Speaker's Role in the Assembly
ROLE OF SPEAKER
The Speaker takes a cardinal position in the Assembly. Although he is elected as a nominee of a political party, it is assumed that he would conduct the business of the Assembly as an impartial arbiter and shall manage the proceedings in line with the established norms of democracy. He is also required to effect a balance between the Treasury Benches and the Opposition Benches.
At the commencement of each session, the Speaker nominates, in order of precedence, from amongst the members, a panel of not more than four Chairmen to preside over the sittings of the Assembly in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker
In addition to the functions relating to the conduct of business of the Assembly, the Speaker also performs certain administrative and financial functions under the Constitution and the rules. Briefly to say, the Speaker is required −
(a) to take the Chair at every sitting of the Assembly at the appointed time;
(b) to call a sitting to order and to conduct business;
(c) to preserve order and decorum, and to enforce decisions;
(d) to decide all points of order;
(e) to suspend or expel a member;
(f) to order the Galleries to be cleared or any stranger to be removed;
(g) to hold a secret sitting of the Assembly;
(h) to expunge any remarks from the proceedings of the Assembly; and
(i) to amend notices and motions.