World Connect News
New Delhi: The political temperature in the country has heated up following Congress’s demand for the removal of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from his post and the motion of no-confidence in the Parliament complex. Following the opposition’s notice citing Article 94(c) of the Constitution, people are curious to know whether the Lok Sabha Speaker can actually be removed from his post and what the parliamentary calculations are.
What does the Indian Constitution say?
Article 94(c) of the Indian Constitution provides for the removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. According to this, a resolution has to be passed by the members of Parliament to remove the Speaker. However, for this it is mandatory to give a written notice to the Lok Sabha Secretary General at least 14 days in advance.
Procedure and conditions for a no-confidence motion
When the proposal is brought to the House after 14 days of receiving the notice, the support of at least 50 MPs is necessary for its acceptance. Only after getting support, debate and voting takes place on this topic. The Speaker cannot preside over the House while the removal proceedings are underway.
Can the opposition’s move be successful?
An ‘Effective Majority’ is required to remove the Speaker in the Lok Sabha.This means that the bill must garner the support of more than 50% of the total seats in the House, minus any vacant seats. Given the current political strength, the ruling coalition (NDA) has an absolute majority, making the proposal unlikely to pass.
What does the parliamentary history of India say?
No Lok Sabha Speaker in Indian history has ever been removed through a no-confidence motion. Previously, such motions were brought against Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar (1954), Hukam Singh (1966) and Balram Jakhar (1987), but all were rejected. This move of Congress is mainly being considered as a way to create political pressure.
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Can Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla be removed from his post? Know about Article 94(c) of the Constitution, the legal process of no-confidence motion, the mathematics of voting and the history of the Indian Parliament.