Lok Sabha Begins Debate on Motion Seeking Removal of Speaker Om Birla

New Delhi, March 10: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday commenced a discussion on a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla after Mohammad Jawed formally moved the motion in the House.

The resolution was admitted after the required number of members rose in support of it. Following this, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, granted permission for the motion to be moved.

The notice for the resolution was reportedly signed by 118 Opposition Members of Parliament, who have accused the Speaker of displaying “partisan conduct,” particularly after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was allegedly not allowed to speak during House proceedings.

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

Following the admission of the notice, the House began deliberations on the motion seeking Birla’s removal from office.

Dispute Over Presiding Authority

Shortly after the motion was introduced, the House witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches over procedural rules and the authority to preside over the debate.

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

Owaisi further pointed out that since the position of Deputy Speaker remains vacant, the member presiding in the Chair had effectively been nominated with the Speaker’s approval. He suggested that the House should first reach a consensus on who should preside before the debate proceeds.

Saugata Roy also raised similar concerns, adding to the debate over the presiding authority.

Opposition Flags ‘Constitutional Vacuum’

Congress MP K C Venugopal criticised the government for not appointing a Deputy Speaker for several years, describing the situation as a “constitutional vacuum.”

Questioning Jagdambika Pal’s authority to preside over the proceedings, Venugopal noted that Pal had been appointed to the panel of chairpersons by the Speaker himself. He suggested that the House should elect a member to preside over the debate while the motion for the Speaker’s removal is under discussion.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also questioned who had decided that Pal should preside during the debate.

Citing constitutional provisions, Gogoi argued that the House itself should determine who presides when such a motion is under consideration.

“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 another remark during the proceedings, Gogoi said future parliamentary records would show that Kiren Rijiju had interrupted the Opposition the most during his tenure as Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

Government Rejects Opposition’s Objections

Members from the treasury benches rejected the Opposition’s objections and defended the procedure followed in the House.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey stated that parliamentary rules allow a member presiding in the Chair to exercise powers similar to those of the Speaker in conducting proceedings.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju supported this interpretation, stating that Jagdambika Pal, as a member of the panel of chairpersons, was authorised to preside over the House during the debate.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also intervened, calling the Opposition’s objections “baseless” and asserting that the member occupying the Chair had full authority to conduct the proceedings.

Ten Hours Allocated for Debate

Responding to the debate, Jagdambika Pal clarified that the position of Speaker was not vacant and therefore the Chair retained the authority to conduct proceedings.

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

Pal also noted that Speaker Om Birla had shown “generosity” in allowing the Opposition’s resolution to be taken up and in facilitating corrections to the notice when initial errors were identified.

He added that Birla had voluntarily chosen not to preside over the House during the debate.

According to reports, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is expected to initiate the discussion on behalf of the government. BJP MPs including Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Bhartruhari Mahtab are among those expected to participate in the debate.

From the Opposition side, Congress leaders including Gaurav Gogoi, Manish Tewari, Deepender Singh Hooda and Jothimani are expected to argue in favour of the resolution.

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