Debate, vote on motion to remove Birla on March 9: Rijiju
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Tawang: The debate and vote on the no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will be taken up on March 9, when the House reconvenes after recess, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has said.
Speaking to PTI in Tawang on Sunday, Rijiju confirmed that the motion would be discussed on the first day of the second leg of the Budget Session. “On March 9 in the Lok Sabha, we will have the debate on the no-confidence motion moved against the Speaker. It is the rule to take it up on the first day. There will be a vote following the debate,” he said.
The Budget Session began with the President’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament on January 28. The Union Budget 2026 was presented on February 1, and the House went into recess on February 12. The session will resume on March 9 and conclude on April 2.
Rijiju described the second part of the session as “interesting”, stating that several important legislations, including one “critical” bill, would be introduced and taken up for passage. While declining to disclose details of the proposed legislation, he said, “We will bring some important bills, including one critical bill. We will pass all these bills.”
He also indicated that discussions would be structured around specific ministries. In the Lok Sabha, demands for grants of five ministries will be taken up, while the Rajya Sabha will discuss the working of five other ministries. In the Upper House, the discussions will not be on demands for grants but on the functioning of the selected ministries.
Warning the Opposition against continuing disruptions witnessed in the first phase, Rijiju said that if protests prevent the House from functioning, the government would resort to the guillotine procedure. “If the Opposition doesn’t allow the House to function, we will go for the guillotine. It will be a loss for them,” he said, adding that non-participation in debates would ultimately harm the Opposition.
The minister noted that the second leg of the session coincides with Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala, as well as in the Union Territory of Puducherry, making the proceedings politically significant.
On whether a Bill on simultaneous elections would be introduced, Rijiju said no decision has been taken as the Parliamentary committee examining the proposal has not yet finalised its report.
He also hinted at possible divisions within the Opposition, noting that the Trinamool Congress did not sign the no-confidence motion against the Speaker. “Most of the smaller parties are not in favour of stalling the House. They want to raise their issues, especially ahead of the Assembly polls,” he said.
The first part of the Budget Session saw repeated disruptions from February 2 onwards after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disallowed by the Chair from quoting excerpts from former Army chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir, which referred to the 2020 India-China conflict.
On February 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unable to reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks due to Opposition protests. In an unprecedented development, the Motion of Thanks was passed the following day without the Prime Minister’s customary reply. The Speaker read out the Motion thanking the President for her address, and it was adopted by voice vote amid sloganeering.
Birla later said he had received specific inputs that some Congress MPs might carry out an “unexpected act” near the Prime Minister’s seat, prompting him to advise Modi not to attend the House for his address. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rejected the allegation.
Eight Opposition members were subsequently suspended for the remainder of the Budget Session over unruly conduct.
Last week, in an unprecedented step, Birla decided to step aside from presiding over the House hours after the Opposition submitted a motion seeking his removal, accusing him of acting in a “blatantly partisan” manner.
With PTI inputs