US House speaker ousted after historic vote

Subject: Polity

Section: Parliament

Context: Kevin McCarthy becomes the first Speaker ever to be ousted from the Office

More about the news:

A faction of Republicans in the US House of Representatives removed Speaker Kevin McCarthy, marking the first-ever such removal in House history.
The move follows McCarthy’s reliance on Democratic votes to avoid a government shutdown.
Matt Gaetz, a far-right Republican, led the rebellion against McCarthy.
The House faces uncertainty as it seeks a new speaker, and legislative activity comes to a halt.
Democrats declined to help McCarthy, and potential successors remain unclear, leaving Congress in uncharted waters for critical issues like government funding, Ukraine aid, and more.
McCarthy’s ouster could have implications for the future of Republican leadership.

What is a Speaker of the House in United States House of Representatives:

The US Constitution created the position of Speaker of the House, responsible for presiding over the lower house of Congress.
Traditionally, the Speaker is a current member of the majority party, although this is not mandated by the Constitution.
As a result, they not only oversee the House of Representatives but also serve as the leader of the majority party within the chamber.

How is a Speaker chosen:

The House of Representatives functions on a two-year cycle, known as a “session.”
The very first thing a new session of the House of Representatives must do is vote for a Speaker of the House.Without that person in place, the chamber cannot move on to any other function, including swearing-in members.
In the weeks after an election, the Republican conference and the Democratic caucus hold an informal vote among their members.
This voting is done to decide who they want to nominate to lead their party.
But members are not obligated to vote for the party’s chosen candidate.
While it has been the tradition for the speaker candidate to be a member of the House, it is not required.
The vote for Speaker requires a candidate to receive the support of a majority of the House i.e 218 votes out of the 435 members of the House.
The existing leader of the majority party is usually presumed to be the person to assume the speakership.

How can the speaker of the House:

Under the newly adopted rule in January 2023, any single member of the House could offer a privileged resolution declaring the Office of Speaker vacant.
Procedural votes could be offered to slow down the motion, but when it does come to the floor, it would need only a simple majority of the House or 218 members currently to pass.

Speaker of the Lok Sabha:

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected from among its members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House.
The Speaker holds Office from the date of his/her election till immediately before the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha.
Functions of Speaker
- He/She is the final interpreter of the provisions of the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha and the parliamentary precedents, within the House.
- He/She presides over a joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament.
- He/She can adjourn the House or suspend the meeting in absence of a quorum.
- He/She decides whether a bill is a money bill or not and his/her decision on this question is final.
- Committees like the Business Advisory Committee, the General Purposes Committee and the Rules Committee work directly under her Chairmanship

How can the Speaker of the Lok Sabha removed:

Under Article 179 of the Constitution, a Speaker can be removed by a resolution of the Assembly passed by a majority of “all the then members of the Assembly”. The process begins with a notice of at least 14 days.
This is to note that during resolution for removal of the Speaker, the Speaker is not in position to cast his vote even if there is tie.