Opposition’s no-confidence motion against Speaker Om Birla fails after stormy Lok Sabha debate

The motion, moved by the Opposition accusing the Speaker of partisan conduct, was rejected by a voice vote amid continued slogan-shouting.

The outcome was widely expected given the numbers in the Lok Sabha, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) holds a comfortable majority.

Tensions escalated during the debate when Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi while responding to allegations against the Speaker.

“Sir, they are talking about conduct. When their supreme leader himself winks, goes and hugs the Prime Minister, and blows a flying kiss, this shows he is provoking,” Shah said, referring to Gandhi.

The remark triggered immediate protests from Opposition MPs, who rose from their seats and accused the Home Minister of using “unparliamentary language”. Several members rushed into the Well of the House and raised slogans, disrupting the proceedings.

Amid the uproar, Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the session, conducted the voice vote that led to the defeat of the motion and then adjourned the House.

The Opposition had moved the motion accusing Speaker Om Birla of failing to maintain the impartiality expected of the office and of favouring the ruling party during parliamentary proceedings.

Initiating the debate, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the motion was not directed personally at Birla but aimed at protecting the dignity and neutrality of the House.

“This motion is our responsibility to protect the dignity of the House, not a personal attack on the Speaker,” Gogoi said.

He alleged that the Speaker’s rulings had increasingly undermined the rights of Opposition members and reflected the ruling party’s position on contentious issues.

The Opposition also cited recent decisions during the Budget Session, including not allowing Rahul Gandhi to read excerpts from an unpublished book by former Army chief General M.M. Naravane and suspending eight Opposition MPs for the entire session.

Responding to the allegations, Amit Shah defended the Speaker and accused the Opposition of questioning the integrity of a constitutional office.

“When the Lok Sabha Speaker was elected, leaders from both sides supported him. There can be disagreements with decisions, but the Speaker’s ruling is final,” Shah said.

He also claimed that the Speaker’s office had recently faced security concerns due to aggressive behaviour by MPs.

Despite the Opposition’s objections, the government had the numbers firmly on its side.

The Opposition bloc has around 238 MPs in the Lok Sabha, including 99 from the Congress, while the ruling NDA commands the support of about 293 members, including 240 from the BJP and allies such as the JD(U) and TDP.

With the numbers stacked against them, the Opposition’s motion was largely seen as an attempt to formally register its protest and place its concerns on record in Parliament.