The no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was defeated by a voice vote on Wednesday, ending a marathon parliamentary session that lasted more than 13 hours and saw sharp exchanges between the ruling side and the Opposition.
The voice vote was conducted by officiating Speaker Jagdambika Pal amid intense chaos on the floor of the House, as Opposition members created a ruckus in response to Home Minister Amit Shah's reply to the motion — apparently angered by his pointed remarks against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
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The no-confidence motion was introduced by Congress MP Mohammad Jawed. It had garnered the signatures of 118 Opposition MPs, who alleged that Speaker Om Birla had displayed "partisan behaviour" and failed to maintain the impartiality expected of the high constitutional office.
Rather than allowing the motion to put the government on the back foot, Home Minister Amit Shah used his reply to draw attention to the Opposition's own track record — digging out historical instances from Congress-led governments to counter the allegations of bias.
Shah pointed out that it was the Samajwadi Party and the Communist Party — both Congress allies today — who had previously brought no-confidence motions against Speakers during Congress-led governments, exposing what he described as the Opposition's double standards.
He also highlighted that Speaker Om Birla had set a new parliamentary precedent by voluntarily vacating the Chair until the fate of the motion was decided — whereas Speakers during previous such motions had remained seated.
On Rahul Gandhi specifically, Shah questioned the LoP's record of parliamentary participation, noting repeated foreign trips coinciding with important sessions and his absence from key debates including the Union Budget and the Women's Reservation Bill. "When sessions come, he plans foreign trips. So, will he speak here from abroad?" Shah asked.
Shah also underscored the sanctity of the Speaker's position, noting that the Speaker's rulings are immune even to the Supreme Court — and that Om Birla's decision to step aside during the motion's consideration was itself a demonstration of respect for parliamentary propriety.
The defeat of the motion, while widely expected given the ruling coalition's numbers, was seen as an embarrassment for the Opposition, which was widely perceived as having been outmanoeuvred in the debate rather than succeeding in exposing the government's handling of the House.