Cong issues whip, asks MPs to be present in LS as resolution for Birla's removal to be taken up

New Delhi, The Congress has issued a whip for its MPs, mandating them to be present in Lok Sabha from March 9 to 11 with the notice seeking Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's removal from office likely to be taken up next week.

Parliament meets for the second phase of the Budget session on March 9.

Lok Sabha is likely to take up the notice to move a resolution to remove Birla from office for allegedly acting in a "blatantly partisan" manner.


The Congress issued the three-line whip, mandating its MPs to be present in the Lower House for the first three days of the second half of the Budget session, sources said.

The speaker can be removed from office if a resolution is passed by the House by a simple majority. Article 94C of the Constitution has provisions for such a move. Article 96 allows the speaker to defend himself or herself in the House.

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 panel helps to run the House in the speaker's absence.

The resolution has alleged that 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, which were all negatived.