New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Monday that the neutrality of the Chair is central to India’s parliamentary democracy, expressing disapproval of the recent failed bid by the Opposition parties to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
In a letter written to Birla, Gupta 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 motion was defeated by a voice vote in the House on March 11, reaffirming the confidence of Members in the authority and impartial functioning of the Chair, he said.
“Institutions that sustain democratic governance must be approached with restraint and a sense of responsibility, keeping in view the larger interests of parliamentary stability and democratic propriety,” he said.
In his communication, Gupta emphasised that the office of the Speaker occupies a place of exceptional importance in the functioning of India’s parliamentary democracy.
The Speaker serves as the custodian of the House’s dignity and the guardian of its rules, traditions and institutional discipline, he said.
“The authority of the Chair ensures that parliamentary proceedings are conducted in an orderly and impartial manner while safeguarding the rights and privileges of Members across the political spectrum,” said the Delhi Assembly Speaker.
Gupta observed that the office of the Speaker derives its strength from the confidence and collective respect of the House.
By long-standing parliamentary convention, the Speaker is expected to rise above partisan considerations and discharge the responsibilities of the Chair with fairness, balance and institutional integrity, said Gupta.
The continued credibility of parliamentary institutions depends upon preserving the dignity, neutrality and authority associated with this office, he added.
(IANS)
