Presiding Officers of State Legislature

The Speaker

• The Speaker is elected by the assembly itself from amongst its members and remains in office during the life of the assembly.
• However, he may vacate his office by writing to the Deputy Speaker or be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the assembly or he ceases to be a member of the assembly. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days' prior notice.

Powers and Duties of Speaker

• His functions are similar to those of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He adjourns the assembly or suspends the meeting in the absence of a quorum and maintains order and decorum in the assembly for conducting its business and regulating its proceedings.
• He can allow a secret sitting of the house at the request of the leader of the house. He decides the questions of disqualification of a member of the assembly, arising on the ground of defection under the provisions of the Tenth
• Schedule of the Constitution. However, he also vacates his office earlier in any of the following three cases:

1. If he ceases to be a member of the assembly.
2. If he resigns by writing to the deputy speaker.
3. If he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the members of the assembly. Such resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days advance notice.

• He appoints the Chairman of all the committees of the assembly and supervises their functioning. He himself is the Chairman of the Business Advisory Committee, the Rules Committee and the General Purpose Committee. The speaker decides whether a bill is a Money Bill or not.

Deputy Speaker

• Like the speaker, the Deputy Speaker is also elected by the assembly itself from amongst its members.
• He is elected after the election of the Speaker has taken place.
• The Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the speaker's office when it is vacant.
• He also acts as the speaker when the latter is absent from the sitting of assembly. In both the cases, he has all the powers of the speaker.

Chairman of the Legislative Council

• The Chairman is elected by the Council itself from amongst its members. He may vacate his office by resigning by writing to the Deputy Chairman or if he ceases to be a member of the Council.
• His powers and functions are comparable to the Speaker of the Assembly with few exceptions. Such as the speaker has one special power which is not enjoyed by the Chairman.
• The speaker decides whether a bill is a Money Bill or not and his decision on this question is final.

Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council

• Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman is also elected by the Council itself from amongst its members.
• The Deputy Chairman performs the duties of the Chairman's office when it is vacant.
• He also acts as the Chairman, when the latter is absent from the sitting of the Council. In both cases, he has all the powers of the Chairman.