CDS (II) 2020 General Knowledge · Question 19 of 120

Correct — C, the statement that the Secretary General works under the Speaker with delegated authority. That is precisely the formula the office does not fit. The Secretary General of the Lok Sabha is appointed by the Speaker, holds a rank and pay equivalent to the Cabinet Secretary, and is answerable to the Speaker alone — his actions cannot be discussed or criticised inside the House or outside it. He advises the Speaker, acts under authority in the name of the Speaker, and issues orders in the Speaker's name. The difference is not a quibble. An officer exercising delegated authority acts in his own name on powers handed down to him, and what he does can be questioned as his own act; an officer acting in the Speaker's name performs the Speaker's function, and since the Speaker's conduct is protected from debate in the House, so is the act.

• (a)The Secretary General is the advisor to the Speaker. — Correct. Advising the Speaker on procedure and precedent is the core of the office, which is why it is filled by a career parliamentary official.
• (b)The Secretary General acts under the authority in the name of the Speaker. — Correct, and it is the very formula the office runs on — the reason option (c) fails is that it substitutes delegated authority for authority exercised in the Speaker's name.
• (d)The Secretary General passes orders in the name of the Speaker. — Correct. Orders of the Secretariat go out in the Speaker's name, which is what places them beyond challenge in the House.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat is the permanent administrative machinery of the House, separate from the executive Government, and it is headed by the Secretary General. He is appointed by the Speaker rather than by the Government, retires at sixty, and works to the Speaker alone. Among his functions are summoning every member to a session on behalf of the President and authenticating Bills in the Speaker's absence. Below him the Secretariat is staffed at the level of Additional Secretary, Joint Secretary and other officers.

Three of the four statements are near-restatements of one another, which is a signal that the odd one out is being distinguished by a single phrase. Read them side by side and the phrase is delegated authority. The independence of the House's own establishment from the executive, and the unquestionability of the Speaker's acts, both depend on the Secretary General acting in the Speaker's name rather than on power devolved to himself. It is worth noting that this description is a statement of parliamentary practice and convention rather than of a constitutional article: the Constitution says very little about the office beyond Article 98, which provides for a separate secretarial staff for each House.

• The Secretary General is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and heads the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
• The post carries a rank, pay and status equivalent to that of the Cabinet Secretary.
• He is answerable only to the Speaker, and his actions cannot be discussed or criticised in or outside the House.
• On the President's behalf he summons each member of the Lok Sabha to attend a session, and he authenticates Bills in the Speaker's absence.
• Article 98 of the Constitution provides that each House of Parliament shall have a separate secretarial staff.

• Reading delegated authority as a compliment. In this office it is precisely the wrong description.
• Assuming the Secretary General is appointed by the Government or by the President. The Speaker appoints him.
• Confusing the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha with the Cabinet Secretary. The ranks match; the two offices serve different branches.

As a not-correct item on the office, or as a which-authority-appoints item across constitutional and parliamentary offices.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Secretary General of the Lok Sabha is appointed by which one of the following?

  • (a)The President of India
  • (b)The Prime Minister
  • (c)The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
  • (d)The Union Public Service Commission

  Answer(c) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha — the appointment lies with the House's presiding officer, which is what keeps the Secretariat independent of the executive.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which Article of the Constitution of India provides that each House of Parliament shall have a separate secretarial staff?

  • (a)Article 93
  • (b)Article 98
  • (c)Article 105
  • (d)Article 118

  Answer(b) Article 98 — Article 93 deals with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Article 105 with privileges and Article 118 with rules of procedure.