Opposition Moves No-Confidence Motion Against Lok Sabha Speaker

Updated: 11 Feb 2026

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The opposition has given notice of a No-Confidence Motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla under Article 94(c) of the Constitution.

Lok Sabha sources said that the opposition has given the notice to the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha. Sources said that the notice will be examined and action will be taken according to the rules.
This is not the first time that the opposition has decided to bring a No-Confidence Motion against the presiding officer of Parliament. Earlier in 2024, the opposition had brought a similar motion against the then Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has not signed the notice of the No-Confidence Motion brought by opposition parties against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Total 118 Member of Parliaments (MPs) signed the No-Confidence Motion

Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Gaurav Gogoi said that the notice was formally submitted at 1:14 PM under Rule 94C of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha.
Congress said that a total of 118 MPs have signed the notice.
The motion has the support of parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). However, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has not yet signed the notice.

In the notice, opposition MPs alleged that the Speaker did not continuously allow them to raise issues of public importance.
They listed several complaints, including not allowing Rahul Gandhi to speak during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, suspending opposition MPs, and not taking any action against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey for his comments against former Prime Ministers.
Senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal had accused the Speaker of bias and indicated early action. He said that despite parliamentary convention, the Leader of Opposition is not being allowed to speak in the House.

In history, since independence, at least three such instances have been recorded when a No-Confidence Motion was brought to remove the Speaker. The first was in 1954 against the first Lok Sabha Speaker, G.V. Mavalankar, when MP Vigneshwar Mishra alleged that the Speaker was not impartial.
In 1966, the opposition presented a motion against Speaker Sardar Hukam Singh, led by Madhu Limaye, and Deputy Speaker S.V. Krishnamurthy Rao was in the Chair.
The third motion was presented on 15 April, 1987 by CPM MP Somnath Chatterjee to remove Speaker Balram Jakhar, and it was presided over by Deputy Speaker Thambi Durai. The House rejected this motion.

In the Constitution, Article 94(C) describes the process of bringing a No-Confidence Motion against the Lok Sabha Speaker.
The Constitution states, "A member holding office as Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of the People may be removed from his office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then members of the House of the People."
It further states, "Provided that no resolution for the purpose of clause (c) shall be moved unless at least fourteen days’ notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution."

According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha, any member of the House may demand the removal of the Speaker. Under Chapter 18 of the rulebook, the member must give a written notice to the Secretary-General of the House along with the full text of the resolution.
Once the notice is received, the motion seeking permission to move the resolution is entered in the List of Business in the name of the member who gave the notice.
The date for moving the motion is decided by the Chair -- usually the Deputy Speaker, because when a motion to remove him is brought, the Speaker cannot preside over the House.
Then the Chair places the motion before the House and asks whether permission should be granted to move it. After the motion is placed before the House, at least 50 members must stand in its support. If this limit is not met, the motion fails and the member who moved it is informed accordingly.
If the motion is accepted, voting takes place. Voting may be by voice vote, division of votes or other prescribed methods.