Lok Sabha takes up motion to remove Speaker Om Birla; BJP calls Opposition charges 'baseless'

The move comes after 118 Opposition MPs signed the notice accusing Birla of displaying “partisan” conduct in the functioning of the House, particularly alleging that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had been prevented from speaking during earlier proceedings.

• Lok Sabha debates motion to remove Speaker Om Birla.
• Opposition accuses Speaker of bias and procedural problems.
• Speaker Om Birla not presiding during debate on his removal.

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The Lok Sabha, on Tuesday, began debating a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla after Congress MP Mohammad Jawed formally moved the motion in the House.

The resolution was admitted after the required number of members stood up in support, allowing the motion to be taken up for discussion. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, granted leave for the motion to be moved.

The move comes after 118 Opposition MPs signed the notice accusing Birla of displaying “partisan” conduct in the functioning of the House, particularly alleging that Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had been prevented from speaking during earlier proceedings.

While introducing the motion, Jawed alleged that the Speaker had also falsely claimed that Opposition women MPs were planning a physical attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Soon after the motion was taken up, the House witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches over who should preside during the debate on the resolution.

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi raised a point of order, arguing that under parliamentary rules the Speaker cannot preside over proceedings when a motion for his removal is under consideration.

Owaisi also pointed out that the post of Deputy Speaker remains vacant and said the presiding member of the panel of chairpersons effectively holds the position with the Speaker’s approval.

He suggested that the House should first decide by consensus who would preside over the debate.

Saugata Roy of the All India Trinamool Congress echoed similar concerns, adding to the Opposition’s objections over the presiding authority.

Congress MP KC Venugopal criticised the government for not appointing a Deputy Speaker for several years, saying it had created a “constitutional vacuum”.

He questioned Jagdambika Pal’s authority to preside during the debate, noting that Pal had been appointed to the panel of chairpersons by the Speaker himself. According to Venugopal, the House should elect a member to preside specifically for the debate on the motion.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also raised similar concerns, saying the House should decide who would preside when a motion seeking the Speaker’s removal is under discussion. “This resolution has been brought as a responsibility to protect the dignity of the House, not personally against Om Birla,” Gogoi said during the debate.

In a sharp remark aimed at the government, Gogoi also said future parliamentary records might show that Kiren Rijiju, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, had interrupted the Opposition the most.

Members from the ruling side, however, rejected the Opposition’s procedural objections.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said the rules allow a member presiding over the House to exercise the powers of the Speaker during proceedings.

Supporting this view, Rijiju said Jagdambika Pal, being part of the panel of chairpersons, was authorised to preside when the motion was under consideration.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also dismissed the objections as “baseless” and maintained that the member occupying the Chair has full authority to conduct the proceedings.

During the exchanges, Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to Gogoi’s remarks, saying: “I agree that Kiren Rijiju, as Parliamentary Affairs Minister, has interrupted the most. But we have also never seen such an irresponsible Opposition.”

Responding to the procedural dispute, Jagdambika Pal said the position of Speaker was not vacant and therefore, the Chair had the authority to conduct the proceedings.

He announced that 10 hours had been allocated for discussion on the motion and urged members to confine their remarks to the resolution.

Pal also said Birla had shown “generosity” by allowing the Opposition’s motion to be admitted and by permitting corrections to the notice after initial errors were identified.

He further noted that Birla had voluntarily chosen not to preside during the debate on the motion seeking his removal.

According to parliamentary sources, Rijiju is expected to initiate the discussion on behalf of the government, while BJP leaders, including Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Bhartruhari Mahtab, are likely to participate.

On the Opposition side, Congress MPs Gaurav Gogoi, Manish Tewari, Deepender Singh Hooda and Jothimani are expected to speak in support of the resolution.