New Delhi: The opposition on Tuesday (March 10) moved a resolution in the Lok Sabha seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla, accusing him of being partisan. The treasury benches defended Birla, saying that the opposition wants to decide the role of the Speaker as well as who will occupy his chair.

The discussion on the no confidence motion comes after 118 MPs signed a notice seeking Birla’s removal last month, during the first half of the budget session. This is only the fourth instance in parliamentary history that such a motion has been moved. Previously, no confidence motions have been moved in 1954, 1966 and 1987. However, this is the first time that such a resolution is being discussed in the house in the absence of a deputy speaker, with the post lying vacant since 2019. The House saw an uproar when the motion was moved in the absence of a deputy speaker, with opposition members accusing the government of “creating a constitutional vacuum” and raising objections to members of the panel of chairpersons presiding over the proceedings, as they had been nominated by the Speaker himself.

During the debate, opposition members referred to various instances when Birla as Speaker allegedly acted in a partisan manner including the unprecedented suspension of 100 MPs in December 2023. While the treasury benches have the numbers to defeat the motion, opposition MPs said that it was being brought to safeguard the Constitution.

Opening the debate for the opposition, Congress MP and the party’s deputy leader in the House, Gaurav Gogoi, said that the resolution is not against Birla personally but to “safeguard” the Constitution.

“We are hurt, we are not personally happy to bring this resolution. Personally, Birla has good relations with everyone. That is why we are sad that we had to bring a no confidence motion against him. We are bringing this to keep the trust of the people of the Indian Republic. It is our duty to protect the dignity of the House. This is not to attack Birla........

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