Bihar Assembly Speaker rejects no-confidence motion, refused to resign

Patna: A constitutional crisis emerged in Bihar on Tuesday after Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha refused to step down from his post despite the no- confidence motion against him.

The ruling JD-U and RJD brought the no-confidence motion against Sinha after they came to power in Bihar.

Sinha rejected the no-confidence motion, saying it was not in accordance with the law and hence, he had decided not to resign from his post.

After the formation of the new government in Bihar, the BJP became an opposition party. Hence, the ruling JD-U and RJD were thinking that Sinha may resign from his post himself.

As per the law, advance notice of a no-confidence motion against the Speaker has to be filed in the Assembly and voting on it should take place within 14 days.

"After the formation of a new government in Bihar, the ruling alliance parties have to prove the majority in the house. It will happen on Wednesday during a special session. As I have already rejected the no confidence motion against myself, discussion would not take place on it. During the session, I will put my points inside the house," Sinha said.

Deputy Speaker Maheshwar Hajari said: "Sinha is a BJP leader and he does not have majority in the house to remain on the constitutional post. We have already filed an online notice pertaining to no confidence motion on August 9 and physically submitted the notice on August 10. Hence, as he did not call for the voting in the house within 14 days, he would not be the speaker of Bihar Vidhan Sabha from August 24."

"During his tenure as a Speaker, he was an advocate of maintaining morality in the house. When it comes to him, he forgets those morality and assertively sits on the constitutional post," he added.