The no-confidence motion moved by opposition parties to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be debated in the lower house on March 9, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced. A vote on the motion will take place after the debate.
"On March 9 in the Lok Sabha, we will have the debate on the no-confidence motion moved against the speaker. It is the rule to take it up on the first day. There will be a vote following the debate," Rijiju told PTI.
The second phase of the budget session of Parliament will run from March 9 to April 2. During this session, several "important" legislations and a "critical" bill will be presented for debate and passage, the minister said.
The first part of the budget session began on January 29 and concluded on February 12. It saw frequent disruptions and adjournments, with the opposition targeting the government over various issues, including the India-US trade deal and controversial remarks reportedly made in the yet to be published memoir of former Army Chief M.M. Naravane.
Rijiju warned that continued opposition protests could be counterproductive. "In the Lok Sabha, we will discuss the demands for grants in five ministries and in the Rajya Sabha, we will discuss the working of five other ministries. In Rajya Sabha, it will not be on demands for grants but discussions on the ministries," he said.
The Congress-led opposition moved the no-confidence motion against the Speaker on February 10, accusing him of "blatantly partisan" conduct.
The opposition’s grievances include Birla disallowing Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from speaking during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, and his failure to take action against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who allegedly made unfounded charges against former prime ministers.
Additionally, the opposition cited a statement by Speaker Birla, where he claimed to have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to enter the House to avoid an "unpleasant incident" after receiving intelligence that some Congress MPs might approach the PM’s seat and "create an unprecedented situation."
Another major point of contention is the suspension of eight MPs for the entire session.
