No Confidence Motion

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Content

• Introduction
• Significance of No Confidence Motion
• History of No-Confidence Motion in India
• Difference between “No-Confidence Motion” and “Motion of Confidence / Trust Vote”

Introduction

• Article 75(3) of Indian Constitution says that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
• Similarly, in Part VI of the Constitution, Article 164(2) says “The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the State.”
• This means that majority of the Lok Sabha members/Legislative Assembly members must support the PM/CM and her Council of Ministers.
  • In other words, Lok Sabha/Legislative assembly can remove the ministry from office by passing a no-confidence motion.
• A no-confidence motion is an attempt, usually by an opposition party, to get the government of the day to prove its majority on the floor of the house.
• Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct in Lok Sabha specifies the procedure for a motion of no-confidence.
  • Any member of the Lok Sabha can move the motion. The member moving the motion doesn’t have to give reasons in support of the motion.
  • If the speaker is of the opinion that the motion is proper, then she reads the motion to the house. A minimum of 50 members have to accept the motion. If not, the motion fails and the member who moved the motion is informed about it.
  • If a no-confidence motion is passed (i.e., accepted by the majority)
    • Government has to resign.

Significance of No Confidence Motion

• The motion helps in testing the majority of the government. Thus, it ensures collective responsibility and thus accountability of council of ministers towards the Lok Sabha.
• When the motion is being taken up, members of Lok Sabha have an opportunity to present their views on performance of the government.
• It provides an opportunity to debate and discuss key issues of national significance.

History of No-Confidence Motion in India:

• 27 No-Confidence Motion have been moved so far. None of these motions, including the one against the PM Modi government in 2018, has been successful.
  • In 1979, PM Morarji Desai realized that he didn’t have the support of the majority of MPs, and therefore resigned before the house votes on the motion.

Difference between “No-Confidence Motion” and “Motion of Confidence / Trust Vote”

• Motion of confidence/trust vote is moved by government, as an ordinary motion under Rule 184.
• The term ‘No-confidence motion” is not mentioned in the constitution of India. It is provided in the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha.

Example Questions:

What is meant by Vote of No Confidence? Discuss the significant role that vote of no-confidence plays in Indian political system [10 marks, 150 words]