The no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, proposed by the opposition, was defeated on Wednesday after two days of intense discussion. Following nearly 10 hours of heated debate between the treasury and opposition benches, the motion failed to secure the necessary numbers during the voting process. This event marks only the fourth time in the history of the Indian Parliament that such a motion has been brought against a sitting Speaker.
Opposition’s Arguments and Rahul Gandhi’s Stance
Congress MP Mohammad Javed initiated the motion, backed by signatures from 118 opposition MPs, alleging that the Speaker was acting with bias. Leading the charge, Rahul Gandhi delivered a significant speech claiming that his microphone was frequently cut off and his voice suppressed whenever he attempted to discuss sensitive topics, such as the Adani-Modi relationship or former Army Chief M.M. Naravane’s book. Opposition members, including Gaurav Gogoi, maintained that the motion was not a personal attack on Om Birla but a necessary step to protect the dignity of the House.
Government’s Rebuttal and Constitutional Grounds
The ruling NDA government strongly defended the Speaker’s authority, with Union Ministers Amit Shah and Kiren Rijiju countering the opposition’s claims. Senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticized the opposition, stating that constitutional positions like the Speaker should not be used as weapons to satisfy political egos. Under Article 94(c) of the Indian Constitution, removing a Speaker requires a majority of all the then members of the House.
The Final Outcome
Despite the strong vocal arguments presented by the “INDIA” bloc, the motion stood no chance against the numerical strength of the government. The NDA coalition currently holds approximately 335 seats, while the opposition “INDIA” bloc has around 230 members. Consequently, the motion was officially defeated in the vote, and it was confirmed that Om Birla will continue to serve as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
