Eleanor Finch
A no-confidence motion is a proposal or suggestion made during a parliamentary meeting or assembly that a government can be in power only if it commands a majority in the directly elected House. In India, a no-confidence motion can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha under Rule 198, and by the opposition with a minimum of 50 members supporting the motion. The first-ever no-confidence motion in India was moved in 1963 by Acharya J B Kripalani against the government headed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Since then, a total of 26 no-confidence motions have been moved so far, with the most recent one being moved in 2018 by the Telugu Desam Party against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who can propose a No Confidence motion? | Any member of the Lok Sabha can propose a No Confidence motion against the Council of Ministers. |
| Who can introduce a No Confidence motion? | Any Lok Sabha MP who can gather support from 50 of their colleagues can introduce a No Confidence motion. |
| Where can a No Confidence motion be introduced? | A No Confidence motion can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and by the opposition. |
| What is the purpose of a No Confidence motion? | To fix the accountability of the Government in power and force the government to discuss important issues which the government is trying to avoid. |
| What happens if the No Confidence motion is passed? | If the No Confidence motion is passed by a majority of the members, the Council of Ministers is expected to resign, and the government may collapse. |
| What happens if the No Confidence motion is not passed? | If the motion is not passed, the government remains in power, and its mandate is reaffirmed. |
| How many No Confidence motions have been moved so far? | Till 2024, a total of 26 No Confidence motions have been moved so far. |
| Who has faced the maximum number of No Confidence motions? | Indira Gandhi faced the maximum number of No Confidence motions. |
| When was the first No Confidence motion moved? | The first No Confidence motion was moved in 1963 by Acharya J B Kripalani against the government headed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. |
| When was the last No Confidence motion moved? | The last No Confidence motion was moved in 2018 against the then NDA government. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
No Confidence Motion proposal
A No Confidence Motion is a proposal or suggestion made during a meeting or assembly. In India, it can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha under Rule 198 and by the opposition. The Constitution of India does not mention either a Confidence or a No Confidence Motion, but Article 75(3) does specify that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
Any Lok Sabha MP can propose a No Confidence Motion against the Council of Ministers. To do this, they need to give a written notice to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha stating the reasons for their lack of confidence. This can be introduced only after the Speaker has called upon it. To introduce the motion, an MP needs the backing of at least 50 fellow MPs.
Once the motion is admitted, it is usually taken up for discussion after a stipulated period, allowing time for members to prepare and debate the motion. After the debate, a vote is conducted, and members are asked to vote either in favour of the motion (expressing no confidence) or against it (expressing confidence in the government).
If the No Confidence motion is passed by a majority of the members present and voting, it indicates that the Lok Sabha has lost confidence in the government. In such a case, the Council of Ministers is expected to resign, and the government may collapse. If the motion is not passed, the government remains in power, and its mandate is reaffirmed.
The Indian Constitution: A Comprehensive Chapter Guide
You may want to see also
Voting procedure
The voting procedure for a no-confidence motion in the Indian Constitution involves several steps and can have significant implications for the government. Here is an overview of the process:
Proposal
Any member of the Lok Sabha can propose a no-confidence motion against the Council of Ministers. This proposal must be in writing and submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, stating the reasons for their lack of confidence. The member proposing the motion must have the support of at least 50 fellow MPs to introduce the motion.
Discussion
Once the motion is admitted by the Speaker, it is usually taken up for discussion after a stipulated period. This allows time for members to prepare and engage in a debate on the motion. During this period, the opposition can highlight issues and make their grievances public, while the government has an opportunity to defend its position and address the concerns raised.
Voting
After the debate, a vote is conducted, and members of the Lok Sabha are asked to vote either in favour of the motion (expressing no confidence in the government) or against it (expressing confidence in the government). The vote is a powerful tool for the opposition to challenge the government's authority and promote transparency and accountability.
Outcome
If the no-confidence motion is passed by a majority of the members present and voting, it indicates that the Lok Sabha has lost confidence in the government. In such cases, the Council of Ministers is expected to resign, and the government may collapse. However, if the motion is not passed, the government remains in power, and its mandate is reaffirmed.
It is worth noting that the Indian Constitution, specifically Article 75, underscores the collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the Lok Sabha, providing the basis for no-confidence motions.
