Told PM to skip LS as MPs planned protest: Speaker

UPSC Study Note: Lok Sabha — Motion of Thanks Passed Without PM's Reply (February 2026)

1. At a Glance

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla advised PM Narendra Modi to stay away from the House (6 February 2026) citing credible intelligence of a planned Opposition protest at the PM's seat during the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address. [S1]
• The Motion of Thanks was passed by voice vote without the Prime Minister's customary reply — a rare parliamentary departure. [S1]
• Triggers: Opposition protest over the Indo-US trade deal and the Speaker's refusal to allow Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to speak. [S1]
• Tests knowledge of constitutional provisions (Article 87), parliamentary conventions, Speaker's powers, and parliamentary disruption — all recurring UPSC themes. [S2]

2. Why in the News

• 6 February 2026, Budget Session, 18th Lok Sabha: Speaker Om Birla publicly disclosed that he had asked PM Modi not to attend the House because he had "concrete information" that Congress MPs planned an "unexpected act" of protest at the PM's seat. [S1]
• The Motion of Thanks to President Droupadi Murmu's Address of 28 January 2026 was passed without the PM delivering his traditional reply — only the second such instance since 2004. [S1]
• Opposition sloganeering continued even as the motion was put to a voice vote; amendments moved by the Opposition were rejected. [S1]
• Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also not present in the House when the motion was voted upon. [S1]

3. Background & Evolution

• Constitutional root: Article 87 of the Constitution mandates the President to address a joint sitting of both Houses at the commencement of the first session after each general election and at the commencement of the first session of each year. [S2]
• Post-Address, the ruling party moves a Motion of Thanks in each House; discussions customarily conclude with the Prime Minister's reply — an unwritten but established convention since 1952. [S2][S3]
• Precedent: The last time the Motion of Thanks passed without the PM's reply was June 2004, when PM Manmohan Singh was unable to respond amid disruptions. [S1]
• The Budget Session is traditionally the most contentious session; the President's Address opens it, setting the political agenda. [S3]

4. Core Static Facts

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional

• Article 87 is mandatory; the President must address Parliament — but the PM's reply to the Motion of Thanks is purely conventional, not codified in the Constitution or Rules. [S2]
• Speaker's power to regulate proceedings derives from Article 118 (Rules of Procedure) and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. [S4]
• The Speaker's decision to advise the PM to stay away is constitutionally permissible but politically exceptional — it underscores the Speaker's role as guardian of House order.
• Amendments to the Motion of Thanks are debatable and votable; their defeat does not nullify the motion itself.

Ethical / Governance

• The Speaker's public disclosure of "concrete information" about a planned protest raises questions about parliamentary intelligence, the dignity of constitutional offices, and limits of Opposition's right to protest.
• The incident highlights tension between right to protest (democratic value) and orderly conduct of House business (constitutional obligation). [S1]
• Passing the Motion by voice vote amid sloganeering without PM's reply is viewed by critics as bypassing parliamentary accountability.

Administrative / Parliamentary Procedure

• The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) ordinarily allots time for the Motion of Thanks discussion in consultation with the Speaker/Chairman. [S3]
• Repeated disruptions since morning triggered the Speaker to compress procedure — amendments voted on, rejected, motion passed — all in one sitting. [S1]
• Absence of Home Minister and Defence Minister alongside the PM signals a deliberate executive strategy to deny the Opposition a high-profile confrontation platform.

Historical

• 2004 precedent is constitutionally comparable: the only prior instance post-Independence when PM did not reply to the Motion of Thanks. [S1]
• Parliamentary disruptions have escalated across sessions of the 17th (2019–24) and 18th Lok Sabha; the February 2026 episode is part of a structural trend.

Geopolitical / Strategic (proximate cause)

• Opposition's stated trigger: the Indo-US trade deal — its terms, parliamentary scrutiny deficit, and perceived concessions. This intersects with WTO commitments and bilateral trade frameworks. [S1]

6. Recent Developments (Last 12–18 Months)

• 28 January 2026: President Droupadi Murmu addresses the joint sitting of Parliament (Budget Session). [S1]
• 6 February 2026: Speaker Om Birla advises PM Modi to skip Lok Sabha; Motion of Thanks passed without PM's reply; House adjourned amid protests. [S1]
• Ongoing (Budget Session 2026): Opposition disruptions centred on Indo-US trade deal and Rahul Gandhi's speaking rights.
• Historical parallel surfaced: June 2004 cited as only prior instance of PM not replying to Motion of Thanks. [S1]

