New Delhi, March 12 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, on Thursday spoke for the first time in the House after the no-confidence motion against him was rejected, expressing gratitude to members of the House for participating in the debate and sharing their views. He emphasised that the functioning of Parliament is guided strictly by established rules and procedures.  Addressing the Lok Sabha, Om Birla said the discussion on the motion continued for more than 12 hours and provided an opportunity for members to express their concerns and opinions.“There was a discussion for more than 12 hours on the motion against the Lok Sabha Speaker. The purpose of the debate was to understand the concerns and viewpoints of every member of the House,” Birla said.He highlighted that the Lok Sabha represents the democratic will of the people of India.

“This House reflects the sovereign will of India’s 140 crore citizens. All the members present here have been elected with the mandate of lakhs of people and have come here with the responsibility of fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the citizens,” he said. Birla stated that during his tenure he had consistently tried to ensure that all members get an opportunity to speak and present their views.“I have always tried to ensure that every member gets a chance to express their views in the House. I have also encouraged those members who hesitate to speak, to come forward and present their thoughts. In my two terms as Speaker, I have repeatedly requested members who were reluctant to participate in debates to speak in the House, as this strengthens the foundations of democracy,” he said. He added that the Lok Sabha strives to act as the voice of the last citizen of the country and that he had continuously worked towards maintaining this spirit.

Referring to constitutional provisions, Birla noted that the office of the Speaker is established under Article 93 of the Constitution. “Article 93 of the Constitution provides for the office of the Speaker, and I have been elected to this position twice. I have always tried to conduct the proceedings of the House with transparency, discipline, balance and adherence to rules. I have fulfilled my responsibility of maintaining orderly and peaceful proceedings,” he said.Birla also mentioned that members of the Opposition had submitted a notice of no-confidence against him on February 10, 2026. Following the submission of the motion, he said he kept himself away from the proceedings for a few days to allow discussions to take place impartially.

“In the last two days, members of the House expressed different views and opinions on the issue. I listened carefully to every member,” he said.He thanked all members who participated in the debate, regardless of whether they supported or opposed him. “I express my gratitude to everyone who spoke during the discussion — those who supported me and those who spoke against me. In a democracy, every viewpoint has importance. The post of Speaker does not belong to any individual; it represents the collective will of the House and the dignity of this great institution,” he said.Birla also addressed allegations raised by some members that Opposition MPs were not being allowed to speak.

“I want to clarify that every member of this House has the opportunity to speak, but it must be done according to the rules. Some members believe that the Leader of the Opposition is above the House and can speak on any matter at any time, but no such privilege exists,” he said.He stressed that the House must function according to established parliamentary procedures.“These rules have not been created by the ruling party or the Opposition. They are part of our parliamentary heritage,” he said.Birla further stated that under constitutional provisions, members must give notice and seek the Speaker’s approval before raising certain issues in the House.“According to Article 372, members must give notice and obtain prior approval from the Speaker before presenting certain matters,” he said, reiterating his commitment to maintaining transparency and discipline in the functioning of the Lok Sabha.

/ IANS