The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Union government to respond to a plea that no elections have been held to the posts of Deputy Speakers in Parliament and five State Legislative Assemblies.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice to the Union and requested the Attorney General of India R. Venkataramani to be present in court when the case comes up for hearing after two weeks.
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The five legislative Assemblies concerned are Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.
“We will first hear what the Attorney General has to say before issuing notices to the States,” Chief Justice Chandrachud said.
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Senior advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija, for the petitioners, said she was told that even Manipur did not have a Deputy Speaker. However, the court said it would stick to the States mentioned in the petition.
The petition said Articles 93 and 178 mandated the House of the People in Parliament and State Assemblies respectively to “choose” two of their members to the office of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker when the posts fall vacant.
