Cannot run such a House, says Birla as protests continue

UPSC Study Note: "Cannot Run Such a House" — Lok Sabha Disruptions & Speaker's Role

1. At a Glance

2. Why in the News

3. Background & Evolution

4. Core Static Facts

Parameter Detail
Speaker of Lok Sabha (2026) Om Birla (2nd term; elected June 2024)
Constitutional Articles Art. 93 (election), Art. 94 (vacation/resignation/removal), Art. 95 (Deputy Speaker), Art. 96 (Speaker's vote — casting vote only)
Removal of Speaker Requires 14 days' notice + majority of all then members of the House (Art. 94)
Current Removal Motion Signed by 118 MPs; defeated; moved by Mohamed Jawed, K. Suresh, Mallu Ravi (Congress)
Budget Session 2026 Budget presented 1 February 2026
Key Opposition Issues India–U.S. trade deal; Gen. Naravane's book on 2020 China face-off
Rules invoked Rule 374 (suspension), Rule 375 (adjournment for disorder)
Adjournment Motion Under Rule 56 of Lok Sabha Rules; requires Speaker's admission
Business Advisory Committee Chaired by Speaker; decides legislative calendar
Parliamentary oversight tools No-Confidence Motion, Adjournment Motion, Rule 184 (Lok Sabha), Rule 167 (Rajya Sabha)

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional

Governance / Administrative

Political / Historical

Ethical / Accountability

6. Recent Developments (Last 12–18 Months)

7. Prelims Hooks

  1. Speaker Om Birla was elected Speaker for his second term in June 2024 — first sitting Speaker re-elected since Bal Ram Jakhar (1984).
  2. Removal of a Lok Sabha Speaker requires notice of not less than 14 days (Art. 94).
  3. Removal requires a majority of the total membership of Lok Sabha (not merely members present and voting).
  4. Rule 375 of Lok Sabha Rules: Speaker may adjourn the House or suspend a sitting in case of grave disorder.
  5. Rule 374: Speaker may name a disorderly member, who is then automatically suspended for the remainder of the session.
  6. The Well of the House refers to the space in front of the Speaker's podium; entering it is a violation of parliamentary decorum.
  7. Adjournment Motion (Rule 56, Lok Sabha): Used to raise a definite matter of urgent public importance; requires Speaker's admission; implies censure of government.
  8. Business Advisory Committee of Lok Sabha is chaired by the Speaker and allocates time for legislative business.
  9. The first Lok Sabha Speaker was G.V. Mavalankar (1952–1956); a motion for his removal was the first such instance and lapsed without a vote.
  10. Speaker's vote in the House: The Speaker does not vote in the first instance; exercises a casting vote only in case of a tie (Art. 96).
  11. 19 hours 13 minutes of parliamentary time was stated as wasted due to disruptions in the Budget Session 2026 as of February 7, 2026. [S1]
  12. The No-Confidence Motion against Speaker in March 2026 was signed by 118 MPs — from Congress, SP, DMK, Left, excluding Trinamool Congress. [S3]
  13. Under Article 105(2), no Member of Parliament is liable to any court proceedings in respect of anything said or any vote given in Parliament.

8. Mains Relevance

GS Paper: GS-II (Indian Polity & Governance)

Syllabus headings: - Parliament and State Legislatures — structure, functioning, conduct of business - Powers and functions of Speaker - Important constitutional positions — appointment, powers, removal - Government policies and issues arising from their design and implementation (Budget session context)

Plausible Mains Questions: 1. "Frequent disruptions in Parliament undermine representative democracy. Critically examine the constitutional and procedural tools available to the Speaker to manage disorder, and the limits thereof." 2. "The removal of a Lok Sabha Speaker requires a majority of total membership — a deliberately high bar. Discuss whether this provision adequately balances Speaker independence with parliamentary accountability." 3. "Budget session disruptions that prevent discussion of the Finance Bill strike at the heart of Parliament's financial oversight function. Analyse with reference to recent events."

9. Related Topics to Study Next

Topic Connection
Zero Hour & Question Hour First casualties of disrupted Parliament; procedural context
Anti-Defection Law (10th Schedule) Speaker is sole adjudicating authority; raises bias concerns
Parliamentary Committees (PAC, Standing Committees) Alternative route for legislative scrutiny when House is disrupted
India–U.S. Trade Relations Substantive issue behind Feb 2026 protests
Galwan Valley Clash 2020 & Civil-Military Relations Other trigger for protests; connects to Art. 53 (Supreme Command)
No-Confidence Motion (Art. 75(3)) Contrast with Speaker's removal under Art. 94
17th Lok Sabha Productivity Statistics (PRS India) Data backbone for arguments on parliamentary time wastage

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

  1. Wrong removal threshold: Aspirants confuse Speaker removal (majority of all members) with No-Confidence against government (majority of members present and voting).
  2. Wrong Article: Art. 93 = election of Speaker; Art. 94 = removal — don't conflate them. Art. 95 = Deputy Speaker.
  3. Rule 374 vs. Rule 375 confusion: Rule 374 = naming/suspension of individual member; Rule 375 = adjournment for grave disorder — UPSC loves this distinction.
  4. Adjournment Motion vs. Calling Attention Motion: Adjournment Motion requires Speaker's admission and implies censure; Calling Attention is a milder, informational device — often confused.
  5. TMC's position: In the March 2026 Speaker removal motion, Trinamool Congress did NOT sign despite being in Opposition — important factual distinction often missed. [S3]

11. Sources