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Thursday, July 19, 2018

After 15 Years, Narendra Modi Government Faces No-Confidence Vote Today Friday July 20,2018

What is a no-confidence motion?
 Article 75 of the Indian Constitution specifies that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People, there is no mention of a no-confidence motion in the Constitution: All it means is that the majority of the Lok Sabhamembers must be with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet.

Article 118 of the Constitution permits each House of Parliament to make its own rules for conduct of business. Rule 198 of the Lok Sabha specifies the procedure for a motion of no-confidence. Any member might give a written notice before 10 am; the Speaker will read the motion of no-confidence in the House and ask all those favouring the motion be taken up to rise. If there are 50 MPs in favour, the Speaker could allot a date for discussing the motion – but this has to be within 10 days. However, this cannot be done in conditions of din or confusion in the House. 


 The no-trust vote was moved by Telugu Desam Party Srinivas Kesineni, demanding a debate on a special package for Andhra Pradesh. The motion was accepted by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday – the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament

For the first time in 15 years, after AB Vajyayee faced a no-confidence motion in 2003, the government is set to take up a trust vote in Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a "disruption-free and constructive debate" in the House. He said lawmakers owe this to the people and the makers of the Constitution.  "India will be watching us closely," said Narendra Modi.

The NDA government is expected to have a smooth sailing, when it faces the no-confidence motion, which will be initiated by the Telegu Desam Party. The BJP has reached out to all friendly parties over the last few days; however, estranged ally Shiv Sena has said it will make its stand clear just before session starts.

Though the numbers are heavily stacked against the opposition, the Congress and other parties have indicated that they are keen to utilise the debate, to attack the government on a range of issues including farmers' distress, jobs and rising cases of mob killings.

So far 26 no-confidence motions have been moved in India in the past.

Of these, 23 have been unsuccessful.

Three former prime ministers, who had lost the no confidence motion are -
  1.  Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1999
  2. Deve Gowda in 1997 and 
  3. VP Singh in 1990. 

The first ever no-confidence motion was faced by Jawaharlal Nehru after the India-China War in 1963. The motion was moved against him by JB Kripalani, of the Praja Socialist Party, who was also the former president of the Indian National Congress. Mr Nehru had won by a huge margin of 285 votes

Among the former prime ministers, Indira Gandhi faced as many as 15 no-confidence motions over her several tenures, followed by Lal Bahadur Shastri and PV Narasimha Rao, who face three each, followed by Morarji Desai, who faced two - one of which did not get to the voting stage as he resigned before that on July 12, 1979. Rajiv Gandhi and Vajpayee also faced one no-confidence motion each.

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