7. Prelims Hooks

1. Article 87 of the Constitution requires the President to address a joint sitting of both Houses at the first session after every general election and at the first session of each year. [S2]
2. The Motion of Thanks to the President's Address is moved by a ruling party MP selected by the Prime Minister; notice is given by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. [S3]
3. On average, discussion on the Motion of Thanks lasts ~12 hours in the Lok Sabha, with ~80 MPs participating. [S3]
4. The Prime Minister's reply to the Motion of Thanks is a convention, not a constitutional or statutory requirement. [S2]
5. The last time the Motion of Thanks was passed without the PM's reply before February 2026 was June 2004 under PM Manmohan Singh. [S1]
6. The Speaker's power to regulate House proceedings derives from Article 118 and the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. [S4]
7. The President's Address in January 2026 was delivered on 28 January 2026, opening the Budget Session of the 18th Lok Sabha. [S1]
8. Opposition amendments to the Motion of Thanks can be moved but must be put to a vote; if defeated, the original motion stands. [S2][S4]
9. Speaker Om Birla represents Kota constituency (Rajasthan); he is Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. [S1]
10. The Leader of Opposition in the 18th Lok Sabha is Rahul Gandhi (Indian National Congress) — the first recognised LoP in a decade. [S1]
11. The Motion of Thanks is passed in both Houses separately, not as a joint sitting. [S3]
12. The Budget Session is constitutionally the most important session as it includes presentation of the Union Budget and Presidential Address. [S2]

8. Mains Relevance

GS Paper II — Indian Constitution, Polity, Governance, Parliament and State Legislatures

Specific syllabus headings: - Parliament and State Legislatures — Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers and Privileges - Role of Speaker; Parliamentary procedures and conventions - Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

Plausible Mains Question Stems: 1. "The Prime Minister's reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address is a constitutional convention, not a legal mandate. In light of the events of February 2026, critically examine the implications of bypassing such conventions for parliamentary democracy." (GS-II, 15 marks) 2. "Examine the constitutional and procedural powers of the Lok Sabha Speaker to maintain order and regulate proceedings. How have recent disruptions tested the limits of these powers?" (GS-II, 10 marks) 3. "Parliamentary disruptions have become a structural feature of Indian legislature rather than an exceptional occurrence. Analyse the causes and suggest institutional reforms to restore parliamentary decorum." (GS-II, 15 marks)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

1. Article 86 vs. Article 87 confusion: Article 86 allows the President to address or send messages to Houses at any time; Article 87 is the specific mandate for the annual/post-election joint address. Do not conflate.
2. PM's reply is NOT mandatory: Many aspirants treat the PM's customary reply as a constitutional obligation — it is a parliamentary convention only. Its omission is unusual but not unconstitutional.
3. Motion of Thanks ≠ Vote of Confidence: The Motion of Thanks is a formal expression of gratitude; defeating it does not bring down the government (unlike a no-confidence motion under Article 75(3)).
4. Wrong precedent year: The comparable 2004 episode involved PM Manmohan Singh, not Atal Bihari Vajpayee (who was PM until May 2004). Do not mix up.
5. Speaker "expelling" vs. "advising" PM: The Speaker has no constitutional power to bar the PM; Om Birla advised PM Modi not to come — he did not direct or expel. The distinction matters for questions on Speaker's powers.

11. Sources

• [S1] "Told PM to skip LS as MPs planned protest: Speaker" — The Hindu / HinduBusinessLine, 6 February 2026 — https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2026-02-06/th_international/articleG2TFI061J-13391049.ece — (Tier 4 — Indian journalism; also the user-supplied primary article)
• [S2] "Why the President Addresses Parliament" — PRS India — https://prsindia.org/articles-by-prs-team/why-the-president-addresses-parliament — (Tier 3)
• [S3] "President's Address and Motion of Thanks" — Lok Sabha Secretariat, published via Sansad.in — https://sansad.in/uploads/president_e_157317094a.pdf — (Tier 1)
• [S4] "Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha" — Sansad.in — https://sansad.in/uploads/Rules_of_Procedures_E_9d8fd0f4c3.pdf — (Tier 1)

Note: Facts marked [S1] derive from the article itself (Tier 4). Facts marked [S2]–[S4] are grounded in Tier 1/3 official sources retrieved via search.