Congress Moves No-Confidence Motion Against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Cites Procedural Concerns

The Congress party has initiated a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, formally seeking his removal from office. A notice to this effect was submitted to the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha under Rule 94C of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi stated that the notice was filed at 1:14 pm and bears the signatures of approximately 119 Members of Parliament. Party leaders indicated that the number of signatories reflects substantial backing from opposition members and signals growing dissatisfaction over what they describe as partial conduct of proceedings, limited opportunities for opposition members to speak, and repeated disruptions during the ongoing session.
Gogoi confirmed the submission, noting that the motion was filed in accordance with procedural rules governing such actions against the Speaker.

However, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has declined to support the proposal at this stage. According to party sources, the TMC has opted not to participate in the opposition’s immediate effort to move the motion. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee explained that his party had advised Congress to first present an appeal to the Speaker outlining the demands of both the INDIA bloc and Congress, and to allow three days for a response. He stated that if Congress proceeds with the motion immediately, the TMC would refrain from signing it; however, if the Speaker does not respond favourably within the stipulated period, the party would then consider supporting the no-confidence motion.

According to reports, the impasse between the opposition and the government has persisted, with the government reportedly rejecting four key demands raised by opposition parties during recent discussions. Consequently, the opposition is expected to proceed with the motion despite the lack of TMC support.
Earlier, opposition parties had been informed that a decision on whether Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi would be permitted to speak in the Lok Sabha would be communicated by 12:30 pm. They had indicated that their final decision on submitting the motion against the Speaker would depend on that outcome.

Despite the TMC’s current position, several other opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), have endorsed the move. In total, 118 MPs from opposition parties within the INDIA bloc—excluding the TMC—have signed the motion.

The development follows allegations by opposition parties that Rahul Gandhi was prevented from speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. Gandhi had attempted to refer to an unpublished memoir by former Army Chief General M. M. Naravane while discussing the 2020 India-China military standoff. The Speaker ruled that unpublished material should not be cited in the House and directed Gandhi accordingly.

The Lok Sabha has witnessed repeated disruptions since February 2, with opposition members staging protests over various issues, including the Chair’s decision to disallow Gandhi from quoting material related to the India-China conflict. Amid continued disorder in the House, eight opposition MPs were suspended for the remainder of the session last week.​