New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said he had always tried to ensure that every Member of Parliament received an adequate opportunity to express their views in the House, as he addressed members following the debate on a rare motion of no confidence against the Speaker in the Lok Sabha.
Making a statement in the House after two days of debate, Birla said the motion marked only the third such instance in the parliamentary history of independent India. “In the parliamentary history of independent India, for the third time, a motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has been brought before the House,” he said, noting that members had held discussions for more than 12 hours on the resolution.
Members from different political parties placed their views, arguments and concerns before the House during the debate. According to Birla, opposition members raised issues such as the alleged suppression of the opposition’s voice and a perceived lack of impartiality in the functioning of the Chair.
Referring to the discussion, Birla said members also spoke about the need to uphold the impartiality of the Chair, improve the efficiency of parliamentary proceedings and maintain the global reputation of India’s Parliament. They also shared their perspectives on the traditions, rules and procedures that govern the functioning of the House.
Emphasizing the representative character of Parliament, Birla said the House reflected the sovereign will of the country’s people. “This House represents the sovereign will of the 1.4 billion citizens of India. Every member present here carries the mandate of millions of citizens,” he said, adding that MPs also carry the hopes and aspirations of people seeking solutions to their problems and difficulties.
Birla said he had consistently tried to ensure that all members were able to present their views within established parliamentary rules. “I have always tried to ensure that every honourable member can express their views on their issues and matters within the rules and procedures, and that all members get adequate opportunity to do so,” he said.
The Speaker added that he had also made efforts to encourage first-time MPs and those reluctant to speak to participate more actively in debates. “During both of my terms, I requested all those members to speak who had not spoken even once in the House,” he said, stressing that participation strengthens democracy and ensures accountability of the government.
Calling the Lok Sabha a “vibrant platform for ideas and discussion,” Birla said the tradition of agreement and disagreement had always been an integral part of India’s parliamentary democracy.
He also referred to the vision of the framers of the Constitution of India, who adopted a parliamentary system after extensive deliberations. “Today, the system of parliamentary democracy is undoubtedly the best method of governance in the world,” he said, adding that Parliament serves not only as a law-making body but also as the centre of the nation’s democratic consciousness.
Birla also cited Article 93 of the Constitution of India, which provides for the election of the Speaker, and said the House had given him the opportunity for the second time to discharge the responsibilities of the office.
The motion of no confidence against the Speaker, though rare in India’s parliamentary practice, triggered an extended debate in the Lok Sabha, with members from both treasury benches and opposition parties discussing the functioning of the Chair and broader issues related to parliamentary procedures and democratic norms.
