In a historic move, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday admitted a resolution for the removal of Speaker Om Birla after more than 50 members stood in support, meeting the constitutional threshold for the motion to proceed. The House has allocated 10 hours for a fiery debate on the matter, marking a rare instance of a Speaker’s conduct being formally scrutinised through such a resolution.
The motion, which bears the signatures of 118 Opposition MPs, stems from allegations of "partisan" behaviour by the Chair. The primary grievance cited is that the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was repeatedly prevented from addressing the House, particularly during high-stakes discussions earlier in the session. In keeping with parliamentary protocol, Birla has recused himself from presiding over the proceedings while his own conduct is under debate, choosing to sit among the members instead.
This confrontation has come at a critical juncture in the 2026 Budget Session, which originally began on January 28. Following a short recess after the first phase concluded on February 13, the second leg of the session is now in full swing and is scheduled to run until April 2.
While the Government has expressed confidence in defeating the motion due to its numerical strength, the Opposition’s unified front — supported by the Congress, SP, DMK, and recently joined by the TMC — ensures that the next two days of the session will be among the most contentious in recent memory.
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