and 3, Statement 1 is correct (Article 93). Statement 2 is incorrect; the Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker when that office is vacant (as seen when M.A. Ayyangar stepped in after G.V. Mavalankar's death). Statement 3 is correct as per the constitutional mandate in Article 93.

Q: According to the article, since which year has the constitutional office of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha been vacant?

2019, The article states that the Lok Sabha hasn't had a Deputy Speaker since 2019. This covers the entire five-year term of the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24) and continues into the current 18th Lok Sabha (from June 2024).

Q: What is the primary constitutional concern highlighted by the no-confidence motion against the Speaker in the absence of a Deputy Speaker?

It creates a procedural vacuum for deciding on the motion's admissibility., The core issue is a constitutional and procedural dilemma. The Deputy Speaker is the authority to decide on such a motion against the Speaker. In their absence, there is no clear constitutional mechanism to process the motion, highlighting a flaw in the continuity provisions.

PolityHIGH

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GAPrelims MediumMains HighStatic GK Link

11 Feb 2026

~2 min

Source: Indian Express

Key Data:201920242025June 2024 to 2025one thirdless than an hour

Bodies:Lok SabhaRajya SabhaPRS Legislative Research

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~2 min · Quick mode

What This Article Covers

1.Opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, but there's no Deputy Speaker to decide on its admissibility.

2.The Deputy Speaker's office has been vacant since 2019 (17th Lok Sabha) and continues in the 18th Lok Sabha (since June 2024), raising a constitutional dilemma.

3.The crisis underscores deeper institutional issues: adversarial politics, frequent disruptions, and colonial parliamentary procedures needing urgent overhaul for effective governance.

The Big Picture

Prelims · MediumMains · High

A no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has exposed a critical constitutional vacuum: the prolonged absence of a Deputy Speaker. This procedural crisis, unprecedented since 2019, questions the continuity mechanisms for high constitutional offices and highlights systemic degradation of parliamentary decorum and bipartisan collaboration.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Deputy Speaker Vacant Since2019

Current Lok Sabha Term StartedJune 2024

Disrupted Working Days (June '24-'25)~1/3 of total days

First Lok Sabha SpeakerG V Mavalankar

1-Minute Revision

›Deputy Speaker Vacant Since: 2019
›Current Lok Sabha Term Started: June 2024
›Target this Data: Deputy Speaker's office has been vacant since 2019.
›Target this Nodal Body: Lok Sabha (Constitutional Office of Speaker/Deputy Speaker).
›Target this Legal Point: Article 93 (Deputy Speaker) & Article 94 (Vacancy of Speaker's office).

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News Snapshot

⚖️

Constitutional Vacuum

A no-confidence motion against the Speaker cannot be processed due to the absence of a Deputy Speaker, a post vacant since 2019.

📜

Continuity Mechanism

The Constitution ensures the Speaker's office is never vacant via provisions like Speaker pro-tem and Deputy Speaker stepping in.

📉

Parliamentary Dysfunction

From June 2024-2025, the Lok Sabha worked for less than an hour on roughly one-third of its total working days due to disruptions.

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

No-confidence motions against presiding officers are rare but not unprecedented. Similar motions were moved against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, but were rejected. The current crisis is unique because the Lok Sabha lacks a Deputy Speaker to decide on the motion's admissibility, creating a procedural deadlock.

Core Analysis & Constitutional Implications

Article 93 mandates the election of a Deputy Speaker 'as soon as may be'. Its prolonged vacancy violates constitutional intent. The Speaker continues in office after House dissolution (Article 94), and a Speaker pro-tem is appointed for a new House. If the Speaker's office falls vacant, the Deputy Speaker performs duties (as happened after G.V. Mavalankar's death). The current vacuum means no constitutional authority exists to rule on the motion, exposing a critical flaw in parliamentary design.

Institutional Degradation & Political Implications

The crisis is symptomatic of deeper parliamentary decay. Debate has become personal and adversarial, leading to frequent disruptions. This shrillness undermines Parliament's primary functions: law-making, holding government accountable, and passing budgets. The colonial-era procedures, designed to tolerate the legislature, are ill-suited for a collaborative deliberative democracy and need urgent reform.

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Immediate resolution requires the election of a Deputy Speaker. Long-term solutions involve procedural reforms to encourage bipartisanship, possibly through rules for mandatory consensus-building committees and time-bound discussions. Restoring parliamentary dignity is essential for the institution to fulfill its constitutional mandate and not betray public trust.

Key Facts at a Glance

Deputy Speaker Vacant Since2019

Current Lok Sabha Term StartedJune 2024

Disrupted Working Days (June '24-'25)~1/3 of total days

First Lok Sabha SpeakerG V Mavalankar

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Practice exam-style questions based on this article.

Q1Static LinkageEasyUPSC, State PSC

As per the Constitution of India, who appoints the Speaker pro-tem for the Lok Sabha?

Q2Statement-basedHardUPSC

Consider the following statements regarding the office of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha:

1. The Deputy Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members.

2. When the office of the Speaker is vacant, the Deputy Speaker cannot exercise the powers of the Speaker until formally elected as Speaker.

3. The Constitution mandates that the office of the Deputy Speaker shall be filled 'as soon as may be' after the commencement of the House.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMediumUPSC, SSC, State PSC

According to the article, since which year has the constitutional office of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha been vacant?

Q4Application/ImpactMediumUPSC, State PSC

What is the primary constitutional concern highlighted by the no-confidence motion against the Speaker in the absence of a Deputy Speaker?

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Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker vacancy since 2019 creates constitutional crisis over no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

1-Minute Revision

News Snapshot

Constitutional Vacuum

Continuity Mechanism

Parliamentary Dysfunction

Detailed Analysis & Strategic Depth

Context / Background

Core Analysis & Constitutional Implications

Institutional Degradation & Political Implications

Future Outlook / Way Forward

Prelims Flashpoints

Key Facts at a Glance