Read Time:2 Minute, 18 Second
Raipur, December 10, 2024: Despite shortage in numbers, the Opposition India bloc members today submitted a notice in Rajya Sabha for moving no-confidence motion against the Chairman of the upper house and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
This will be for the first time a notice for no-confidence motion was moved against any Rajya Sabha Chairman.
The Congress led India bloc have also accused Dhankhar of being “extremely partisan” in his role as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
For passage of the no-confidence motion in Rajya Sabha the opposition needs a simple majority to get it passed, but they do not have the requisite numbers in the 243-member House.
However, the India bloc members reportedly stated that they wanted to go ahead “to fight for parliamentary democracy,” various media reports said.
On behalf of the Opposition, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Naseer Hussain submitted the notice signed by 60 opposition MPs — including from Congress, Samajwadi Party, TMC, RJD, CPI, CPI-M, JMM, AAP, DMK, — to Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju termed the Opposition move as “extremely regrettable” and said the government is very proud of him.
“We oppose the submission of this notice. This can never be successful,” he said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the floor leaders of various opposition parties are not among the signatories to the notice, reports said.
The Opposition parties have been upset with Dhankhar over multiple issues.
Congress General Secretary In-charge, Communications, Jairam Ramesh, has posted in X, “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.”
The BJP and its allies have 121 members in the Rajya Sabha, while the Opposition parties have 86 members. The non-aligned parties like the YSRCP, BJD, AIADMK, BRS and BSP have a total of 24 members.
INDIA bloc parties had in August this year also considered submitting a notice for moving a resolution to remove the Vice President from his office.
According to Article 67(b) of the Constitution: “Vice-President may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council and agreed to by the House of the People; but no resolution for the purpose of this clause shall be moved unless at least fourteen days’ notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution.”
