Opposition moves No-Confidence notice against speaker Om Birla, TMC stays out
The political standoff in Parliament intensified on Tuesday after 118 Opposition MPs submitted a no-confidence notice against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Soon after, sources said Birla decided not to chair House proceedings until authorities review the notice.
First, Opposition leaders sent the signed notice to Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh. They accused the Speaker of bias and unfair conduct. They said his recent actions weakened parliamentary norms.
Meanwhile, sources close to Birla said he chose to take a “high moral ground.” They said he will wait for a formal decision before returning to the Chair.
Under Article 94C of the Constitution, MPs can move a resolution for the Speaker’s removal with at least 14 days’ notice. Since Parliament goes into recess after February 13, officials expect discussion on March 9, when the House resumes.
At the same time, Lok Sabha secretariat officials confirmed that they will examine the notice as per rules.
This development followed days of disruption in the House. Tensions rose after Birla suspended eight Opposition MPs during protests. Later, he claimed that some Congress members planned to create disorder near the Prime Minister’s seat. Congress strongly denied the charge.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday afternoon, the House briefly returned to normalcy. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor began the Union Budget debate at 2 pm. This move raised hopes of easing tensions. However, the optimism did not last long.
Earlier in the day, Opposition leaders met to decide their next step. A delegation led by Congress leader K C Venugopal visited the Speaker’s chamber. They demanded fair treatment and more time to speak. However, the meeting failed to break the deadlock. Minister of State Arjun Ram Meghwal represented the government.
As talks collapsed, Opposition MPs submitted the notice at 1.14 pm. Congress deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi confirmed the timing.
However, not all parties joined the move. The Trinamool Congress refused to sign the notice. Party leader Abhishek Banerjee said TMC prefers tolerance over confrontation. He said the party did not want to “flex muscles” through such action.
Sources said TMC urged other parties to give Birla more time. They believed dialogue could still resolve the dispute.
In the notice, the Opposition raised three main objections.
First, they alleged that the Speaker repeatedly denied the Leader of Opposition enough time to speak. They cited February 2, when he could not complete his speech on the President’s Address. They also objected to the suspension of eight MPs on February 3.
Second, they criticised the Speaker for allowing BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to attack former Prime Ministers on February 4. They said Birla did not reprimand him. They called Dubey a “habitual offender” and accused the Chair of selective action.
Third, they targeted Birla’s decision to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to attend the House last week. Birla had cited security concerns. He had claimed Congress MPs might create an “unprecedented incident.” The Opposition called this claim false and derogatory.
The notice accused Birla of misusing his constitutional position. It said his remarks damaged the dignity of the office.
Meanwhile, the Speaker received support from BJP MPs. Eleven women MPs wrote to him. They criticised an earlier letter by Congress women MPs. They defended Birla’s conduct.
Congress whip Manickam Tagore said the Opposition acted out of compulsion. He said they still respect the Speaker personally. However, he added that repeated denial of speaking time forced them to take this “extraordinary step.”
Despite the confrontation, the House resumed Budget discussions. Shashi Tharoor opened the debate. Leaders said Rahul Gandhi is likely to speak on Wednesday.
For now, Parliament remains divided. The notice awaits scrutiny. Political talks continue. As March approaches, all eyes remain on whether the House will debate the Speaker’s conduct or move toward reconciliation.
