Public Administration Mains 2018 : Model Question and Answer - 106
(Public Administration Paper II / Chapter: Union Government and Administration)
(Current Based) Question: What is the significance of No-confidence motion in parliamentary Democracy like India ? (15 Marks/200 Words)
Model Answer:
As a parliamentary motion, no-confidence (non-confidence motion) demonstrates to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in (one or more members of) the appointed government.
"No Confidence" may lead to dismissal of the council of ministers , no-confidence motions may not require reasons to be specified.
In India, a motion of no confidence can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Parliament of India). The motion is admitted for discussion when a minimum of 50 members of the house support the motion.
If the motion carries, the House debates and votes on the motion. If a majority of the members of the house vote in favour of the motion, the motion is passed and the Government is bound to vacate the office.
With the anti-defection law, the vote of no-confidence has no relevance left in case the majority party has an absolute majority in the House. If the majority party (with an absolute majority in the House) issues a whip to party members to vote in favor of the Government, then it is impossible to remove the Government by a no-confidence motion. Hence the no-confidence exercise of House merely becomes the no-confidence exercise of the Party. (Total Words- 208)
(Linkages: Parliamentary Democracy and No- Confidence Motion, No Confidence Motion and Anti-defection Law, No confidence motion and Removal of Government)