India TV Poll: The post of Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha, which has remained vacant in the 17th Lok Sabha, is expected to be filled again, but the suspense over who will be offered the position continues. According to reports, the 18th Lok Sabha will have a Deputy Speaker, but it has not yet been decided whether the position should be offered to the Opposition, NDA allies, or if the BJP will keep it. Sources suggest that the position of Deputy Speaker may be given to an NDA ally. However, it is important to note that the I.N.D.I.A bloc has demanded the post of Deputy Speaker, which has conventionally always gone to the Opposition, especially with the I.N.D.I.A bloc parties' numbers increasing in the 18th Lok Sabha.

Now, all eyes are on the post of Deputy Speaker, which the Opposition has been vying for since the beginning. The Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker's post has been lying vacant since 2019.

India TV Poll Result

As the suspense continues over whether the NDA or the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will be offered the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker post, India TV conducted a poll asking people should the government offer the position to the Opposition after the election of the Speaker. Most of the people were of the opinion that the Deputy Speaker post should not go to the Opposition. Of the total participants, only 12 per cent of people agreed that the position should be offered to the opposition while 85 per cent were against it and 3 per cent of people were not sure and chose the option of 'Can't say'.

Yes: 12% No: 85% Can't Say: 3%

 Why Opposition wants Deputy Speaker post?

After the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rejected the Opposition's demand for the Deputy Speaker's post in exchange for their support of the NDA's Speaker candidate, the NDA's nominee, Om Birla, was elected as the Speaker by a voice vote on Wednesday (June 26). 

Most opposition leaders cited a parliamentary tradition to claim the Deputy Speaker's post.  "We have said to Rajnath Singh that we will support their Speaker (candidate) but the convention is that the post of Deputy Speaker to be given to opposition," said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on June 25.

"When the UPA was in power, we gave the Deputy Speaker to the NDA for 10 years. The convention is so in the Lok Sabha that the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is given to the Opposition," Congress leader KC Venugopal said.