It is futile to expect politicians to be ever free from the
partisan spirit. But some offices and institutions cannot be
effectively run if they are not separated from party politics.
The office of the Speaker of a legislature is a constitutional
one which should have little to do with politics. The Speakers
are popularly elected like other members of a legislature. But
the similarity ends there. Once elected to the post, the Speaker
represents, not the party whose candidate he was during the
popular election, but the entire legislature. His duties and
obligations are laid down not by his party but by the
Constitution. Unfortunately, partisan Speakers are the norm in
India rather than the exception. Even after being sworn in to
their posts, they continue to protect the interests of their own
parties. What Hashim Abdul Halim did on his final day as the
Speaker of the outgoing West Bengal assembly was thus not
surprising. The manner in which he voiced his concern over the
“change” that the Opposition hopes to b