Told PM to avoid LS over Congress ‘plot’: Birla

UPSC Study Note: "Told PM to Avoid LS Over Congress 'Plot'" — Om Birla (February 2026)

1. At a Glance

2. Why in the News

3. Background & Evolution

Year / Event Significance
1952 First President's Address to joint session of Parliament
Article 87 enshrined President to address both Houses at commencement of first session after each general election and at first session of each year
Convention (since 1952) PM replies to the Motion of Thanks debate in Lok Sabha — a near-unbroken practice
~2004 Last recorded instance when PM's reply to Motion of Thanks was absent or curtailed (alleged 22-year gap before 2026 episode) [S2]
2024 (18th Lok Sabha) Om Birla re-elected Speaker; Opposition had boycotted the election of Speaker
Feb 2026 PM reply skipped; Speaker's advisory publicly revealed — constitutional controversy erupts
March 2026 First debate on resolution for Speaker's removal in 18th Lok Sabha [S3]

4. Core Static Facts

Constitutional Provisions: - Article 87(1): President shall address both Houses assembled together at the commencement of the first session after each general election and at the commencement of the first session of each year. [S5] - Article 87(2): Provision is made for the allocation of time for discussion of the matters referred to in the Address. - No specific article mandates the PM to reply; it is a parliamentary convention, not a constitutional obligation.

Motion of Thanks — Key Facts: - Moved by a ruling party member, seconded by another; members selected by the Prime Minister through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. [S5] - Discussion scope is very wide — members can raise any national or international issue. - Amendments can be moved to the Motion; if the Motion of Thanks is defeated, it is treated as equivalent to a vote of no-confidence in the government. [S6] - After adoption, the Motion is communicated to the President.

Speaker's Role and Removal: - Speaker is elected under Article 93 (Lok Sabha) / Article 89 (Rajya Sabha — Chairman). - Speaker can be removed under Article 94 — by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the House, with 14 days' prior notice. - Speaker continues to hold office even after dissolution of the House until the newly elected House meets. - Casting vote: Speaker does not vote in the first instance; exercises casting vote in case of a tie. - Speaker's neutrality: By convention, the Speaker severs ties with their political party — a convention not legally enforceable in India (unlike UK where Speaker resigns from party).

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal / Constitutional

Political / Governance

Historical

Administrative / Parliamentary Procedure

6. Recent Developments (Last 12–18 Months)

7. Prelims Hooks

  1. Article 87 of the Constitution mandates the President to address both Houses of Parliament assembled together at the commencement of the first session after each general election and first session of each year.
  2. The Motion of Thanks to the President's Address is moved by a member selected by the Prime Minister through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs — NOT by the Speaker.
  3. If the Motion of Thanks is defeated, it is constitutionally equivalent to a vote of no-confidence in the government.
  4. A resolution for removal of the Lok Sabha Speaker requires 14 days' prior notice and passage by a majority of all then-members of the House (Article 94).
  5. No Lok Sabha Speaker has ever been removed through a resolution in Indian parliamentary history.
  6. The Speaker continues in office even after dissolution of the Lok Sabha until a newly elected House constitutes itself and elects a new Speaker (Article 94).
  7. In February 2026, the Lok Sabha passed the Motion of Thanks without PM Modi delivering his reply — reportedly the first time in approximately 22 years.
  8. 118 Opposition MPs signed the no-confidence motion against Speaker Birla in February 2026. [S3]
  9. The Speaker's casting vote is exercised only in the event of a tie — the Speaker does not vote in the first instance (Article 100).
  10. The President's Address under Article 87 is a policy statement of the Cabinet, not an independent presidential speech — the President is constitutionally bound to read the Cabinet-approved text.
  11. Rule 374 of the Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure empowers the Speaker to name and suspend a member for disorderly conduct.
  12. The Speaker of Lok Sabha is elected under Article 93 of the Constitution.
  13. By convention (not law), the Speaker is expected to resign from their political party upon election — this convention is not legally enforced in India (unlike the UK).

8. Mains Relevance

GS Papers: - GS-II: Indian Constitution — Parliament, Parliamentary procedures, Executive-Legislature relations; Role of Speaker; Constitutional conventions vs. constitutional law.

Specific Syllabus Headings: - Parliament and State Legislatures — Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers and Privileges - Appointment to Various Constitutional Posts, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities

Plausible Mains Question Stems:

  1. "The office of the Lok Sabha Speaker is constitutional, yet its neutrality rests largely on convention. In light of recent events, critically examine whether India needs a statutory framework to enforce the Speaker's non-partisanship." (GS-II, 250 words)

  2. "Examine the constitutional procedure for the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address. What happens if it is defeated? Does the PM's absence from the reply constitute a constitutional violation?" (GS-II, 150 words)

  3. "The removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is a near-impossible constitutional exercise in practice. Discuss the constitutional provisions and the political challenges in removing a Speaker." (GS-II, 250 words)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

Topic Connection
Article 87 & President's Address Direct constitutional basis for the Motion of Thanks procedure
No-Confidence Motion (Article 75 & Rule 198) Contrast with Motion of Thanks being defeated = equivalent to no-confidence
Speaker's Powers, Privileges & Neutrality Core of the controversy; Speaker's role in maintaining parliamentary order
Anti-Defection Law (Tenth Schedule) Speaker's quasi-judicial role in disqualification — another area of Speaker's contested partisanship
Parliamentary Privilege (Article 105) Members' freedom of speech inside House; implications for disruptions
Parliamentary Procedures — Zero Hour, Question Hour Broader Parliament functioning context
Role of President in Parliamentary Democracy President's address, pocket veto, summoning/prorogation — all linked to this episode
Removal of Constitutional Functionaries Comparative procedure for removing President (Article 61), CJI, CAG, EC — contrasted with Speaker (Article 94)

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

  1. "PM is constitutionally required to reply to Motion of Thanks" — WRONG. It is a convention, not a constitutional or statutory obligation. Article 87 only covers the President's address; PM's reply is customary practice.

  2. Confusing "Motion of Thanks" with "No-Confidence Motion" — These are separate procedures. However, if the Motion of Thanks is defeated by amendment, it is treated as equivalent to a vote of no-confidence. They are not the same motion.

  3. Speaker's removal majority requirement — Candidates often confuse this with a simple majority. It requires majority of all then-members (not just those present and voting), making it a much higher bar.

  4. "Speaker must resign from party upon election" — In the UK, this is a firm convention; in India, it is merely a convention not followed consistently and not legally binding.

  5. Confusing Article 87 (joint address) with Article 86 (right to address) — Article 86 gives the President the right to address either House or both Houses; Article 87 mandates the special address at the start of first session after elections and first session of each year.

11. Sources