New Delhi: The Opposition Tuesday submitted a notice to move a resolution for the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Congress Lok Sabha whip Manickam Tagore wrote in a post on X: “The Opposition has placed its faith in constitutional propriety. While holding the Hon’ble Speaker in personal regard, we are pained and anguished by the consistent denial of opportunities to Opposition MPs to raise issues of public importance. After many years, a no-confidence notice against the Speaker has been moved—an extraordinary step born out of extraordinary circumstances.”
This comes after Opposition MPs held a meeting with Om Birla, amid days of adjournments and ruckus in the Lok Sabha.
The Congress had on Monday indicated that it would consider moving a resolution to remove Birla unless Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi is allowed to speak and the suspensions of eight Congress MPs are withdrawn, even as proceedings of the House remained stalled for the sixth consecutive day.
The move is likely to be a symbolic step, because the Opposition does not have the numbers.
The Trinamool Congress had earlier asked the Congress to submit an appeal to Birla before moving such a resolution against him, Abhishek Banerjee said on Tuesday.
Speaking outside Parliament Tuesday, Rahul had rued that while he was not allowed to refer to former Army chief General MM Naravane’s book or the magazine that carried the excerpts he wanted to quote on multiple occasions, a ruling party MP “spoke at length, quoting multiple books and making very objectionable remarks, yet nothing was said or done”.
Under Article 94(c) of the Constitution of India, the Speaker “may be removed from his office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then members of the House”. However, any such resolution requires a two-week notice, as per the rules.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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