Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah today replied to the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the no-confidence motion against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha rejected the no-confidence motion by voice vote, after discussion. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that this is not an ordinary event, and that a no-confidence motion against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has come after nearly four decades. He said that this is an unfortunate incident for parliamentary politics and the House. Shri Shah said that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha does not belong to any particular party but to the entire House, and is the protector of the rights of all members of the House. He added that bringing a no-confidence motion against the Speaker is not an act of courage.

Shri Amit Shah said that both the treasury and opposition benches debated the issue for nearly 13 hours, with more than 42 Members of Parliament participating in the discussion. He said that today, contrary to the long-standing tradition of accepting the Speaker’s decision as final, the opposition has raised questions about the Speaker’s integrity. He added that the Lok Sabha is the largest democratic forum of India and has earned credibility not only in India but across the world, with the global community recognizing the strength of India’s democracy. He further said that when the integrity of the head of this forum is questioned, it raises doubts not only within the country but also across the world about our democratic processes.

Shri Amit Shah said that opposition members go to the chamber of the Lok Sabha Speaker and create an atmosphere, triggering concern about his security. He said that the Constitution has placed the office of the Speaker above party lines, assigning it the role of a neutral mediator. However, the opposition has raised doubts about those entrusted with this mediating role. He said that for 75 years, both Houses of Parliament have strengthened the foundations of India’s democracy, and the opposition has now cast doubts on the credibility of that very foundation. Shri Shah said that the House functions on mutual trust and that the Speaker is the custodian of the House for both the treasury and opposition benches. He said that the Lok Sabha has framed certain rules for the conduct of its proceedings and for how the House should be run by the Speaker. He emphasized that the House is not a fair or a gathering without order. If the rules of the House do not permit something, no one has the right to speak against those rules. He further said that when the rules governing the functioning of the Lok Sabha are ignored, it is the sacred duty of the Speaker to intervene and restrain such conduct. He added that these rules have been in place since the time of the country’s first Prime Minister, but the principal opposition party has broken these rules on several occasions. Shri Shah said that the Speaker’s decisions and integrity should not be questioned, and doing so is extremely unfortunate and condemnable.

Shri Amit Shah said that his party has also been in the opposition, and during that period, a no-confidence motion against the Speaker was brought three times. However, neither his party nor its alliance ever moved a no-confidence motion against the Speaker. He said that they have always worked as a constructive opposition, safeguarded the dignity of the Speaker, and also demanded protection of their legitimate rights through the Speaker. Shri Shah added that they have never brought a no-confidence motion against the Speaker.

Shri Amit Shah said that in 1954 the Socialist Party brought a no-confidence motion against G. V. Mavalankar. In 1966, the Samyukta Socialist Party moved a no-confidence motion against the then Lok Sabha Speaker Sardar Hukam Singh, and in 1987 the Communist Party of India brought a no-confidence motion against Balram Jakhar. He said that all these parties are, more or less, members of the present opposition alliance today. He added that his party firmly believes that the integrity of the Speaker should never be questioned.

Shri Amit Shah said that everyone understands the importance of the Speaker and that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the highest adjudicator in legislative jurisprudence. He said that even the Supreme Court of India cannot interfere in decisions taken during the proceedings of the Lok Sabha, because the Constitution has granted the Speaker this protection. This protection has been provided so that the Speaker can perform their duties fearlessly. Shri Shah said that the Speaker’s first duty is to maintain order and decorum, and the second duty is to provide opportunities to all members and ensure fair conduct. He added that it is a matter of parliamentary decorum that the Lok Sabha should function according to the rules framed for conducting its proceedings.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah said that under Rule 374 of the Lok Sabha, in situations of disorder or indiscipline, the Speaker has the authority to warn, name, expel, and suspend members. He said that those who wish to agitate or act as activists within the House must conduct themselves according to the rules of the House. Shri Shah said that under Rule 375, in the event of serious disorder, the proceedings of the House have to be adjourned. He further said that under Rule 380, the Speaker has the authority to expunge un-parliamentary words and remarks from the proceedings. He added that un-parliamentary remarks made in a particular tone or context should not be preserved in the history of Parliament, because doing so may lead future Members of Parliament to adopt the same conduct. Shri Shah said that the list of un-parliamentary words has been developed over time by many distinguished individuals who have held this office since the establishment of the House, and it is binding on everyone. He said that the Constitution has given the opposition certain rights, but it has not granted them any privileges. While rights can be protected, those who live under the illusion of privilege do not receive protection either from their party or the public.

