‘Not even PM above rules’: Speaker Om Birla asserts authority after removal motion fails

New Delhi: A day after the Lok Sabha rejected a motion seeking his removal, Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said the House would function strictly according to its rules and procedures, asserting that no member, including the Prime Minister, was above them.

Addressing the House after returning to the Chair, Birla said the functioning of Parliament is governed by rules framed by the House itself and that these apply equally to all members.

“The House has been running with rules and regulations and will continue to function in future, irrespective of whether it is acceptable to any member or not,” Birla said. “I will continue to discharge my duty with all sincerity and impartiality.” 

Rejecting allegations that some members were being prevented from speaking, the Speaker said everyone is allowed to participate in debates but only in accordance with parliamentary procedures.

“I have always tried to ensure that every member expresses their views within the framework of rules and procedures,” he said, adding that time was given to members to speak in the House. 

Birla also stressed that no member enjoys any special privilege to bypass the rules of the House.

“No member has the right to speak beyond the rules. Whether it is the Prime Minister, ministers, the Leader of the Opposition or any other member, everyone has to follow the rules,” he said. 

The Speaker said the procedures governing parliamentary business were framed by the House itself and must be respected by all members. “These rules have been made by the House and I have inherited them,” he said. 

Referring to the role of the presiding officer, Birla said the Speaker’s responsibility was to uphold the rules impartially and ensure that the rights of both the treasury benches and the opposition are protected. The Chair, he said, acts as a custodian of parliamentary procedures and traditions.

Thanking members for expressing confidence in him after the motion against him was defeated, Birla said the Speaker’s chair represents the dignity of the institution rather than any individual.

“The Chair does not belong to any one individual; it is a symbol of the prestige of the House,” he said. 

He also expressed gratitude to members who participated in the debate on the motion, saying he had listened carefully to both criticism and support during the discussion.

“I thank all members who spoke, whether in support or criticism,” Birla said, adding that he would continue to uphold the traditions and dignity of Parliament while presiding over the proceedings.

The motion had been brought by opposition parties alleging partisan conduct by the Speaker in running the House, a charge strongly rejected by the government and its allies during the discussion. Several members of the Opposition including Congress’s Deputy Lok Sabha leader Gaurav Gogoi, TMC’s Mahua Moitra etc pointed at the Speaker’s conduct alleging that he was giving the treasury benches preferential treatment. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, replying to the debate on behalf of the government, had defended the Speaker and termed the move to bring a resolution against him “unfortunate” for parliamentary politics, noting that such motions against the Speaker have been extremely rare in India’s parliamentary history. 

The resolution was eventually put to vote amid protests and was defeated by voice vote, allowing Birla to continue in office as the presiding officer of the House