Gaurav Gogoi, Member of Parliament from the Indian National Congress, has warned of a “constitutional vacuum” in the Lok Sabha arising from the continued failure to elect a Deputy Speaker, saying the gap undermines parliamentary neutrality and the intent of constitutional safeguards. He pointed to Article 96 of the Constitution, which bars the Speaker from presiding over proceedings concerning their own removal, to argue that the current arrangement raises serious questions about impartiality.
Gogoi noted that Article 93 envisages only two constitutional presiding authorities-the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker-both elected directly by the House. With no Deputy Speaker in place, he said, the absence of a constitutionally mandated presiding officer has left the House without the clear, elected alternative the Constitution contemplates.
He criticised the practice of allowing a panel chairperson, nominated by the Speaker who is under challenge, to preside over such proceedings. According to Gogoi, that arrangement effectively lets the Speaker influence who will oversee their own removal, which he said runs counter to the protection Article 96 seeks to provide.
Stressing that neutrality is more than a procedural formality, Gogoi argued that the fairness of parliamentary proceedings depends on both the reality and the perception of impartiality. “In a constitutional democracy, justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done,” he said.
Gogoi further maintained that if the Speaker cannot act as judge in their own case, they should likewise not be in a position to nominate the person who will preside over their removal, because that would defeat the spirit of constitutional safeguards designed to ensure impartiality. His remarks underscore concerns about legitimacy and procedural fairness in the Lok Sabha while the Deputy Speaker position remains vacant.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/gaurav-gogoi-flags-constitutional-vacuum-over-absence-of-deputy-speaker-in-ls-1357869-2026-03-11?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-03-11 08:48:00
