Om Birla — The Man With A Smile On The Lok Sabha Speaker's Chair

Om Birla has been re-elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker for the second time in a row. Despite controversies surrounding his conduct, Birla is praised for his accommodating nature towards the Opposition.

BJP MP Om Birla arrives at the Parliament House complex during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi.

Source : PTI

BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Kota Om Birla took oath for the second time as the Lok Sabha speaker. Om Birla was elected as the Speaker on a voice vote after an election in Lok Sabha — a procedure that has happened only thrice since 1947.

Birla, who's known to be strict in his conduct of the House, is often alleged to favour the government. He holds the distinct record of having suspended 95 MPs — the highest ever in independent India — from Lok Sabha. Om Birla began his second stint as the Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday with a controversy when he called on the members of the Lok Sabha to observe a two-minute silence for "those who lost their lives to Congress's tyranny and the government".

Watch: 18th Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla calls for a minute of silence after his speech, mentioning the Emergency pic.twitter.com/Dtqd05xEMY

— IANS (@ians_india) June 26, 2024

In an interview to India Today, Om Birla said even the Opposition wants the House to work properly. In another interview to Sansad TV, he praised the MPs from both NDA and the Opposition had actively participated in the Lok Sabha proceedings to make discussions on tackling Covid successful. He says that even Opposition MPs are satisfied with his conduct as Lok Sabha Speaker.

Om Birla was born in 1962 in a Marwari Hindu family. He was brought up in a middle-class Marwari Baniya household by parents Shrikrishna Birla and Shakuntala Devi. He has been serving as an MP since 2014. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he became a member of the RSS before joining the BJP, according to India Today. 

Birla forayed into politics when he was made the Kota district BJP youth wing leader in 1987. He won his first election in the Rajasthan Assembly polls in 2003 by bagging the Kota-Bundi seat.

Om Birla is often seen smiling through stormy sessions and media interviews — a fact highlighted by PM Narendra Modi in his speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi speaks to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and tells him, "...You were ever-smiling. Your smile never faded. You guided this House in a balanced and impartial manner in several instances, for this, I appreciate you. There were moments of anger, allegations but… pic.twitter.com/sWGhdgbzLM

— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2024

Even in his 2019 speech welcoming Om Birla, PM Modi had mentioned this trait of Om Birla.

Om Birla Records

Although Om Birla has the distinction of presiding over the suspension of nearly 100 MPs in a single session, some regard him as a Speaker who also accommodates the Opposition's view. He is known to be a politician who shares good relations with the Opposition as well as the government. On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi escorted him to the Speaker's chair along with PM Modi.

#WATCH | BJP MP Om Birla occupies the Chair of Lok Sabha Speaker after being elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, LoP Rahul Gandhi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accompany him to the Chair. pic.twitter.com/zVU0G4yl0d

— ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2024

Under Om Birla's leadership, the Lok Sabha made the record of passing the Union Budget without discussion for the third time in the last decade. This happened in 2018 and 2013 earlier. Under Om Birla, Lok Sabha touched its highest-ever productive day on December 2, 2021.

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri @ombirlakota congratulates Members. On Dec. 2, House registered productivity of 204% which made it the most productive day in history of Lok Sabha. In over 11 hrs 3 mins,96 MPs participated in discussion under Rule 193 on COVID-19 pandemic @loksabhaspeaker pic.twitter.com/7F927nsimF

— LOK SABHA (@LokSabhaSectt) December 3, 2021

Overall, the 17th Lok Sabha under Birla recorded the lowest number of sittings at 274 in five years, according to NDTV. 

While most individuals to sit on the Speaker's chair held a degree in law, Om Birla holds an MComm degree.

Om Birla's Charitable Work

Om Birla is known for his social work. His Nishulk Kambal Nidhi is among his notable charitable work. In addition to this, he has worked to provide free food and footwear to the poor.

He has also contributed to the field of women's education and medical care.