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Lok Sabha Speaker
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he was stopped from speaking in the Lok Sabha on multiple occasions and asserted that the House does not represent one party but the whole country. Interjecting in a debate in Lok Sabha on the resolution to remove Om Birla as speaker, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "has been compromised" and everybody knows the result of that. Responding to BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, who cited parliamentary procedures to say that the leader of opposition should measure his words carefully, especially on issues of national security, Gandhi said that his name was being raised during the debate multiple times and "vile things" were being said about him. "The discussion here is about the democratic process and the role of the speaker. But multiple times, my name is being raised, vile things are being said about me. This House is the expression of people's will. This House does not represent one party; it represents the whole country,"
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during the debate on the motion seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla.The motion was moved by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed, with more than 50 MPs standing in support of the resolution. BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was in the Chair, granted leave to move the motion and announced that 10 hours had been allotted for debate, and asked MPs to stick to the resolution. He said that the Speaker was generous with the permissions and procedure for the Opposition resolution.A total of 118 Opposition MPs signed the resolution, alleging "partisan behaviour" by the Speaker.The discussion on the no-confidence motion began on Tuesday with sharp exchanges over procedure, including objections from AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP KC Venugopal, who said that the House should elect a member who would preside over the debate. They questioned how the choice was made of who would be in the Chair from the panel of ...
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up an opposition resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla from office for his alleged bias towards the ruling party, amid a heated debate on who will preside over the House while the motion is being taken up. Congress legislator Mohammad Jawed read out the notice seeking to move a resolution to remove Birla from office. Besides Jawed, MPs K Suresh and Mallu Ravi had also moved the resolution. As soon as Jawed read out the notice, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi raised a point of order questioning the decision to allow Jagdambika Pal to chair the proceedings as he was appointed to the panel of chairpersons by Speaker Birla. BJP's Nishikant Dubey countered the claim, citing constitutional provisions, law and House rules. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Owaisi's claim was irrelevant as Pal was competent to preside over the Lok Sabha when the resolution was taken up. Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said Rijiju should move a mot
The Lok Sabha will witness a rare moment most likely on Monday next when Om Birla will not chair proceedings but will be seated amongst the members as the House takes up a notice seeking his removal from office. As Parliament meets for the second phase of the Budget session on March 9, the Lok Sabha is likely to take up the resolution moved by the opposition against Birla's for allegedly acting in a "blatantly partisan" manner. According to the rules and laid down procedure, Birla will get a right to defend himself when the resolution is discussed by the lower house. He will also have the right to vote against the resolution, Constitution expert P D T Achary explained. The expert said while Birla will not chair the proceedings when the resolution comes up before the House, he will be seated in the prominent rows in the Treasury benches. At least 118 opposition members had submitted a notice for moving the resolution to remove Birla from office for not allowing Leader of Opposition
The debate and subsequent vote on the no-confidence motion moved by the opposition against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be taken up on March 9, when the House reassembles after the recess, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said here on Sunday. Rijiju stated that the second part of the Budget Session, scheduled from March 9 to April 2, will be "interesting" as several "important" legislations and a "critical" bill will be presented in Parliament for debate and passage. He warned that if opposition parties continue their protests as they did during the first part of the session, it would ultimately be detrimental to them. "On March 9 in the Lok Sabha, we will have the debate on the no-confidence motion moved against the speaker. It is the rule to take it up on the first day. There will be a vote following the debate," he told PTI in an interview. The Budget Session began with the president's address to the joint sitting of Parliament on January 28 and went on reces
The opposition notice for removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla could have been rejected due to flaws in drafting, but he directed officials to get it rectified so that it can be listed at the earliest, parliamentary sources said. As many as 118 opposition MPs had signed the notice submitted to Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh on Tuesday afternoon. Later in the day, the opposition withdrew the notice and replaced it with another one correcting the date. "The notice reportedly mentions the events of February 2025 four times, on the basis of which it could have been rejected as per the rules," the sources said. The Speaker directed the Lok Sabha Secretariat to have the defective notice corrected and then proceed with it. "Birla ordered prompt action as per the rules," a functionary said. Sources said upon receipt of the revised notice, a speedy review will be conducted as per the rules. Opposition parties on Tuesday put in motion the process to oust Birla as Lok Sabha
The opposition on Tuesday submitted a notice for moving a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from office for disallowing Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders from speaking in the House on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, as well as for the suspension of eight MPs. Congress MP and chief whip K Suresh submitted the notice to the Lok Sabha secretariat on behalf of several opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party and the DMK. The TMC MPs, however, did not sign the notice and were not a party to it. About 120 MPs of parties such as the Congress, DMK and Samajwadi Party, had already signed a notice for moving the resolution, the sources said. The Lok Sabha has not been functioning properly ever since Gandhi was not allowed to speak on February 2.
