New Delhi, March 16 The opposition's move in the Lok Sabha to remove Speaker Om Birla from his position undermined parliamentary traditions, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Monday.
In a letter to Birla, he asserted that the neutrality of the Speaker's office is central to the country's parliamentary democracy, and urged members to respect constitutional institutions.
The resolution brought by the opposition parties, seeking the removal of Om Birla as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, was defeated by a voice vote last Wednesday.
Gupta, in his letter to Birla, said, "It is deeply saddening that certain opposition parties, driven by narrow political considerations, chose to bring a motion against the incumbent Speaker—an office that stands above partisan politics and is entrusted with safeguarding the rules, traditions, and dignity of Parliament."
The defeat of the motion reaffirmed the confidence of the members in the authority and impartial functioning of the Speaker's office, the Delhi Assembly speaker asserted.
The authority of the Speaker ensures that parliamentary proceedings are conducted in an orderly and impartial manner while safeguarding the rights and privileges of Members across the political spectrum, he said.
The attempt to bring a motion against the Speaker risks undermining the spirit of parliamentary functioning if driven by "narrow political motivations," Gupta said, and appreciated those Lok Sabha MPs who were against the "ill-conceived" effort.
Under the stewardship of Birla, the Lok Sabha has continued to function with balance and dignity, enabling meaningful democratic debate while maintaining the discipline and decorum that define parliamentary institutions, he added.