From 1952 to 2019, India has had several Lok Sabha Speakers. Who was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in independent India in 1952?

Introduction / Context:
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is a key constitutional authority who presides over the lower House of the Indian Parliament. Knowing the first occupants of important offices after independence is a common requirement in General Knowledge and Indian Polity. This question asks specifically about the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 1952, when the first Lok Sabha was constituted after the first general elections.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The time frame is the year 1952, after the first general elections in independent India.
- The office in question is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- The options list several individuals who have served as Speakers at different times.
- The task is to identify the very first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in independent India.

Concept / Approach:
Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar, commonly known as G V Mavalankar, was elected as the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 1952. Earlier, he had served as Speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly. Other names listed in the options, such as G M C Balayogi, Somnath Chatterjee, Meira Kumar, and Balram Jakhar, became Speakers much later and belong to different periods of India's parliamentary history.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the first general elections in independent India took place in 1951 to 1952, leading to the formation of the first Lok Sabha. Step 2: Remember that G V Mavalankar, an experienced parliamentarian, was chosen as the first Speaker of the newly formed Lok Sabha. Step 3: Review the other options: G M C Balayogi was Speaker in the late 1990s and early 2000s; Somnath Chatterjee served as Speaker in the mid 2000s; Meira Kumar was the first woman Speaker; Balram Jakhar was also a later Speaker. Step 4: Since the question is about the first Speaker in 1952, only G V Mavalankar fits. Step 5: Conclude that G V Mavalankar is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Official records of the Lok Sabha and standard polity handbooks list G V Mavalankar as the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha, elected in 1952. Timelines of Speakers show the sequence of office holders, which quickly confirms that he was the earliest Speaker after independence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
G M C Balayogi: Served as Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1998 until his death in 2002, not in 1952.
Somnath Chatterjee: Served as Speaker from 2004 to 2009, much later than 1952.
Meira Kumar: Became the first woman Speaker, serving from 2009 to 2014, long after the first Lok Sabha.
Balram Jakhar: Served as Speaker in the 1980s, also not the first Speaker.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners remember recent or high profile Speakers such as Meira Kumar or Somnath Chatterjee but may not recall the earliest post independence office holders. Another pitfall is confusing the Central Legislative Assembly Speaker with the Lok Sabha Speaker, even though G V Mavalankar served in both roles. Focusing on the year 1952 and associating it with the first Lok Sabha helps anchor the correct answer.

Final Answer:
The first Speaker of the Lok Sabha in independent India in 1952 was G V Mavalankar.