Congress' women MPs in the Lok Sabha wrote to Speaker Om Birla on Monday, claiming that under pressure from the ruling party to defend the "non-appearance" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he made grave allegations against them. They urged the Speaker to act as an impartial custodian of the Lower House. Their letter to the Speaker comes days after Birla stated in the House that he had "concrete information" that many Congress members might move towards Prime Minister Modi's seat and carry out "some unexpected act" as a result of which he had requested him not to come to the House to reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. Speaking about the letter signed by her, along with other women MPs of the Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "There is so much pressure on the Speaker which is not right. There is no question of anyone raising a hand on the PM or do anything like this. There are 11 women MPs, they are all serious MPs." "He (Birla) should not
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday did not rule out "exemplary punishment" over the alleged use of e-cigarette in the House, asserting that maintaining the dignity of Parliament was non-negotiable. BJP member Anurag Thakur had sent a complaint to the Speaker alleging that one Trinamool Congress (TMC) member was "openly using" e-cigarette in the House during the proceedings despite such devices being banned across the country. "No one has the right to undermine the sanctity of the House," the Lok Sabha Speaker told reporters here. Birla said the matter was under investigation and would be later referred to an appropriate committee of the House for further action. "We will act on the recommendation of the committee. Everyone will have to maintain decorum in the House. A member could even lose his membership," the Lok Sabha Speaker said. "Nobody will be allowed to lower the dignity of the House," Birla said. "It is a responsibility. You will have to maintain decorum inside the Hou
Congress veteran and former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil donned many hats during his decades-long political career and was a prominent figure in Maharashtra and national politics, but had to resign as Union Home Minister after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. Patil (90), who passed away on Friday at his residence in Latur district of Maharashtra after a brief illness, remained a Congress and Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist till his last days and held several key constitutional and ministerial posts during a public life spanning more than five decades. The veteran politician faced severe public and media backlash as Union Home Minister in 2008 when he was seen in three different sets of clothes on the night of November 26 when Mumbai was facing unprecedented attacks from ten heavily-armed Pakistan-trained terrorists. Defending himself over the criticism, he had said people should criticise policy, not clothes. The sheer scale of the Mumbai attacks weighed heavily on Patil's ...
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will lead a delegation of presiding officers from India to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Barbados in October which will have a session on financial transparency in elections. Birla on Sunday evening chaired a meeting of Presiding Officers of Legislative Bodies from across India to brief them about various aspects of the conference. The 68th CPC is scheduled to be held from October 5-12 at Bridgetown, according to a statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat. The Indian delegation will comprise Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh and presiding officers and secretaries of state and Union Territory legislatures from across the country. Birla will address the General Assembly of the CPC on the theme of 'The Commonwealth: A Global Partner'. In addition, members of Indian Parliamentary Delegation will be taking part in seven thematic workshops, including on 'Strengthening our Institutions to Support Democracy', 'Leveraging Technology:
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday urged leaders of political parties to send representatives who are empowered to take decisions to meetings for finalising the agenda for Parliament. Birla's remarks came as the opposition members sought an assurance from the government on discussion on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar after the conclusion of the debate on Operation Sindoor. The opposition members were in the Well of the House, raising slogans and seeking an assurance before the Lok Sabha took up the discussion on Operation Sindoor. Birla said that at the all-party meeting chaired by him last week, all leaders sought a discussion on Operation Sindoor, which was agreed to, and 16 hours were allocated for the same. "There is something called commitment. Leaders of all parties had sought a discussion on Operation Sindoor and now you are in the Well of the House raising other issues," he said, addressing opposition members. "You can't demand a discussion on any issue from th
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday convened a meeting of senior leaders of political parties, where it was decided that the House will function smoothly from Monday onwards, parliamentary sources said. Amid repeated disruptions for the last five days, Birla told leaders that he wanted the House to have meaningful discussions and pushed for decorum during Question Hour, they said. It was decided that the House will function smoothly from Monday, the sources said. Lok Sabha will take up a discussion on 'Operation Sindoor' on Monday, they added. The opposition has been raking up issues such as special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, US President Donald Trump's claim on India-Pakistan 'ceasefire' and the Pahalgam terror attack since the Monsoon session commenced on July 21.
Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday urged all political parties to reduce disruptions in House proceedings and asserted it is time to change past practices. Addressing the national level conference of Urban Local Bodies here, Birla said that people would teach a lesson to political parties that resort to disruption of the House proceedings. Birla said there has been some reduction in disruption of the House proceedings in the 18th Lok Sabha, which had its first sitting in June last year. "It is time for change. If we have to strengthen democracy and hold democratic institutions accountable, we have to ensure that the Houses function in a proper manner," he added. The speaker said all political parties should make efforts to reduce disruptions in proceedings of the House. Parliament's Monsoon Session is scheduled to begin on July 21 and continue till August 21, a week longer than the original plan to conclude on August 12. Birla said
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said urban local bodies (ULBs) should function on the lines of Parliament with regular Question Hour and Zero Hour to raise issues concerning citizens. He was addressing the first National Level Conference of Urban Local Bodies in States and Union Territories. "I am pained to hear about meetings of ULBs getting adjourned amid pandemonium and key agenda such as budget getting approved without any discussion," Birla said. ULBs should also function on the lines of the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and find solutions to civic issues through regular debate and discussion in Question Hour and Zero Hour, he said. Birla also said parliamentary proceedings, which were drowned in ruckus in the earlier Lok Sabhas, were witnessing fewer disruptions in the current Lok Sabha due to the efforts of leaders of all political parties. "Changes were witnessed in the 18th Lok Sabha, when political parties agreed to allow the House to function to raise issues of