- Lok Sabha Speaker accepts no-confidence motion against Modi government, filed by Opposition coalition INDIA led by Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi.
- Motion to be discussed with all parties as per rules, but same-day consideration doubtful due to ongoing disruptions in Parliament.
- Motion aims to compel PM Modi to address concerns, including the situation in Manipur.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has accepted the notice for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, submitted by the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). The notice was filed by Congress lawmaker Gaurav Gogoi, representing Assam, with the intention of compelling Modi to address concerns, including the situation in Manipur.
The Speaker has promised to discuss the matter with all parties involved and adhere to the rules governing the process. As per the rules, any no-confidence notice submitted before 10 am should be taken up on the same day. However, it is believed that the motion is unlikely to be discussed in Lok Sabha on the same day it was submitted due to the current acrimony and disruptions in Parliament.
The no-confidence motion was triggered by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s refusal to address the Opposition’s demand for Modi to speak on the issues in Manipur. In an attempt to break the deadlock in both houses of Parliament, Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered a discussion on the situation in the northeastern state.
The INDIA parties, including Trinamool Congress, have been working on a comprehensive Parliamentary strategy, and moving a no-confidence motion appears to be a part of it. However, given that the government enjoys the support of at least 332 lawmakers in Lok Sabha, the no-confidence motion is unlikely to pose a real threat to the current administration.
For a no-confidence motion to be considered valid, it requires the support of at least 50 lawmakers, as mandated by Lok Sabha rules. It’s worth noting that the last no-confidence motion against the Modi government was defeated in 2018.
The procedure for moving a no-confidence motion, as per Rule 198 (1) of Lok Sabha, involves a member seeking leave from the Speaker, who then requires a notice to be submitted by 10 am on the same day. If at least fifty members rise in support of granting leave, the motion is accepted, and a day or part of a day is allotted for its discussion.
The Opposition had been disrupting the parliamentary proceedings for three days during the monsoon session, demanding Modi’s response on the Manipur violence.
This isn’t the first time a no-confidence motion has been initiated against a government. In 2003, then Congress chief Sonia Gandhi moved a no-confidence motion against the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The motion was eventually defeated after a debate, and the Vajpayee government lost the subsequent national election.
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The decision to bring a no-confidence motion this time was reportedly discussed between Congress and Trinamool Congress leaders, with inputs from Rahul Gandhi, despite his earlier disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
