What is No-Confidence Motion?

• According to rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of the Lok Sabha, a no-confidence motion is “a motion expressing want of confidence in the Council of Ministers.”

Moving the Motion:

• This motion can be moved when “the Member asking for leave shall, by 10.00 hours on that day give to the Secretary-General a written notice of the motion which such member proposes to move.” The Speaker then, once satisfied that the motion is in order, will ask the House if the motion can be adopted. Those Members that support the motion will have to rise in their seats, and with a minimum of 50 Members’ approval, the motion can be moved.

Majority:

• A no-confidence motion needs a majority vote to pass the House. If individuals or parties abstain from voting, those numbers will be removed from the overall strength of the House and then the majority will be taken into account.

History:

• In 1952, the lower limit of a no-confidence was at 30 MPs. J.B. Kripalani, or Acharya Kripalani as he was known, moved the first-ever no-confidence motion in August 1963 against the Nehru government after the India-China war. Kripalani, an independent MP condemned the Nehru government for poor execution of plans, and even called Jawaharlal Nehru’s Panchsheel policy “five nonsenses.”
• The first motion that almost passed muster, and led to the falling of a government was that by Y.B. Chavan against the Morarji Desai government. Only almost, because Desai resigned before the motion could be put to vote.

Source:TH