Birla to stay off Lok Sabha proceedings amid removal notice

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will not preside over House proceedings until a notice seeking his removal is examined, sources said. Around 120 Opposition MPs have moved the resolution, accusing him of denying speaking time and suspending members

New Delhi: Speaker Om Birla will not preside over Lok Sabha proceedings till the issue pertaining to his removal from the office is settled citing moral grounds, sources said on Tuesday.

Separately, Article 96 of the Constitution bars a Speaker or a Deputy Speaker to preside the House sitting while a resolution for his removal from office is under consideration.

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Birla has a constitutional right to defend himself in the House if the resolution is discussed in the Lok Sabha.

He has, meanwhile, directed Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh to examine the notice served by the opposition for moving a resolution to remove him from office, the sources said.

About 120 opposition MPs submitted a notice for moving the resolution to remove Birla from office for not allowing Leader of Opposition (LoP) 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 MPs.

Birla has directed the Secretary General to examine the notice and take appropriate action, the sources said, adding that it will be examined and processed according to rules.

Congress MP and chief whip K Suresh submitted the notice to the Lok Sabha secretariat on behalf of several opposition parties, including his party, Samajwadi Party and DMK.

TMC MPs, however, did not sign the notice.