NEW DELHI. Feb 15: In 1954, during the Lok Sabha debate on the Opposition’s resolution to remove Speaker G.V. Mavalankar, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru told Congress MPs they were “not bound by any whip” and urged them to consider the matter “regardless of party affiliations.”
He emphasized that the issue was not political but concerned the dignity of Parliament and the Speaker as the first citizen of the House.
Nehru cautioned that questioning the Speaker’s bona fides would reflect poorly on MPs and undermine public trust in the institution.
He stressed the difference between disagreeing with a ruling and challenging the integrity of the Speaker, calling such actions “frivolous” and damaging to the country’s image.
The 1954 resolution was ultimately defeated by a voice vote, with Congress’s large majority.
Subsequent attempts to remove Speakers included Sardar Hukam Singh in 1966, Balram Jakhar in 1987, and a 2024 notice against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, all of which either failed or were rejected.
Nehru’s message has been cited by later leaders, including Rajiv Gandhi, to defend the office of the Speaker and stress parliamentary propriety over partisan interests. (PTI)
