Discussion on the no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is likely to take place on March 9, news agency ANI reported, citing sources.
The development follows opposition parties initiating proceedings to remove Birla, accusing him of acting in a “blatantly partisan” manner in the House. They have also urged him to step aside from presiding over proceedings until the issue is resolved.
Officials of the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Birla has decided not to occupy the Speaker’s chair until the motion against him is settled.
In the notice submitted by the opposition, the Speaker has also been accused of making false claims against Congress members. The allegations relate to his remarks about a possible “unexpected action” in the House and his request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the session to reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.
Article 94(C) of the Constitution outlines provisions for the removal of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, while Article 96 allows the Speaker an opportunity to defend himself or herself in the House. Under these rules, the Speaker may vote on the motion for removal but cannot exercise a casting vote in the event of a tie.
The Lok Sabha has witnessed repeated disruptions since February 2, after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was barred from quoting an article based on excerpts from the unpublished memoir of former Army chief M. M. Naravane, which referred to the 2020 India-China conflict.
On February 4, Prime Minister Modi was unable to reply to the Motion of Thanks due to opposition protests. In an unprecedented move, the motion was passed on February 5 without the customary speech by the prime minister. The Speaker read out the Motion of Thanks, which was approved by voice vote amid sloganeering.
Birla later said he had received specific information that several Congress MPs might attempt an “unexpected act” by approaching the area where the prime minister sits, prompting him to advise Modi not to enter the House at that time.
