On July 26, 2023, the Lower House accepted the Congress’s no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government. The motion, initiated by Congress deputy leader of the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, aimed to exert pressure on the BJP regarding the Manipur issue. It garnered support from various parties including the Congress, DMK, TMC, BRS, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), JD(U), and Left parties.
What Is A No-Confidence Motion?
A no-confidence motion, also referred to as a vote of no confidence, serves as a parliamentary mechanism to indicate that the ruling government no longer commands the majority in Lok Sabha.
If passed, this motion has the potential to result in the dissolution of the government. It is important to note that a no-confidence motion can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha, which is the lower house of Parliament.
As per the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Lok Sabha, a notice for a no-confidence motion is considered by the Speaker if it is submitted before 10 AM. The Speaker will admit the motion if it is supported by at least 50 members of the House. However, if the notice fails to garner support from 50 Lok Sabha MPs, it will be rejected.
Once 50 Members of Parliament have expressed their support, the Speaker is responsible for setting a date for the discussion on the motion. This should be done within 10 days of admitting the notice, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
Following the debate, a vote is held to determine the fate of the motion. If the motion garners the support of the majority (being at least 50 percent of members present and casting their votes on the floor of the House), the government will be ousted.
As per rules, a motion of no-confidence can be taken up only six months after the previous one has been rejected.
Brief History Of No-Confidence Motion
No-confidence motions have played a pivotal role in India’s democratic history. Since gaining independence, a total of 27 such motions have been raised, with more than half of the floor tests directed at Prime Minister Indira Gandhi alone.
Despite numerous no-confidence motions being tabled, only two governments have actually been ousted through this mechanism. The first successful motion was against Prime Minister Morarji Desai in 1979, while the second occurred in 1999 when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government was voted out with a majority.
In April 1999, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government faced a tight no-confidence motion, losing by a narrow margin of just one vote (269-270).
In 2003, the Congress introduced another no-confidence motion against the Vajpayee government, but the BJP successfully defeated it. In 2008, during a crisis over the India-US nuclear deal, then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh moved a vote of confidence to demonstrate his government’s majority, and emerged victorious.
In 2018, a no-confidence motion was brought forward by TRS and backed by other opposition parties, aiming to challenge the government led by PM Modi. However, this motion was ultimately defeated by a margin of 126 votes.
The first no-confidence motion was initiated against Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1963. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi encountered the highest number of no-confidence motions, a staggering 15, trailed by Lal Bahadur Shastri and PV Narasimha Rao, with three each.
The most recent no-confidence motion was moved against the Narendra Modi Government in 2018.