Opposition parties’ bid to move a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla may fail at the threshold, with parliamentary officials flagging serious technical lapses in the notice.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, February 11: The Lok Sabha Secretary General is likely to reject the opposition’s no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla on technical grounds, sources said on Wednesday, claiming that the notice submitted by opposition parties suffers from procedural flaws.
According to parliamentary sources, the notice does not meet the mandatory requirements laid down under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha. As a result, it may be deemed invalid and returned to the members who submitted it.
“The notice is technically flawed and does not conform to the prescribed format and procedural norms. On these grounds alone, it is liable to be rejected,” a senior parliamentary official said, requesting anonymity.
The opposition had moved the no-confidence notice on Tuesday, accusing Speaker Om Birla of functioning in a “blatantly partisan” manner and demanding that he recuse himself from presiding over the House until the matter is resolved.
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However, government sources contend that the motion is politically motivated and aimed at exerting pressure on the Speaker amid the ongoing standoff between the treasury benches and the opposition in Parliament.
The development comes against the backdrop of repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha over the past several days, particularly following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi being disallowed by the Chair from quoting an article based on excerpts from former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir.
The situation escalated on February 4, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unable to reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address due to sustained protests by opposition members. In an unusual move, the Motion of Thanks was eventually passed on February 5 without the customary reply by the Prime Minister.
Opposition leaders have strongly defended their move, alleging that the Speaker has consistently denied them a fair hearing, while the BJP has dismissed the allegations, accusing the opposition of undermining parliamentary institutions.
A final decision on the validity of the notice is expected shortly.
