Lok Sabha to Vote on Speaker Om Birla's Removal as Opposition Alleges Partisan Conduct
NEW DELHI: The stage is set for a dramatic confrontation in the Lok Sabha as Parliament reconvenes for the second part of the Budget session on Monday. A resolution backed by Congress and its allies, seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla over allegations of partisan conduct, will be taken up on March 9, igniting a fresh showdown between the BJP-led NDA and the opposition.
Numerical Supremacy and Opposition Unity Test
The governing NDA, with its commanding strength of 293 MPs in the current House of 541 members, holds a clear numerical advantage that renders the motion's defeat almost inevitable. However, this vote will critically test the cohesion within opposition ranks. Notably, some constituents like the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have not backed the resolution, leading to confidence among treasury benches that Birla might also secure support from outside the opposition bloc.
Whips Issued and Parliamentary Procedure
Both the BJP and Congress have issued whips to their respective Lok Sabha members, mandating their presence in the House to marshal maximum strength, as a division of votes is anticipated. While BJP's whip calls for mandatory attendance on the first two days, Congress has directed its MPs for the first three days. Parliamentary rules permit Speaker Birla to be present in the House, without occupying the Chair, to defend himself against the allegations.
The Lok Sabha's agenda for Monday cites the resolution moved by three Congress MPs, with the notice supported by 118 MPs from Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), among others.
Allegations Against the Speaker
The opposition's resolution outlines several grievances against Speaker Om Birla. It accuses him of disallowing Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and others from speaking, making unwarranted allegations against women MPs, suspending eight opposition MPs, and failing to rebuke ruling party members for objectionable and derogatory remarks against former Prime Ministers.
"He has ceased to maintain an impartial attitude necessary to command the confidence of all sections of the House; that in his partisan attitude he disregards the rights of MPs and makes pronouncements and gives rulings calculated to affect and undermine such rights; that he openly espouses the version of the ruling party on all controversial matters," the resolution states, as per the agenda.
Background and Political Tensions
The disposal of this motion will allow Birla, who has abstained from attending the House since the opposition submitted the notice on February 10, to return to the Chair and preside over the government's key legislative agenda. A view within the NDA suggests that several non-NDA MPs may back Birla, highlighting potential cross-party support.
This notice marks the increasingly acrimonious ties between the opposition and the government, which were on full display during the first half of the session. Tensions escalated when Birla disallowed Rahul Gandhi's reference to the unpublished book of former army chief M.M. Naravane to target the government. This incident, coupled with the suspension of eight opposition MPs for allegedly disrupting proceedings and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's speech attacking the Nehru-Gandhi family, fueled the opposition's lack of faith in Birla's impartiality.
As Parliament resumes, all eyes are on this high-stakes vote that not only challenges the Speaker's conduct but also underscores the deepening political rift in Indian democracy.
