Political parties and Political system in India
No-Confidence Motion
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla accepted the Opposition’s no confidence motion against the Government, saying that he will speak to leaders of all parties and announce when the discussion on the motion will be taken up.
- The motion was brought to the House by Congress Party MP Gaurav Gogoi amidst the Opposition‟s ongoing protests demanding a statement on the situation in Manipur from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
About no confidence motion
- In a parliamentary democracy, a government can be in power only if it commands a majority in the directly elected House.
- Article 75(3) of our Constitution embodies this rule by specifying that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
- For testing this collective responsibility, the rules of Lok Sabha provide a particular mechanism, motion of no-confidence.
- Any Lok Sabha MP, who can garner the support of 50 colleagues, can, at any point of time, introduce a motion of no-confidence against the Council of Ministers.
- Thereafter, a discussion on the motion takes place. MPs that support the motion highlight the government‟s shortcomings, and the Treasury Benches respond to the issues they raise.
- Finally, a vote takes place, in case the motion carries, the government is bound to vacate the office.
- A no confidence motion can only be moved in the Lok Sabha.
Note
- Indira Gandhi faced the most number of no-confidence motions in the history of independent India, with 15 motions during her 16-year tenure (1966-77 and then from 1980 to her assassination in October 1984) as prime minister.
