Opposition moves resolution to remove LS Speaker Om Birla, BJP calls claims baseless

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Mar 10, 2026: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday began discussion on a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla after Congress MP Mohammad Jawed formally moved the motion in the House.

The resolution was admitted after the required number of members rose in support of it, following which BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the proceedings, granted the leave (permission to the Congress MP to move the motion).

The motion was signed by 118 Opposition MPs who have accused the Speaker of displaying “partisan" conduct, particularly after the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was allegedly not allowed to speak in the House.

While reading out the resolution, Jawed stated that the Speaker had falsely alleged that Opposition women MPs were planning a physical attack on the Prime Minister.

Following the admission of the notice, the Lok Sabha commenced discussion on the resolution seeking Birla’s removal from office.

ROW OVER WHO SHOULD PRESIDE

Soon after the motion was introduced, the House witnessed a heated exchange between the Opposition and treasury benches over procedural rules and who should preside during the debate on the resolution.

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi raised a point of order, referring to parliamentary rules and arguing that when a motion seeking the removal of the Speaker is under consideration, the Speaker cannot preside over the proceedings.

Owaisi pointed out that since the post of Deputy Speaker has not been filled, the person presiding in the Chair had effectively been nominated with the approval of the Speaker.

He suggested that the House should first reach a consensus on who should preside before the debate proceeds.

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy also raised similar concerns, contributing to the discussion over the presiding authority.

OPPOSITION FLAGS ‘CONSTITUTIONAL VACUUM’

Congress MP KC Venugopal criticised the government for not appointing a Deputy Speaker for several years and said this had created a “constitutional vacuum".

Questioning Jagdambika Pal’s authority to preside during the debate, Venugopal pointed out that Pal had been appointed to the panel of chairpersons by the Speaker.

He said the House should elect a person who would preside over the proceedings while the resolution seeking the Speaker’s removal is debated.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also questioned who had decided that Pal would preside during the debate.

Citing provisions of the Constitution, Gogoi said the House itself should determine who would preside when a motion for the Speaker’s removal is under consideration.

“This resolution has been brought as a responsibility to protect the dignity of the House, not personally against Om Birla," Gogoi said during the debate.

In a separate remark during the proceedings, Gogoi also said, “In future, when there will be research on parliamentary records, statistics will tell that Kiren Rijiju was the Parliamentary Affairs Minister who interrupted the Opposition the most."

GOVERNMENT REJECTS OPPOSITION’S OBJECTIONS

Members from the treasury benches rejected the Opposition’s objections and defended the procedure being followed in the House.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said the rules clearly allow a member presiding in the Chair to exercise powers similar to those of the Speaker and conduct the proceedings.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also supported this interpretation and said Jagdambika Pal, a member of the panel of chairpersons, could preside over the Lok Sabha when the resolution seeking the Speaker’s removal is taken up.

Senior BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad also intervened and said the Opposition’s objections were “baseless", adding that the person occupying the Chair has full authority to preside over the proceedings of the House.

10 HOURS ALLOTTED FOR DISCUSSION

Responding to the debate, Jagdambika Pal said that the position of the Speaker was not vacant and therefore the Chair had the authority to continue conducting the proceedings.

He also announced that 10 hours had been allotted for the discussion on the motion and asked members to stick to the resolution while participating in the debate.

Pal further said that Speaker Birla had been “generous" in allowing the Opposition’s resolution to be taken up and in facilitating corrections to the notice when initial mistakes were found.

He also noted that Birla had voluntarily chosen not to preside over the House during the debate on the motion.

According to news agency ANI, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju is expected to initiate the discussion on the resolution.

BJP MPs Anurag Thakur, Nishikant Dubey, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Bhartruhari Mahtab are among those expected to participate in the debate.

On the Opposition side, Congress MPs Gaurav Gogoi, Manish Tewari, Deepender Singh Hooda and Jothimani are likely to present their arguments in favour of the resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla.

During the proceedings, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also responded to Gogoi’s remarks and said, “I agree, Kiren Rijiju Ji, as Parliamentary Affairs Minister has interrupted the most. But we have also never seen such an irresponsible Opposition."