Eight States Without Deputy Speaker: PRS Report Highlights Legislative Gaps Across Assemblies

New Delhi, May 17 — Amid the ongoing discourse on the prolonged absence of a deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha, a fresh report by PRS Legislative Research has revealed that eight state assemblies across India currently lack a deputy speaker, with Jharkhand notably not filling the position for over two decades.

Constitutional Requirement Ignored​

As per Article 178 of the Constitution, every state legislative assembly is mandated to elect both a speaker and a deputy speaker "as soon as possible". However, the Annual Review of State Laws, 2024, released by PRS, indicates non-compliance in several assemblies.

Among the states and union territories without a deputy speaker as of April 2025 are Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttarakhand.

Jharkhand stands out as it has not had a deputy speaker in over 20 years. Uttar Pradesh, despite having elected one in its previous term, has not appointed a deputy speaker in the current assembly, which is already three years into its tenure.

Role and Significance of Deputy Speaker​

The report emphasizes the deputy speaker’s constitutional role in ensuring legislative continuity. In the event of the speaker's death or resignation, the deputy speaker is empowered to officiate proceedings. Additionally, the deputy speaker is responsible for receiving no-confidence motions against the speaker and presiding over the ensuing debate.

Legislative Productivity in 2024​

The report paints a concerning picture of legislative productivity in 2024. On average, state assemblies met for 20 days annually, amounting to 100 hours of proceedings.

Some of the most active assemblies included:

• Odisha: 42 days
• Kerala: 38 days
• West Bengal: 36 days

In contrast, minimal activity was noted in smaller or conflict-affected states:

• Nagaland: 6 days
• Sikkim: 8 days
• Manipur: 14 days (before President's Rule was imposed in February)

Among larger states, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh recorded only 16 days of sittings each.

Short Sessions Raise Concerns​

Although the Constitution requires assemblies to convene at least once every six months, 11 states complied through brief sessions lasting merely one or two days, raising concerns about insufficient scrutiny of legislation and budgets.

States with higher average annual sittings include:

• Kerala: 44 days
• Odisha: 40 days
• Karnataka and West Bengal: 34 days each

Duration and Depth of Debates​

While the average sitting time across assemblies was five hours, there was a notable disparity:

• Goa and Rajasthan: Average of 7 hours per sitting
• Bihar, Jharkhand, and Punjab: Average of only 3 hours per sitting

The report underlines that limited time for assembly meetings directly affects the quality of deliberation on laws and financial matters.

National Context​

At the national level, the Lok Sabha has also remained without a deputy speaker since June 2019, spotlighting a broader pattern of deviation from constitutional norms in legislative bodies.

The PRS report raises critical questions on the functionality and accountability of state legislatures, calling for urgent attention to strengthen democratic processes and uphold constitutional mandates.