New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said that the House is working strictly in accordance with its rules and regulations and will continue to do so, irrespective of whether it is acceptable to any member, and assured that it will conduct the proceedings sincerely and fairly.
A day after a motion seeking his removal as Speaker was defeated in the House, Birla also said that the chair does not belong to any particular individual but is a symbol of the prestige of the House.
Birla said he was grateful to the members of the House of Representatives for the confidence they reposed in him during the discussion and thanked all those who spoke for and against him.
“The House has been working in accordance with the rules and regulations and will continue to do so in the future, regardless of whether it is acceptable to any member or not. I will continue to perform my duty with all sincerity and impartiality,” he said amid desk-banging by Treasury staff members.
Thursday was the first time Birla came to the House for proceedings since filing the no-confidence notice during the first part of the Budget session, which ended on February 13. The second part of the session began on March 9.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives said during the discussion in the past two days that some members said that the Leader of the Opposition does not have enough opportunities to speak, and he should be allowed to speak whenever he wants and on any topic.
He said: “Everyone has the right to speak in the Council, but follow the rules and regulations. No member, not even the Prime Minister or any minister, can speak without the permission of the President. No member of the Council has the right to speak at any time and on any subject. He can speak only when the President allows it.”
Birla said MPs enjoy freedom of expression in the Assembly, but they have to follow rules and regulations.
He also addressed allegations that some members’ microphones are turned off when they want to speak.
“I don’t have a switch to turn the microphone on or off. The microphone is turned on when the member is given permission to speak from the chair,” he said.
Shortly after his speech, Birla adjourned the session until 2 pm.
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