Shri Amit Shah said that the importance of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha extends to the House, the nation, and even the international level. He said that the Speaker is not merely a presiding officer but a symbol of our legislative consciousness and the dignity of democracy. He added that when one questions the Speaker’s integrity, it also amounts to questioning the legislative conscience and the dignity of democracy. Shri Shah said that a motion to remove the Prime Minister can be brought in the House, but bringing a proposal to remove the custodian of the Lok Sabha should not be regarded as an act of courage. He said that the Constitution has made provisions by envisaging extreme circumstances. This provision has been made to remove the Speaker only in extraordinary situations, and it is not meant to be a routine matter.

Shri Amit Shah said that under Article 96 of the Constitution, when a resolution for the removal of the Speaker is under consideration, the concerned presiding officer shall not preside over the House. He said that when the principal opposition party was in power, no-confidence motions were brought three times, and on all three occasions it had been the convention that when a motion of no-confidence against the Speaker was being discussed, the Speaker would not occupy the Chair. However, in all three cases, the Speaker continued to preside for 14 days. He said that Shri Om Birla is the only Speaker who, on moral grounds, chose not to preside over the proceedings. He further said that under Rule 94-C, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha can be removed only under extraordinary and serious circumstances. Shri Shah said that removing the Prime Minister requires only a simple majority, but removing the Speaker requires an effective majority.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah said that the House will not function according to the rules of any particular party, but strictly in accordance with the rules of the Lok Sabha. He said that the opposition often speaks of occupying the “high moral ground,” but the true high moral ground was demonstrated when the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla, allowed the opposition an opportunity to correct their notice even though the no-confidence motion had twice not been submitted in accordance with the rules. He added that the opposition does not adhere to the rules and then claims that it is not being allowed to speak. Shri Shah said that when a proposal was brought following due procedure and with the consent of the Business Advisory Committee, instead of discussing it, the opposition created disruptions in the House. He remarked that there could hardly be a more shameful incident than this. He \said that during the discussion, more than 80 per cent of the speeches made by opposition leaders were not about the No Confidence Motion.

Shri Amit Shah said that the opposition claims that the post of Deputy Speaker has not been appointed in the Lok Sabha. He said that during the no-confidence motions brought in 1966 and later, Balram Jakhar was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. At the time of both those motions, the post of Deputy Speaker was not vacant and a Deputy Speaker was in place, but the then ruling party had appointed one of its own leaders as the Deputy Speaker. Therefore, he said, the opposition has no right to raise objections when the post of Deputy Speaker is vacant.

Shri Amit Shah said that the 16^th Lok Sabha held 331 sittings, the 17^th Lok Sabha held 274 sittings, and the current Lok Sabha had held 103 sittings up to 2025. He said that the Budget Session of 2025 recorded 118% productivity. He further stated that the productivity of the 16^th Lok Sabha was 91%, the 17^th Lok Sabha was also 91%, and the 18^th Lok Sabha likewise recorded 91% productivity, with the highest productivity being achieved during the tenure of the current Speaker, Shri Om Birla. He said that the Speaker has extended the duration of Zero Hour to five hours. Shri Shah added that he has completed 30 years as an MLA and MP, but he has never seen a Speaker, allowing members to raise Zero Hour issues until midnight. He said that 202 Members of Parliament were given the opportunity to raise questions, yet the opposition claims that it does not get the opportunity to raise issues.

