NEW DELHI: The stage is set for stormy proceedings as the Lok Sabha prepares to take up an Opposition motion seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla, with the second leg of the Budget Session resuming on Monday.
The rare move, the first in nearly four decades, marks the deepening rift between the Opposition and the ruling side. According to Monday’s agenda, the resolution against the Speaker is the sole item listed in the Lok Sabha’s business for the day.
"The government is likely to allocate around three hours to the discussion on the motion, with three members from the Treasury and Opposition Benches expected to participate," sources said.
"From Congress, either Lok Sabha deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi or K. C. Venugopal is likely to take part in the debate," sources added.
Other Opposition parties are also expected to raise concerns over the functioning of the Chair and broader issues relating to parliamentary procedures.
While both the Congress and the BJP have issued whips directing their members to be present in the House, the BJP-led NDA holds a clear numerical advantage to defeat the resolution in the 543-member Lok Sabha.
However, the Opposition received a boost after the Trinamool Congress announced on Saturday that it would support the motion, despite not having signed it earlier.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi backed Birla, saying he was committed to the principles of the Constitution and Parliamentary democracy.
As many as 118 Opposition members had submitted the notice to move a resolution to remove Birla from office for not allowing Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders to speak in the House on the motion of thanks to the president's address, as well as for suspending eight opposition MPs.
It will be a rare moment when Birla does not chair the proceedings and instead sit among the members as the House takes up the notice seeking his removal.
Under parliamentary rules, he retains the right to defend himself during the discussion in the Lok Sabha, and he will also have the right to vote against the resolution. After the discussion, the motion will be put to a vote.
Congress leaders Gogoi, chief whip K Suresh and whip Mohammed Javed submitted the notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat on behalf of several opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the DMK.
The language of the proposed resolution is usually examined by the deputy speaker, but since the present Lok Sabha does not have a deputy speaker, it may be examined by the senior-most member of the panel of chairpersons.
The resolution alleged that Speaker Birla acted in a 'blatantly partisan' manner in conducting the business of the House and 'abused' the constitutional office he occupies.
Three Lok Sabha speakers, G V Mavlankar (1954), Hukam Singh (1966), and Balram Jakhar (1987) faced no-confidence motions in the past.
While motions against Mavalankar and Jakhar were defeated, the motion against Hukam Singh was not admitted, as it did not have the required number of backers.
Apart from the no-trust notice, the US-Israel strikes on Iran and growing tensions in West Asia that have led to disruption in crude oil supplies and escalation in prices are also likely to come up during the session.
The Opposition is expected to question the government's policy on the matter.