A fresh political confrontation unfolded in Lok Sabha on Tuesday after opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla, triggering a sharp exchange between the government and opposition benches. The motion has brought attention to the long-pending issue of appointing a Deputy Speaker, with opposition leaders arguing that the continued vacancy has created a constitutional imbalance in the functioning of the lower house of Parliament.
Opposition Raises ‘Constitutional Vacuum’ Concern
K. C. Venugopal, a senior leader of the Indian National Congress, said the government had failed to appoint a Deputy Speaker for several years, which he claimed had resulted in a constitutional vacuum in the House.
He argued that the absence of a Deputy Speaker undermines parliamentary conventions and called for the immediate election of a presiding officer to oversee the proceedings during the debate on the resolution.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi emphasised that the resolution was introduced to uphold the dignity of Parliament, clarifying that it was not directed at Om Birla personally. Gogoi further questioned who had the authority to decide who chairs the House during deliberations on a motion seeking the Speaker’s removal. Referring to constitutional provisions, he argued that the House itself should determine who presides in such circumstances.
No-Trust Move Against LS Speaker
Presiding over the session, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal announced that ten hours have been set aside for the debate and urged members to remain focused on the resolution.
He noted that the Speaker had shown considerable flexibility in granting permissions and allowing the Opposition’s resolution to proceed.
BJP Hits Back
Leaders from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party strongly pushed back against the opposition’s claims.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad dismissed the accusations as unfounded, arguing that the objections raised by the opposition lacked merit. He maintained that the criticism was politically motivated and insisted that the functioning of Parliament had not been affected in the way opposition members suggested.
Role Of Deputy Speaker
The role of the Deputy Speaker, traditionally filled from the opposition benches in many parliamentary terms, has become a recurring point of contention between the ruling coalition and opposition parties.
