(1)The Provincial Assembly shall elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker from among its members within fifteen days of the first meeting of the Assembly.
(2)While electing speaker and deputy speaker as per clause (1), either of Speaker or Deputy Speaker shall be woman and they shall belong to different parties.
Provided that, if not more than one party is represented in the Provincial Assembly or candidacy has not been registered even with the presence of more than one party, it shall not obstruct the Speaker and Deputy Speaker being from the same party.
(3)If the office of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker falls vacant, the Provincial Assembly shall fill the vacancy through election from among its members.
(4)In the absence of the Speaker of the Provincial Assembly, the Deputy Speaker shall chair the meeting of the Provincial Assembly.
(5)If the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker has not taken place, or if both the positions become vacant, the member who is the senior most by age among the members present, shall preside over the meeting of the Provincial Assembly.
(6)The office of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of Provincial Assembly shall become vacant in the following circumstances:
- (a)
if she/he ceases to be a member of the Provincial Assembly,
- (b)
if she/he submits written resignation, or
- (c)
if a resolution is adopted by a majority of two-thirds of the total number of members existing for the time being in the Provincial Assembly, to the effect that her/his conduct is not compatible with her/his position.
(7)The Deputy Speaker shall preside over the meeting at which deliberations are to be held on a resolution that the conduct of the Speaker is not compatible with her/his position. The Speaker shall be entitled to take part and vote in the deliberations on such a resolution.