According to Nehru,’Speaker represents dignity & freedom of house & as House represents nation, Speaker becomes a symbol of nation’s freedom & liberty.’ Once a speaker, Always a speaker is a British system aimed to ensure neutrality of office of speaker.
Issues in office of Speaker
Combining presiding and quasi-judicial roles, causes conflict of interest.
Partisan Bias – Delays in Manipur & Maharashtra defection cases (2020-23) benefited ruling coalitions.
Unilateral Suspension Powers – Rule 374A allows mass suspensions (e.g., 146 MPs in 2023) without adequate checks.
Money Bill – Aadhaar Act (2016) passed as Money Bill, bypassing Rajya Sabha scrutiny.
Speaker remains party-affiliated, unlike the UK’s non-partisan model.
Judicial Non-Interference (Art. 122) – Speaker’s discretion largely beyond judicial review.
Weak Parliamentary Conventions – No codified norms; decisions often politically motivated.
Decline in Deliberation – “Railroading” of bills (e.g., Farm Bills, 2020) reduces discussion quality.
Executarian Speakership – Rising executive influence eroding neutrality and institutional integrity.
Positive Implications of Adopting “Once a Speaker, Always a Speaker”
Restored Neutrality – Permanent detachment from party politics enhances objectivity and moral authority.
Improved Parliamentary Discipline – Equal enforcement of rules encourages constructive debate over disruption.
Fair and Equal Treatment – Ensures equal opportunities for participation, giving every member’s voice due respect, irrespective of party affiliation.
Better Executive Oversight – Impartial Speaker can ensure accountable functioning of government in Parliament.
Building Consensus – A neutral Speaker fosters an environment conducive to consensus-building and cooperative decision-making.
Impartial Decision-Making – Promotes fairness in-
Rulings on points of order,
Interpretation of parliamentary rules,
Decisions on admissibility of bills and motions, and
Protection of members’ rights and privileges.
Upholding the Dignity of Office – Acts as a symbol of neutrality, integrity, and impartiality, thereby strengthening the moral authority of Parliament.
Global Best Practice Alignment – Similar to UK model, where Speaker contests as “Speaker seeking re-election,” maintaining impartiality.
Way Forward-
Codify Speaker’s neutrality – mandatory resignation from political party upon election.
Amend Rule 374A – require House concurrence for suspensions beyond one day.
Limit Speaker’s Role in Anti-Defection Law- In the Keisham Meghachandra Singh case, the Supreme Court suggested that the current system could be replaced by a permanent tribunal.
Introduce legislative due process – guarantee minimum debate standards. (Inspired by Rosalind Dixon’s theory of legislative dysfunction and Israel’s Quantinsky v. Knesset (2021), which annulled a rushed tax law for violating principle of participation.)
Create a Standing Committee on Parliamentary Procedures to oversee the Speaker’s administrative decisions, particularly related to the agenda-setting and motion approvals.
As M. Venkaiah Naidu observed, debate, discussion, and decision, which form the edifice of parliamentary democracy.” A truly impartial Speaker is the cornerstone of that edifice.