Shri Amit Shah said that encouraging new voices is also a moral responsibility of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He said that in 2019, a record 78 women were elected to Parliament, and the Speaker ensured that all women Members of Parliament were given the opportunity to speak. He added that through the efforts of the Lok Sabha Speaker, Shri Om Birla, the use of regional languages in the House has also increased, which is a significant achievement. He further said that for the first time, the panel of translators in the House has been fully constituted. He said that under Digital Parliament 2.0, nearly 8,000 hours of audio-visual recordings have been digitized. Today, if young people wish to listen to the speeches of Members of Parliament or the discussions of the House, they can access them digitally. Shri Shah also said that through the National e-Vidhan Application, efforts have been made to move towards making the entire Lok Sabha paperless.

Union Home Minister said that at the 28^th Conference of Presiding Officers of Commonwealth countries, the address delivered by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla, received widespread appreciation from the Speakers of the Parliaments of Commonwealth nations, which enhanced the prestige of India’s Parliament. He said that it was Shri Om Birla who introduced the opportunity for Members of Parliament to receive pre-session briefings on Bills. He added that one of the most significant developments during Birla ji’s tenure was that Parliament moved from the building constructed during the British era to the new Parliament building built in independent India. Shri Shah said that all these initiatives were undertaken by Shri Birla with unanimous support.

Shri Amit Shah said that a campaign of misinformation is being carried out across the country to tarnish the image of his party. He said that those attempting this should understand that such efforts will not damage the party’s reputation. He added that the ruling party cannot decide who will speak in the House, how much they will speak, when they will speak, or why they will speak. Shri Shah said that his party has never tried to suppress the voice of the opposition, but attempts are being made to suppress his voice.

Shri Amit Shah said that the suppression of the opposition’s voice occurred in 1975, when the entire opposition was imprisoned during the Emergency in India.  He said that it is the responsibility of the Speaker to conduct the House according to the rules. He added that Rule 349 of the Lok Sabha determines the overall conduct expected from members in the House. Union Home Minister said that in the 17^th Lok Sabha, the opposition party was given 157 hours and 55 minutes of speaking time, even though it had 52 members. In comparison, his party was given 349 hours and 8 minutes, despite having a much larger strength of 303 members. Shri Shah said that if one looks at the data, it shows that the Speaker of the Lok Sabha provided the opposition party with more speaking time than the ruling party.

Shri Amit Shah said that in the 18^th Lok Sabha, the principal opposition party had spoken for 71 hours until yesterday, even though it has 99 members. In comparison, the ruling party has been given 193 hours of speaking time despite having 239 members. He said that, in a way, even in the 18^th Lok Sabha, the opposition party has received almost twice as much speaking time per member as the ruling party. Yet, the Leader of the Opposition continues to complain that he is not allowed to speak and that his voice is being suppressed. Shri Shah added that whenever the Leader of the Opposition gets an opportunity to speak, he happens to be on a foreign tour.

Shri Amit Shah said that whenever the Leader of the Opposition’s turn to speak comes, he is often in Germany, Vietnam, United Kingdom, Malaysia, or Singapore, and then he complains afterward. He said that he would like to ask the Leader of the Opposition why he did not speak when his turn came. Was he prevented from speaking by the Speaker? Shri Amit Shah said that misinformation is being spread to defame the Lok Sabha. He stated that in the 18^th Lok Sabha, the opposition was given 71 hours to speak, but questioned how long the Leader of the Opposition actually spoke during this time. Shri Shah said that the Leader of the Opposition did not speak even during the discussion on the no-confidence motion brought against the Lok Sabha Speaker, and asked why such a motion was brought if he had nothing to say on it. He said that it is incorrect to claim that the Leader of the Opposition is not allowed to speak. Rather, the truth is that he does not wish to speak. If he does wish to speak, he does not know how to do so according to the rules. Shri Shah added that the Lok Sabha is not a public rally; every member must speak in accordance with the rules of the House.

