No-confidence motion: Opposition seeks an earlier date for debate

There is no provision in either House to bring a censure motion. In his notice, however, an MP, can mention such words to convey the intent.

Opposition parties have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday requesting that the schedule of the no-confidence debate be advanced so that they can participate in the discussions on bills.

Parliamentarians in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Wednesday, August 2. (PTI)

According to a senior leader of an opposition party, the floor leaders of all INDIA parties in the Lok Sabha have written in the letter that they oppose the discussion happening on the last three days off the session.

“We told the Speaker that the government is using this opportunity to pass a number of bills and we want to participate in the discussion. If the no-confidence discussion takes place at the earliest, then we can participate in the discussion on the legislative agenda,” added this person who asked not to be named.

HT has learnt that the opposition parties are considering either a “censure” motion or a no-confidence motion in the Rajya Sabha to express their “dissatisfaction”. Opposition leaders claimed that a section of the INDIA parties may not be in favour of any no-confidence motion against any functionary.

But this may be easier said than done.

There is no provision in either House to bring a censure motion. In his notice, however, an MP, can mention such words to convey the intent.

“Any member can give a notice to move a motion. The choice of words in a motion would be important. When Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power, both Houses passed a motion to deplore war in the middle east. But there is no provision for a censure motion against any person in Parliament,” said former Lok Sabha secretary general P Sreedharan.

On Wednesday, at the meeting of the INDIA alliance parties to discuss floor strategy, a senior member of the Congress from the Rajya Sabha started reading out the draft of the proposed motion, but he was interrupted by a Rajya Sabha floor leader of a non-Congress party who vehemently disagreed with any such move.

Opposition leaders said that a final decision may be taken in the next few days.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders are mulling a walkout of the Lok Sabha when Union Home Minister Amit Shah replies to the debate on the Delhi Services Bill. A senior Opposition leader said, “We might not get involved in the voting or division on the Delhi Services bill in the Lok Sabha. In the Rajya Sabha, we will definitely seek a division.”

“In the Lok Sabha, the numbers are heavily tilted towards the ruling dispensation. We can give a tougher fight in the Rajya Sabha,” added another opposition leader.

Veterans such as NCP leader Sharad Pawar and NC leader Farooq Abdullah were present at the strategy meeting. The opposition parties may be missing out on contributing to the legislative process, but the meeting ended with the decision that parties from the alliance would continue to press for the PM’s statement on Manipur.