NEW DELHI, Aug 2: The Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla refused to take his seat in the House on Wednesday and is learnt to have decided against attending the sessions expressing his deep displeasure with both the ruling party and the opposition over the continued disruption of parliamentary activities.
Sources close to Birla said he had decided not to attend the current monsoon session of the Lok Sabha until all the lawmakers agree to behave according to the dignity of the house.
Birla was notably absent from the Speaker’s seat when the Lok Sabha proceedings began on Wednesday. Loud protests continued, leading to its adjournment until 2 pm and for the day later. The lower house was adjourned for the day as opposition members continued their protests on the Manipur issue, demanding a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in the state, which has been affected by months-long ethnic violence. BJP member Kirit Solanki, who led the proceedings, urged opposition members to maintain order, but ultimately adjourned the proceedings for the day.
The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was scheduled for consideration and passage on Wednesday in the lower house, but due to the adjournment, it could not be discussed or voted upon. This also rendered the BJP whip moot. According to sources, Mr Birla was upset with the behaviour of both the opposition and treasury benches during the passage of bills in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The Speaker holds the dignity of the House in the highest esteem and expects members to maintain decorum during proceedings, they said. Both the opposition and treasury benches have been informed of the speaker’s displeasure over the repeated disruptions in parliament since the monsoon session began on July 20 but there is no improvement in the situation.
(Manas Dasgupta)