No-confidence against Dhankhar—a first in Rajya Sabha history
Relations between the BJP-led NDA government and opposition hit a new low when on Tuesday the Congress-led INDIA bloc moved a no-confidence motion against Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The motion for the removal of a V-P is the first time in the Rajya Sabha's history.
“For the first time in the 72-year history of the Rajya Sabha, Opposition parties have formally submitted a no-confidence motion against the Chairman. There have been three occasions, however, when a no-confidence motion has been moved against the Speaker of the Lok Sabha,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said.
Why is Opposition gunning for Dhankhar
Opposition parties have been alleging bias in Dhankhar’s approach in running the Upper House, accusing him of “suppressing” their voice, issues and questions.
Terming the motion a “painful decision”, Congress leader Ramesh said they were left with “no option”.
“All parties belonging to the INDIA group have had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the learned Hon’ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for the extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States. It has been a very painful decision for the INDIA parties to take, but in the interests of parliamentary democracy they have had to take this step,” he said.
“In the last 72 years, it is the first time that Opposition parties have submitted a motion over Rajya Sabha Chairman. This shows how the situation has worsened...The way he ran the House forced us to move this no-confidence motion. All Opposition parties have signed this motion which says that he is being biased,” he added.
Can the motion work
Claiming that he only suppresses the Opposition’s voice and questions raised by their MPs, the Opposition has been accusing Dhankhar of “partisanship” for quite some time now.
They had tried moving a similar motion in August as well.
The procedure to remove the Vice-President is outlined in Articles 67 (b), 92 and 100 of the Constitution, according to reports.
According to the rule, the V-P can be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by an effective majority and agreed upon by the Lok Sabha with a simple majority.
To remove the Rajya Sabha Chairman, a notice has to be given with the signatures of 50 MPs.
Also, a 14-day notice period is required to submit a motion for V-P’s removal.
However, only eight working days are left in the current session, which concludes on December 20. Also, the 14-day notice is open to interpretation.
Therefore, in all probability the notice could be disallowed on technical grounds.
Political stunt or political point
Apart from the fact that the motion cannot be brought in the current session, opposition also does not have the sufficient numbers in the Rajya Sabha to remove Dhankhar as VP.
After recent by-elections, the RS has an effective strength of 234 MPs.
The BJP has 96 MPs and the ruling NDA 112.
Six nominated MPs who go with the government in case of a vote take the strength of NDA to 118, which is two more than the current halfway mark.
Spearheaded by the Congress, the notice comes in the wake of the ongoing tussle between opposition parties and Dhankhar. Observers say the basic aim of the motion is to make a “political point and send a message”.
The INDIA bloc has been demanding a discussion over the Adani issue under Rule 267 which Dhankhar has been denying.
Accusing Dhankhar of being biased in favour of the ruling BJP, opposition leaders say he allowed BJP chief and Rajya Sabha leader JP Nadda to again attack the Congress on the floor of the House over alleged links with Hungarian-American billionaire investor George Soros.
Dhankhar, in turn, has been accusing the Opposition of “weaponising as a mechanism of disruption” Rule 267 under which members seek adjournments to discuss various matters.
