Speaker Om Birla steps aside temporarily amid no-confidence motion as Lok Sabha set for March 9 debate
New Delhi: In a significant development during the Budget Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has temporarily stepped aside from presiding over the House following a notice submitted by Opposition parties seeking his removal.
The move comes after Congress MP K Suresh submitted a resolution notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat on behalf of several Opposition parties. Speaker Birla directed Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh to examine the notice and take appropriate action as per established procedures.
Also Read
Sources indicated that the Trinamool Congress (TMC), while part of the Opposition bloc, had initially suggested giving the Speaker seven days to consider the concerns raised before proceeding with the motion.
The debate on the no-confidence motion is reportedly scheduled for March 9. Describing his decision to step aside temporarily as a “moral step”, Birla said he would wait for the House’s decision on the motion.
Why the motion matters
Under Article 94(c) of the Constitution of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha can be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the House. While such provisions exist, motions against a sitting Speaker are rare and considered extraordinary parliamentary measures.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore stated on social media that the Opposition had acted out of “extraordinary circumstances,” alleging that Opposition MPs were consistently denied opportunities to raise issues of public importance. He said the move was not personal but rooted in constitutional propriety.
Political context
The development has added to tensions in the ongoing Budget Session. While the ruling side has defended the Speaker’s conduct, Opposition parties argue that parliamentary conventions and the rights of members must be upheld.
If admitted and taken up for discussion, the resolution will require the support of a majority of all sitting members of the Lok Sabha to pass. Until then, proceedings continue under constitutional and procedural norms.
Published: 10 Feb 2026, 05:40 pm IST
Related Topics
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Disclaimer: Kindly avoid objectionable, derogatory, unlawful and lewd comments, while responding to reports. Such comments are punishable under cyber laws. Please keep away from personal attacks. The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of readers and not that of Mathrubhumi.