Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday delivered a sharp message in the House a day after an opposition-backed no-confidence motion against him was defeated by voice vote.
Presiding over the sitting, Birla said the Leader of the Opposition is “not above the House” and that no one can claim the freedom to speak without following established procedures. He stressed that the Lok Sabha functions strictly under its rules, and even the Prime Minister or Union ministers must give notice under the rules before speaking.
Responding to allegations that he controls microphones to curb members, Birla said the charge was baseless. He stated that there are no switches at the Speaker’s chair to turn microphones on or off, and that only the microphone of a member who has been permitted to speak is activated.
Birla also said he has consistently worked to ensure every MP can raise issues within the framework of rules and procedures, and maintained that his actions are impartial. He added that suspending opposition MPs was painful but becomes necessary when House rules are violated, as part of maintaining discipline and upholding the dignity of the Constitution.
