Removal of Speaker Om Birla: Lok Sabha to take up opposition's notice on Monday; BJP, Congress issue whip for MPs

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha has listed the notice moved by opposition seeking a resolution to remove Speaker Om Birla from office for Monday, setting the stage for a rare debate in the House.According to the agenda paper, the notice is the only item scheduled for discussion that day. Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier indicated that the motion would come up when Parliament reconvenes for the second phase of the Budget session on March 9. Under the rules of procedure, the motion will be taken up if at least 50 members stand in support of the notice when called by the Chair. If the threshold is met, the resolution will be admitted and subsequently debated and put to vote. If fewer than 50 members support it, the motion cannot be moved.The notice has been submitted by Congress MPs Mohamed Jawed, K Suresh and Mallu Ravi and has been signed by 118 opposition MPs from several parties. Trinamool Congress members have not backed the motion.The proposed resolution accuses Birla of acting in a "blatantly partisan" manner and failing to maintain the impartiality expected of the Speaker. It alleges that he repeatedly disallowed leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition members from speaking in the House and made "unwarranted allegations" against women opposition MPs.The motion also cites the suspension of opposition MPs for an entire session for raising issues of "public concern", while claiming that ruling party members were not reprimanded for making derogatory remarks against former prime ministers.Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the resolution was moved in accordance with parliamentary rules and conventions and that the opposition had cited "specific instances of partisan behaviour" that warrant a debate in the House.Calling it a legitimate democratic process, Ramesh noted that similar motions had been moved in the past, including against Speaker GV Mavalankar in 1954.Meanwhile, both BJP and Congress have issued three-line whip for its MPs directing them to be present in the House from March 9 to 11. Under the Constitution, he has the right to defend himself during the debate and can also vote on the resolution.A Speaker can be removed from office if the House passes the resolution by a simple majority. Similar motions against former Speakers GV Mavalankar in 1954, Hukam Singh in 1966 and Balram Jakhar in 1987 were all defeated.The Congress has issued a whip directing its MPs to remain present in the Lok Sabha from March 9 to 11, when the notice is expected to be taken up.