With reference to Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, consider the following statements: 1. As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the election of Deputy Speaker shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix. 2. There is a mandatory provision that the election of a candidate as Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha shall be from either the principal opposition party or the ruling party. 3. The Deputy Speaker has the same power as of the Speaker when presiding over the sitting of the House and no appeal lies against his rulings. 4. The well established parliamentary practice regarding the appointment of Deputy Speaker is that the motion is moved by the Speaker and duly seconded by the Prime Minister. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Answer: A. Statements 1 and 3 only are correct. Statement 1 is CORRECT. Under Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, the election of the Deputy Speaker shall be held on such date as the SPEAKER may fix. This gives flexibility on timing of Deputy Speaker election. Statement 2 is WRONG. There is NO MANDATORY PROVISION that the Deputy Speaker must be from either the principal opposition party or ruling party. CONVENTION suggests the Deputy Speaker comes from the opposition (to balance the Speaker who is typically from ruling party), but this is not a legal requirement. The 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24) operated without any Deputy Speaker for its full term, indicating absence of legal mandate. Statement 3 is CORRECT. When PRESIDING over a sitting, the Deputy Speaker has the SAME POWERS as the Speaker, and no appeal lies against his/her rulings under Rule 378 of the Rules. Statement 4 is WRONG. There is no fixed convention that the motion for Deputy Speaker is 'moved by the Speaker and seconded by the Prime Minister'. The election follows ordinary procedure with candidates proposed and seconded by any member. Source: Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha / Article 93 of Constitution.