On Monday, 21 September, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected the Opposition's no-confidence motion against Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan. The Rajya Sabha Chairman observed that the motion was not in a proper format. This no-confidence motion was presented by MPs of 12 opposition parties.
Harivansh Narayan Singh was re-elected Deputy Chairman on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. On 20 September, voting on two farm bills took place in the Rajya Sabha when the House witnessed a massive uproar by the opposition for not accepting their demand for division. They accused the Deputy Chairman of not following the correct procedure. Later, several parties moved a motion against Harivansh Narayan Singh.
After the uproar in the Rajya Sabha, on 21 September, eight opposition MPs were also suspended by Chairman Venkaiah Naidu.
What is a Motion of No-Confidence?
In layman terms, if you do not believe in a person and his work, you offer a proposal to remove him/her from the office, this is called a motion of no-confidence. In the absence of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a motion of no confidence is also made to remove the Deputy Chairman who presides over the House.
If there is a situation of mistrust regarding the work and competence of the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, he can be removed through this resolution.
In order to be removed from the post of Deputy Chairman, the proposal has to be passed by a majority of all the members of the House.
What is the Process of Moving a Motion of No-Confidence?
It is mandatory to inform the House 14 days before the motion of the no-confidence proposal against the Deputy Chairman.
Another noticeable point is that as long as the proposal to remove the Deputy Chairman is under consideration, he cannot take part in the proceedings of the House.
Why Was the No-Confidence Motion Rejected?
The no-confidence motion against Harivansh Narayan Singh has been rejected by Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu. According to Naidu, the proposal was not in a proper format and the rule of informing the House 14 days in advance was also not abided by. The Chairman said that the proposal was unacceptable under Article 90.
Article 90 entails the procedure of removing the Deputy Chairman and sending him on leave. Quoting this process, Venkaiah Naidu did not accept the proposal.
What Led to the Ruckus in the House
This controversy started in the Rajya Sabha by voting on farm bills. Members of the opposition were accused of breaking the mike and climbing the table. The telecast of Rajya Sabha TV was also stopped and the members of the opposition were marshalled out of the House.
The Bill was passed by voice vote, after which opposition leaders staged a protest outside Parliament.
(This article was originally published in Hindi Quint)
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