Rapid Fire
Vithalbhai Patel
- 26 Aug 2025
- 2 min read
All India Speakers’ Conference was hosted by the Delhi Legislative Assembly to mark the 100th anniversary of Vithalbhai Patel becoming President of the Central Legislative Assembly.
- Early Life: Vithalbhai Patel, brother of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he practiced law in Bombay after studying in England.
- Political Career: Elected to Bombay Legislative Council (1912) and Imperial Legislative Council (1918).
- After the Chauri Chaura incident and the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922, Vithalbhai Patel left the Congress and co-founded the Swaraj Party with C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru.
- In 1924 he became a member of the Central Legislative Assembly, rising as its first Indian president in 1925.
Vithalbhai Patel Role in Shaping India’s Parliamentary Traditions
- Security of Parliament: Introduced the ward and watch system for Parliament security, maintaining Speaker’s control, which continued until 2024.
- Stood firm against British efforts to take over Parliament's security after the Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt bombing in the Central Legislative Assembly (1929) , preserving the Speaker's authority.
- Independent Parliament Secretariat: Established autonomous Parliament Secretariat reporting solely to the Speaker, ensuring independent advice and functioning.
- Legislative Assembly Department (1929): Led the creation of a separate department for the legislative body, further strengthening the Speaker’s autonomy.
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Read more: Parliamentary Reforms in India |
