Lok Sabha Rejects Opposition’s No-Confidence Motion Against Speaker Om Birla After Heated Debate

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday rejected a no-confidence motion moved by opposition parties seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla. The resolution was defeated through a voice vote amid loud protests and sloganeering in the House.

Following the vote, the proceedings of the Lower House of Parliament were adjourned for the day. The Lok Sabha is scheduled to reconvene at 11 am on Thursday, when Speaker Om Birla will resume his duties and address the House.

Opposition Moves Resolution Against Speaker

The motion had been brought forward by opposition parties who accused the Speaker of failing to ensure impartial functioning of the House. According to opposition leaders, the resolution was meant to raise concerns about how debates and discussions are being conducted in Parliament.

However, the government strongly rejected the allegations during a heated debate in the House.

The vote on the motion eventually ended with the resolution being defeated by voice vote, allowing Om Birla to continue in his role as Speaker.

Amit Shah Calls Motion 'Regrettable'

During the debate, Amit Shah, India's Union Home Minister, strongly defended the Speaker and criticised the opposition for bringing such a motion.

Shah described the move as "deeply regrettable" and said that the Speaker plays a neutral role in maintaining order and fairness in Parliament.

According to Shah, the Speaker acts as a custodian of the House, representing both the ruling party and the opposition.

He also pointed out that attempts to remove a Lok Sabha Speaker are extremely rare in India's parliamentary history, noting that the last such motion came nearly four decades ago.

'House Will Run By Rules, Not Party Wishes'

In his speech, Shah stressed that Parliament must function according to established rules and procedures rather than political demands.

He said the dignity of democratic institutions should be respected and warned against questioning the integrity of the Speaker.

"The House will be run by its rules, not by the rules of a party," Shah said.

He also explained that the Speaker has the authority to maintain discipline in the House, including the power to remove unparliamentary remarks and regulate debates.

Opposition Raises Concerns Over Parliamentary Functioning

Opposition leaders defended the motion, saying it was intended to highlight concerns about the functioning of Parliament.

Abhay Kumar Sinha, an MP from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, claimed that opposition members often felt their voices were not being adequately heard in the House.

He also referred to the suspension of more than 140 MPs during a previous parliamentary session, describing it as a serious moment in parliamentary history.

Similarly, Vijay Kumar Hansdak from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alleged that opposition speeches were frequently interrupted.

Another MP, Bajrang Manohar Sonwane of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), said the opposition was aware the resolution might fail but wanted to use the debate to highlight concerns about democratic rights in Parliament.

Rare Motion In Parliamentary History

According to the government, motions seeking the removal of a Lok Sabha Speaker have been extremely rare since India's independence.

Amit Shah noted that such a resolution had been introduced only three times in India's parliamentary history, and neither the Bharatiya Janata Party nor the National Democratic Alliance had previously moved such a motion.

He emphasised that Parliament has played a crucial role in strengthening democracy for more than 75 years and said the House must function on mutual trust between the ruling side and the opposition.

House Adjourned Amid Protests

After the motion was rejected through a voice vote, the Lok Sabha adjourned for the day amid continued protests from opposition members.

The House will meet again on Thursday, when Speaker Om Birla is expected to address the members and comment on the conduct of opposition MPs during the proceedings.
The debate has highlighted ongoing tensions between the government and the opposition over the functioning of Parliament and the space for dissent within legislative proceedings.