India, March 9 -- The Constitution makes the removal of the Speaker an exceptional and heavily guarded power. Article 94(c) permits removal only by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the House - that is, the actual strength of the Lok Sabha, vacancies excluded but absences counted. At present, this threshold translates into 271 affirmative votes. The framers' intent is unmistakable: While the Speaker must remain accountable to the House, the office must be insulated from transient political majorities, tactical dissatisfaction, or partisan retaliation.

Equally significant is the elaborate procedural architecture that surrounds the exercise of this power. A minimum of 14 days' notice is mandatory, and the notice ...