Council passes confidence motion on Gorhe, Sena (UBT) says no such provision in rule book

Members of the ruling government and Shiv Sena engaged in a heated debate in the legislative council over a confidence motion for deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe. The motion was passed by voice vote, leaving Sena members shocked. Later, Sena objected to the motion, stating that there is no provision for such motions in the council. Parliamentary affairs minister Chandrakant Patil stated that as a confidence motion has been passed, no no-confidence motion can be moved against Gorhe for the next year. The government will form a committee to select a senior member to hear and decide on Gorhe's disqualification.

Mumbai: Members of the ruling Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday embroiled in an exchange of words in the legislative council over a confidence motion moved by BJP members in favour of deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe.

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A confidence motion is a motion to express support to the person holding a post.

Just two minutes before the announcement of lunch break, presiding officer Niranjan Davkhare, allowed BJP MLC Praveen Darekar to move the confidence motion in favour of deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe. Another BJP MLC Bhai Girkar seconded the motion and it was passed by the house by voice vote.

The presiding officer declared that the confidence motion was passed by voice vote and announced lunch break, leaving Sena (UBT) members in shock.

Later in the evening, Thackeray faction MLC Anil Parab raised the issue and objected to the confidence motion. “Earlier in the day, BJP members suddenly moved a confidence motion and we have an objection to it. As per rule book, there is no provision of confidence or no confidence motions in the council, unlike the Assembly. There is provision of removal notice for chairperson and deputy chairperson. Our party had given a removal notice for the deputy chairperson 14 days ago. As per the rules, ruling over it should be given after 10 days. So I demand the ruling on the removal notice now,” Parab said.

However, the presiding officer said he would check and will inform him.

Parliamentary affairs minister Chandrakant Patil intervened in the debate and said that the hearing on the disqualification of Gorhe and decision on it could be taken by the chairperson, but as the post is vacant they will have to look for some other way. He also added that as a confidence motion has been passed in support of the deputy chairperson, no no-confidence motion can be moved against her for the next one year.

“In absence of the chairman, as per the procedure a, senior member should be appointed to hear and decide on the disqualification. But the appointment process is the same as the appointment process of the chairperson. Therefore, the government has decided to form a committee to select the person,” Patil added.