Opposition’s No-Confidence Motion Against Lok Sabha Speaker Defeated Amid Uproar

Lok Sabha Rejects Opposition Motion to Remove Speaker Om Birla Amid Uproar

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday rejected the opposition’s no-confidence motion seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla, with the resolution defeated by a voice vote amid loud sloganeering and protests in the House. Following the vote, proceedings were adjourned for the day. The House will reconvene on Thursday at 11 am, when Birla will resume the chair and is expected to make a statement regarding the conduct of opposition members during the debate.

The motion had been moved by opposition parties, who accused the Speaker of failing to ensure the impartial functioning of the House. The government strongly rejected the charge during a heated discussion.

Amit Shah Calls Motion ‘Regrettable’

Responding to the debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the opposition, describing the resolution as a deeply regrettable step in parliamentary politics. Shah said the Speaker serves as a neutral custodian of the House and represents both the ruling party and the opposition.

“According to the established traditions of this House, its proceedings are conducted on the basis of mutual trust. The Speaker serves as a neutral custodian representing both sides. It is unfortunate for parliamentary politics that a resolution for the removal of the Speaker has been brought,” he said.

He noted that such motions have been extremely rare in India’s parliamentary history and pointed out that the Bharatiya Janata Party had never moved a no-confidence motion against a Speaker even during its years in the opposition.

‘House Will Run by Rules, Not Party Wishes’

Shah emphasised that Parliament must function according to established rules rather than political demands. “The House will be run by its rules, not by the rules of a party,” he said, adding that questioning the integrity of the Speaker amounted to undermining the credibility of parliamentary institutions.

“This House is not some fair or festival. Proceedings must follow rules, and no one has the right to speak in a manner that violates them,” Shah said.

Opposition Alleges Bias

Opposition members, however, said the motion was meant to highlight concerns about what they described as shrinking space for dissent in Parliament. Abhay Kumar Sinha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal said opposition members often felt they were not receiving adequate protection from the chair.

“With regret I say that for some time now the chair no longer represents the independence of the House but has become a symbol of the ruling party’s dominance,” he said. He also referred to the suspension of more than 140 MPs in a single day during previous disruptions, calling it a “black day” in parliamentary history.

Vijay Kumar Hansdak of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alleged that opposition speeches were frequently interrupted during proceedings. “When opposition MPs speak, they are disrupted, and that has become a tradition. Another tradition is that while MPs speak, the camera moves elsewhere,” he said.

Bajrang Manohar Sonwane of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) said the opposition was aware that the resolution would likely fail but wanted to highlight concerns about democratic rights in Parliament. “Nobody is making a personal attack on Birla ji. We know what the result of the vote will be, but we brought this motion to raise questions about democratic rights,” he said.

Rare Move in Parliamentary History

During his remarks, Shah noted that attempts to remove a Lok Sabha Speaker have occurred only a few times in India’s parliamentary history. He said that for over 75 years, both Houses of Parliament have strengthened the foundations of India’s democracy and warned that such motions risk undermining that legacy.

“The House runs on mutual trust. For both the ruling side and the opposition, the Speaker is its custodian,” Shah said. With the motion defeated by voice vote, the Lok Sabha adjourned for the day amid continued protests by opposition members.