The first-ever no-confidence motion in India was moved in 1963 against Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and since then, there have been several instances where governments have faced such motions.
Roadmap to Becoming a Constitutional Lawyer in India
You may want to see also
Outcome of the vote
The outcome of a no-confidence vote depends on whether the motion is passed or not. If the motion is passed by a majority of members, it indicates that the Lok Sabha has lost confidence in the government, and the Council of Ministers is expected to resign, which may lead to the government's collapse. In such cases, there may be a snap election to replace the government.
However, if the motion is not passed, the government remains in power, and its mandate is reaffirmed. The government may also not be constitutionally bound to resign after losing a no-confidence vote, but such a result could prompt its resignation or a snap election.
In the history of India, the first no-confidence motion was moved in 1963 against Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Since then, a total of 26 no-confidence motions have been moved, with Indira Gandhi facing the most during her tenure. The most recent no-confidence motion was moved in 2018 by the Telugu Desam Party against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Exploring India's Linguistic Diversity in its Constitution
You may want to see also
Explore related products
History of No Confidence Motions in India
The first-ever no-confidence motion in India was moved in 1963 in the third Lok Sabha against Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by Congress leader Acharya Kripalani. This was immediately after India's loss to China in the 1962 war. The debate went on for four days, for over 20 hours. Eventually, the motion was defeated, with only 62 MPs supporting it and 347 opposing it.
Since 1952, 27 different no-confidence motions have been moved against different governments. As of August 2023, 31 no-confidence motions have been moved. All 27 motions were defeated by the government in power, except one in 1979 when the then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai resigned before voting could begin. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi saw the most no-confidence motions in her term (15).
In 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri faced a no-confidence motion that was discussed for around 24 and a half hours. Few Prime Ministers had to face such long discussions during no-confidence motions. Only three other Prime Ministers saw discussions longer than 20 hours.
In 1993, Narasimha Rao's government defeated the no-confidence motion by a margin of just 14 votes. In 1999, Atal Bihari Vajpayee lost the confidence motion by just one vote.
The last no-confidence motion was moved in 2018 against the then NDA government. The Telegu Desam Party and the YSR Congress had given notice in the Lok Sabha for a "No Confidence Motion" against the NDA Government.
The Many Languages of India's Constitution
You may want to see also
No Confidence Motions in other countries
In a parliamentary democracy, a government can only remain in power if it maintains the support of the majority in the legislature. This support can be tested through a no-confidence motion, which is a formal proposal to evoke a decision of the house. While the procedure for no-confidence motions varies between parliaments, they are a feature of many parliamentary democracies, including those of the UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Australia.
In the UK, a no-confidence motion can be directed at the government, the prime minister, or individual cabinet ministers. A successful no-confidence motion forces the government to resign or call a general election. The last successful no-confidence vote was in 1979, when the minority government of James Callaghan was defeated. However, a no-confidence vote was proposed more recently, in 2019, by the opposition.
Germany's procedure for a no-confidence motion is distinct in that the opposition must propose their own candidate to replace the incumbent on the same ballot. Italy's no-confidence motions require the support of both houses of parliament to pass. In Japan, a no-confidence motion passed by the House of Representatives forces the cabinet to resign unless the House is dissolved within 10 days. In Australia, a no-confidence motion requires a majority of the members present in the House of Representatives to agree to it. While a straight vote of no confidence in the Australian government has never been successful, governments have resigned or advised dissolution after their defeat on other questions before the House.
Strategies for Learning India's Constitution for UPSC
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
A no-confidence motion is a proposal or suggestion made during a parliamentary meeting or assembly that a member of parliament no longer has confidence in the incumbent government.
In India, a no-confidence motion can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha and by the opposition. It can be admitted when a minimum of 50 members support the motion in the house.
If the no-confidence motion is passed in the Parliament, then the government must resign.
The first no-confidence motion in India was moved in 1963 by Acharya J B Kripalani against the government headed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Since then, there have been a total of 26 no-confidence motions. Indira Gandhi faced the most no-confidence motions, with 15.
To introduce a no-confidence motion in India, a member of parliament must give written notice to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha stating the reasons for their lack of confidence.
