Opposition Move to Remove Om Birla Set for Lok Sabha Debate

The Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up a notice submitted by opposition parties seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla when Parliament reconvenes on March 9.

According to the House agenda, the motion has been listed for discussion on Monday during the second phase of the Budget Session.

Motion Requires Support of 50 Members

Under parliamentary rules, the motion can only proceed if at least 50 members of the House stand in support when it is called for consideration.

If the required support is confirmed, the proposal will be formally admitted. It will then be debated in the House and later put to a vote.

If fewer than 50 MPs support the notice, the motion cannot be moved forward.

Notice Signed by Opposition MPs

The notice was submitted by Congress MPs Mohamed Jawed, K Suresh and Mallu Ravi.

According to reports, the notice carries the signatures of 118 opposition MPs from several parties. However, members of the Trinamool Congress have not supported the motion.

The proposed resolution alleges that the Speaker acted in a partisan manner and did not maintain the neutrality expected of the position.

Allegations Mentioned in the Resolution

The motion claims that several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, were not allowed to speak in the House during debates.

It also refers to the suspension of opposition MPs for an entire session while raising issues of public concern.

The resolution further alleges that some remarks made against former prime ministers were not addressed in the same way.

Opposition Calls It Democratic Process

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the notice was submitted following established parliamentary rules.

He described the motion as a legitimate democratic process, noting that similar notices had been moved in earlier decades as part of parliamentary practice.

Whips Issued by BJP and Congress

Both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Indian National Congress have issued three-line whips to their MPs.

Members have been instructed to remain present in the House between March 9 and March 11, when the motion is expected to be discussed.

Constitutional Provision

Under the Constitution, the Speaker has the right to defend himself during the debate on the motion.

The resolution can pass only if a simple majority of members present and voting support it.

Historically, similar motions against former Speakers such as G V Mavalankar, Hukam Singh and Balram Jakhar were introduced but were ultimately defeated in Parliament.