What Happened
- The Opposition introduced a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging partisan conduct and silencing of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
- Congress formally submitted the no-confidence motion notice on February 10, 2026, with 119 MPs signing the motion.
- The Speaker announced he would step away from presiding over House proceedings on "moral grounds" until the motion is resolved.
- The Lok Sabha is expected to discuss the motion on March 9, 2026.
- This is the fourth such motion in independent India's parliamentary history, following attempts in 1954, 1966, and 1987 -- none of which succeeded.
Static Topic Bridges
Article 94 of the Constitution: Vacation, Resignation, and Removal of Speaker
Article 94 provides three ways in which the office of the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha can fall vacant:
(a) Vacation: The Speaker or Deputy Speaker shall vacate office if they cease to be a member of the House of the People.
(b) Resignation: The Speaker may resign by writing addressed to the Deputy Speaker, and the Deputy Speaker may resign by writing addressed to the Speaker.
(c) Removal: The Speaker or Deputy Speaker may be removed from office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then members of the House.
- The resolution requires an effective majority -- a majority of total membership minus vacant seats -- not merely a simple majority of members present and voting.
- In a full-strength Lok Sabha of 543 members, at least 272 votes in favour are needed.
- A minimum 14 days' notice must be given to the Secretary-General before the resolution can be moved (first proviso to Article 94(c)).
- The Speaker does not vacate office upon dissolution of the House -- the second proviso states the Speaker continues until immediately before the first meeting of the new House.
Connection to this news: The opposition's motion against Speaker Om Birla is governed by Article 94(c). With 119 signatories, the motion meets the threshold for initiation (50 members) but falls far short of the 272 votes needed for removal in a 543-member House.
Types of Majorities in Indian Parliament
The Constitution prescribes different types of majorities for different purposes, each serving as a safeguard mechanism for the gravity of the decision involved.
- Simple Majority: Majority of members present and voting. Used for passing ordinary bills, no-confidence motions against the Council of Ministers (Article 75), and most day-to-day parliamentary business.
- Absolute Majority: Majority of total membership of the House (irrespective of vacancies, absent members, or abstentions). Used for removal of Speaker under Article 94(c).
- Effective Majority: Majority of total membership minus vacancies. This is what Article 94(c) prescribes with the phrase "all the then members."
- Special Majority (Article 368): Majority of total membership AND two-thirds of members present and voting. Required for constitutional amendments.
- Special Majority + State Ratification: Required for amendments affecting federal structure (e.g., Article 368 proviso matters).
Connection to this news: The removal of the Speaker requires an effective majority, which is a higher bar than the simple majority needed for a no-confidence motion against the government under Article 75. This higher threshold reflects the constitutional intent to insulate the Speaker's office from partisan political manoeuvring.
Independence and Impartiality of the Speaker
The office of the Speaker is modelled on the British Westminster tradition, where the Speaker is expected to be an impartial arbiter of parliamentary proceedings. The Indian Constitution and parliamentary conventions provide several safeguards to protect this independence.
- Article 93 provides for the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker by the members of Lok Sabha from among themselves.
- Article 94(c) sets a high threshold for removal (effective majority), making it difficult for the ruling party alone to unseat the Speaker while also preventing frivolous removal attempts.
- Article 95 provides for the Deputy Speaker to act as Speaker when the office is vacant or when the Speaker is absent.
- Article 96 bars the Speaker from voting in the first instance; the Speaker may exercise only a casting vote in case of a tie.
- Article 100(1) provides that no proceeding in Parliament shall be invalid merely by reason of any vacancy in membership.
- Salary charged on Consolidated Fund of India (Article 97) -- not voted upon by the House, protecting the Speaker from financial pressure.
- Convention (UK model): In Britain, the Speaker resigns from party membership and stands as "Speaker seeking re-election." India has not formally adopted this convention, leading to recurring allegations of partisanship.
Connection to this news: The allegations against Speaker Om Birla centre on perceived partisanship -- specifically, not allowing the Leader of Opposition adequate speaking time. The tension between the formal constitutional protections for the Speaker's office and the informal expectation of non-partisanship remains an unresolved structural issue in Indian parliamentary democracy.
Key Facts & Data
- Article 94(c) governs the removal of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha.
- The resolution requires a majority of "all the then members" (effective majority) -- at least 272 in a 543-member House.
- A mandatory 14-day notice period must be observed before moving the resolution.
- No Lok Sabha Speaker has ever been removed through this process in India's parliamentary history.
- Previous removal attempts: 1954 (against G.V. Mavalankar), 1966 (against Sardar Hukam Singh, failed to secure 50-member support), 1987 (against Balram Jakhar, negated by the House).
- The current motion has 119 signatories from the Opposition.
- The Speaker retains the right to speak and participate in proceedings during the debate on the removal motion but cannot preside over the House.
- The motion is scheduled for discussion on March 9, 2026.