PIL in Delhi HC seeks holding of election of Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha

A public interest litigation (PIL) was moved in Delhi High Court that sought direction for holding of election of Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker of the Parliament.

Plea alleged inaction of the Constitutional functionaries and in evading their Constitutional duties in not holding the election of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.

The Bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh on Wednesday, without issuing the notice to respondents asked the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma representing Centre Government to take instructions in this regard and posted the matter for September 30.

The Petitioner Pawan Reley, appeared in person submitted, "It is the first time in the history of Indian republic that the office of the Deputy speaker has been vacant for 830 days (2 Years, 3 months, 7 days) as of August 30, 2021, from the date of the Constitution of 17th Lok Sabha."

The plea states that, Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha casts the primary duty on the Speaker to fix the date for holding the election of the Deputy Speaker. "And any further delay in electing Constitutional office of the Deputy Speaker will breach the collective trust in the Lok Sabha which is founded on the bedrock of the Constitutional trust," it added.

"The entire democratic structure in the House of the People rests on the shoulder of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker in absence of the Speaker and members of the House of the People. There is close nexus between the democratic structure and the fundamental rights of the people. Once this nexus is broken, it violates the fundamental rights of the people," plea added.

It read, "The Petition involves the questions of highest constitutional importance in relation to the alleged inaction of the Constitutional functionaries and in evading their Constitutional duties in not holding the election of the Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha."

"This Petition will result in maintaining the democratic structure of the Indian Constitution which is one of the most important basic structures of the Constitution of India," the plea read.

( With inputs from ANI )

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