What is No Confidence Motion? Process, voting, past history and more

It is essential to note that a no-confidence motion can only be brought against the Council of Ministers and not against individual ministers. It is not uncommon for governments to face no-confidence motions during their tenure, especially when there are significant disagreements or controversies over policies or governance issues.

Team Newsable

First Published Jul 26, 2023, 2:02 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 26, 2023, 2:02 PM IST

Opposition parties, including the newly-rechristened allies of I.N.D.I.A., have moved a No Confidence Motion against the Narendra Modi government, which has been accepted by the Lok Sabha Speaker. In India, a No Confidence motion (also known as a motion of no confidence or censure motion) is a parliamentary procedure through which members of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) can express their lack of confidence in the Council of Ministers, which includes the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

No-Confidence Motion: Opposition says it is not about numbers, but to bring PM Modi to the House

When a no-confidence motion is moved by a Member of Parliament (MP), it indicates that they believe the current government no longer enjoys the majority support in the Lok Sabha. The motion serves as a way for MPs to challenge the government and its policies, and it tests the strength and stability of the ruling party or coalition.

Process

To be admitted for discussion, a no-confidence motion must be supported by at least 50 MPs in the Lok Sabha. Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Lok Sabha explicitly states that the Opposition is not required to provide any reason while requesting a no-confidence motion before it is adopted by Lok Sabha.

Voting

When the motion is presented for discussion, a debate takes place, during which members can voice their opinions on the government's performance. At the end of the debate, a vote is held. If more than half of the members present and voting support the motion, the government must resign.

Consequences

If the no-confidence motion is passed, the Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, is bound to resign. After the resignation, the President of India will invite the leader of the opposition or other political parties to form the new government. If no alternative government can be formed with a majority, then fresh elections may be called.

Importance

No-confidence motions are significant events in the political landscape of India. They can lead to a change in government, the fall of a ruling party or coalition, and the formation of a new government with different policies and leadership.

27 no-confidence motions since Independence

Since India's independence, the Lok Sabha has witnessed a total of 27 no-confidence motions. The first one was directed at Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru back in 1963. Among all Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi faced the highest number of no-confidence motions, totaling 15. Notably, four of these 15 motions were initiated by Jyoti Basu, the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)).

Lal Bahadur Shastri and P. V. Narasimha Rao each faced three no-confidence motions during their respective tenures. Morarji Desai encountered two, while Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee faced one each. In April 1999 when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government lost a no-confidence motion by a narrow margin of one vote (269–270).

The most recent instance of a no-confidence motion occurred in 2018 when it was brought against the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Despite 135 members supporting the motion, the NDA government emerged successful, as 330 MPs voted against it, resulting in the motion's failure.

Video of PM Modi's 2019 prediction on no-confidence vote viral on social media

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