Opposition's No-Confidence Motion Against Lok Sabha Speaker Hits Procedural Snag
The no-confidence motion submitted by the Congress-led Opposition against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, supported by 118 MPs, has encountered a significant procedural obstacle even before it can be formally tabled in the House. According to sources cited by news agency ANI, the notice contains specific technical shortcomings that, under strict Lok Sabha rules, could have justified its outright rejection. However, in a move to uphold parliamentary decorum, Speaker Birla has directed the Lok Sabha Secretariat to rectify the "faulty" notice to prevent its dismissal.
Technical Errors and Speaker's Intervention
ANI sources revealed that the notice repeatedly referenced events from February 2025, mentioning incidents a full four times, which is a clerical error as it should have accurately cited occurrences from the ongoing Budget Session. This mistake represents a serious procedural lapse, as Lok Sabha rules mandate precision in such submissions; any ambiguity or factual inaccuracy can provide grounds for the Speaker to dismiss it summarily without further consideration.
Despite these shortcomings, Speaker Om Birla has refrained from rejecting the motion outright. Instead, he has issued clear instructions to the Secretariat to facilitate corrections and advance the process "expeditiously" in line with established parliamentary norms. On what ANI sources describe as principled "moral grounds," Birla has voluntarily decided to recuse himself from presiding over Lok Sabha proceedings until the no-confidence motion against him is fully resolved. This move underscores his intent to maintain the House's impartiality during this sensitive period.
Revised Notice and Upcoming Proceedings
The revised notice, once submitted, will undergo prompt examination in accordance with parliamentary rules. It is slated for listing after the second phase of the Budget Session commences, with discussions likely kicking off on March 9, the very first day of that part, according to insiders from the Lok Sabha Secretariat. This timeline indicates a swift procedural follow-up once the corrections are made.
Reasons Behind the No-Confidence Motion
The Congress-led Opposition, excluding the TMC, has leveled serious charges of "blatantly partisan" conduct against Speaker Birla, accusing him of systematically stifling their voices in the House. They filed the motion citing four specific, high-profile incidents from the recent Budget Session:
- Denial of Permission to Rahul Gandhi: The Opposition pointed to the denial of permission for Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to speak on February 2 during the crucial Motion of Thanks debate on the President’s Address. This occurred when he sought to reference former Army chief General MM Naravane’s revelations about the 2020 India-China border aggression in Ladakh—a moment the Opposition views as a deliberate muzzling of critical national security discourse.
- Biased Remarks Against Congress MPs: Birla’s public observation, made a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi skipped his scheduled reply to the Motion of Thanks, deemed a group of Congress women MPs as "posing a threat" to the PM and could precipitate an "unprecedented incident." The opposition has criticized this as biased and inflammatory.
- Suspension of Opposition MPs: The suspension of eight Opposition MPs was argued by the opposition to be disproportionately harsh and reflective of the Speaker’s one-sided enforcement of House discipline.
- Selective Tolerance Towards BJP MP: The opposition also claimed the Speaker had selective tolerance, citing Birla's alleged inaction against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who reportedly unleashed "wholly objectionable and personalised attacks" targeting two former Prime Ministers, despite repeated demands from Opposition benches for reprimand or further action.
These incidents have fueled the Opposition's push for the no-confidence motion, highlighting tensions within the parliamentary framework as procedural issues are addressed to move forward with the debate.
