- Sources said rules say the Speaker should not be in the chair while the motion for removal is being discussed
- Om Birla has, however, decided not to attend the proceedings till a decision is taken on the motion
- The discussion is unlikely to take place before March 9
Taking a moral stand after the Opposition submitted a notice seeking to remove him from his post, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has decided not to attend proceedings in the House until the motion is discussed and decided, sources said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Congress' Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, submitted the notice invoking Article 94(c) of the Constitution, which provides for the removal of the Speaker.
"At 1.14 pm, we submitted a motion expressing no-confidence, asking for the removal of Speaker Om Birla as per 94(C). The concern has been the Leader of the Opposition (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) has not been allowed to speak on numerous occasions. Many opposition parties share this concern," Gogoi said.
Sources said that while rules state that the Speaker should not be in the chair while the motion is being discussed, Om Birla has decided not to attend proceedings starting today.
The Speaker is said to have arrived at the decision because some members have expressed a lack of confidence in him, and sources said he will not budge from this even if leaders from the government and the Opposition try to persuade him.
The sources said that while Birla wants the discussion to take place as soon as possible, it is unlikely to happen before March 9, which is the first day of the second part of the Budget session. The discussion can begin after at least 50 MPs express support for it when it is taken up in the House.
Date Flaw
On reports stating that the notice may not be accepted because the year was incorrectly mentioned as 2025, the sources said the Lok Sabha Secretariat said it could be resubmitted after the correction was made to 2026. A second notice was then submitted.
This is not the first time Birla has decided not to attend proceedings in the Lok Sabha. He had done so in 2023, expressing displeasure over the continued disruption of Parliament, relenting only after he was assured that MPs would behave in a manner consistent with the dignity of the House.
Causes
The notice for Birla's removal was submitted after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was prevented from speaking in the Lok Sabha when he wanted to quote excerpts from former Army chief General MM Naravane's book. The treasury benches had argued that the book had not been published, and the Speaker had not allowed Gandhi to continue.
The Opposition was also upset with the decision to suspend eight Opposition MPs for the remainder of the Budget Session, and allowing a BJP MP to quote from books while speaking against two former prime ministers from the Congress.
The notice also mentioned Birla's remarks on February 5, in which he had accused Opposition members of behaving in an unprecedented manner and said he had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the House to avert a possible "unpleasant incident".
"The Opposition has placed its faith in constitutional propriety. While holding the Hon'ble Speaker in personal regard, we are pained and anguished by the consistent denial of opportunities to Opposition MPs to raise issues of public importance," Congress MP Manickam Tagore wrote on X.
"After many years, a no-confidence notice against the Speaker has been moved - an extraordinary step born out of extraordinary circumstances," he added.