Shri Amit Shah said that the opposition has claimed that the Leader of the Opposition was stopped from speaking nearly 40 times. He stated that when the Leader of the Opposition keeps repeating the same subject despite being stopped by the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Speaker is left with no other option. He added that the Raksha Mantri had clearly stated that no member can quote from any unpublished book or magazine in the House. Therefore, if a member continues to speak on the same issue repeatedly, the Speaker is compelled to intervene and stop them. Shri Shah further said that even during the discussion on SIR, the Leader of the Opposition disrupted the order of speakers. Shri Shah said that by not allowing a debate in the House on a press conference filled with falsehoods by the leader of the main opposition party, Shri Om Birla had upheld a decades-old parliamentary tradition.

Shri Amit Shah said that in the 17^th Lok Sabha, the opposition was given 40% of the speaking time, even though their pro-rata share was only 3%. During the Motion of Thanks discussion, the opposition was given 34% of the time, and in the 18^th Lok Sabha they were given 55% of the time. He questioned how anyone could still claim that they are not allowed to speak. Shri Shah said that the right to speak rests with the leader of the party. If the leader himself does not wish to speak, then what can anyone do? He added that the Leader of the Opposition could also have spoken during the discussion on the no-confidence motion, but speaking must be done in accordance with the rules. No one is allowed to speak by breaking the rules.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, said that in the 17^th Lok Sabha, the attendance of the Leader of the Opposition was 51%, while the national average was 79%. In the 16th Lok Sabha, it was 52% compared to the national average of 80%, and in the 15th Lok Sabha it was 43% compared to the national average of 76%. He said that all these figures are on record. Shri Shah further said that in the 16th Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition did not participate even once in the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. He also did not participate even once in the Budget discussion, nor did he take part in discussions on government bills. He added that in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, the Leader of the Opposition did not participate in the discussions on the President’s Address. Except for one bill, he also did not participate in discussions on foreign policy. He further said that the Leader of the Opposition did not participate in discussions on several important matters and bills, including the Land Acquisition Bill, the 122^nd Constitutional Amendment, the Aadhaar Act, 2016, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 related to triple talaq, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, tax reforms, the Finance Bill 2024, the Waqf Amendment Bill, the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, and the congratulatory motion for Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. He said that the Leader of the Opposition did not participate in any of these discussions.

Shri Amit Shah said that the Leader of Opposition is a senior leader of his party, and it is possible that he had to go somewhere for party propaganda, which is natural in public life, as often when the Lok Sabha is in session, there are major party programs, and during elections, senior leaders have to go out for campaigning—what is wrong with that? However, the question is, when he was not in the House, where was he? During the Winter Session of 2017, he was on a trip to Germany; during the Budget Session of 2025, he was on a visit to Vietnam; and during the Budget Session of 2023, he was in United Kingdom. During the Budget Session of 2018, he was in Singapore and Malaysia; during the Monsoon Session of 2020 and the Budget Session of 2015, he was on foreign trips. In total, he spent 60 days on foreign travels during budget session 2015. He remarked that it is a terrible coincidence that whenever a Budget Session or an important session comes, his foreign trip gets scheduled. Yet the Leader of Opposition claims that he is not allowed to speak. Shri Shah said that how can someone speak in the House while staying abroad? There is no provision to address the House via video conference.

Union Home Minister stated that when the opposition raises questions about the conduct of the Lok Sabha Speaker, it is not only the Speaker's conduct that should be examined, as the House is run collectively by the treasury benches, the opposition, the Speaker, and the President. He asked the opposition to also reflect on their own conduct at times. Shri Amit Shah said that the Prime Minister of India sits on the Treasury Bench, and running up to hug him like that has never happened before in the House. He added that blowing flying kisses or making eye gestures has also never happened in the House.

Shri Amit Shah said that the policies of the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, were also responsible for strengthening China’s position in the United Nations Security Council. He added that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had received funds from China, due to which its Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration had to be cancelled, and that all citizens of the country should know this. He further said that about 38,000 square kilometres of Aksai Chin and a large part of NEFA were occupied by China in 1962, and this happened during the rule of the main opposition party.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah appealed to the chair that the no-confidence motion brought against the Lok Sabha Speaker should be rejected by a majority, and the dignity of the Speaker's position should be preserved.

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RK/RR/PR/PS