Context

The All India Speakers’ Conference was held in New Delhi to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Vitthalbhai Patel’s historic election as the first Indian Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly (CLA).

The Central Legislative Assembly (CLA)

The CLA was the lower house of the legislature under British India, established by the Government of India Act, 1919, as part of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms.

• Bicameral System: The 1919 Act introduced a two-house legislature, consisting of the Central Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the Council of State (upper house).
• Formation: The CLA was formed in 1921 after the 1920 elections.
• Composition: It comprised 145 members, with 104 elected and 41 nominated by the Governor-General.
• Powers: The CLA could debate budgets, pass resolutions, ask questions, introduce motions, and vote on financial demands. However, the Governor-General retained veto powers and could certify bills without Assembly consent.
• Dissolution: The CLA ceased to exist on August 14, 1947, coinciding with India’s independence and the establishment of the Constituent Assembly.

About Vitthalbhai Patel

• First Indian Speaker (1925–1930): In 1925, Vitthalbhai Patel became the first Indian elected as the President (Speaker) of the Central Legislative Assembly. He championed legislative independence from the executive, laying groundwork for parliamentary autonomy in India.
• Innovations: He established the Legislative Department, a system later adopted by the Constituent Assembly and still used by presiding officers in Parliament and State legislatures.
• Political Career:
  • Won a seat in the Bombay Legislative Council in 1912, qualifying through property ownership.
  • Advocated for free and compulsory elementary education in Bombay Presidency in 1917—though the bill was not enacted, it showed his reformist vision.
  • Joined the Imperial Legislative Assembly in 1920 and was an active member, asking as many as 62 questions in one session.
• Differences with Gandhi: Patel opposed Mahatma Gandhi’s suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922.
• Swaraj Party Founder: In 1923, he became a founding member of the Swaraj Party, which sought to enter legislative councils to expose and challenge colonial rule from within.

Legacy of Vitthalbhai Patel

• The modern Lok Sabha Speaker’s office owes much of its institutional framework to the precedent set by the Speaker of the CLA during colonial times.
• Vitthalbhai Patel is regarded as a key precursor to the contemporary role of the Lok Sabha Speaker.

All India Speakers’ Conference 2025

• Role of the Speaker: The Speaker was reaffirmed as the guardian of legislative dignity and an impartial servant of democracy.
• Importance of Debate: It was emphasized that debate forms the heart of democracy—without it, legislatures risk becoming mere “lifeless buildings.”
• Objectives of Law-making: The conference highlighted that laws should focus on the welfare of the people, inclusive development, efficiency, and national security.

This centenary celebration not only honors Vitthalbhai Patel’s monumental contributions but also reinforces the enduring values of parliamentary democracy in India.