SSC
To admit a motion of no-confidence for discussion in the Lok Sabha, it must be supported by at least:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option A — 50 members
Detailed Solution
Under the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha (Rule 198), a motion of no-confidence can be admitted for discussion only if it has the support of at least 50 members.
How the process works:
- A member gives written notice of the motion before 10 a.m. on the day it is to be moved.
- The Speaker reads it out in the House and asks the members who support it to rise in their places.
- If at least 50 members stand up, the Speaker grants leave and fixes a date for the discussion.
- The discussion must take place within ten days.
Features of a no-confidence motion:
- It need not state the reasons for which it is moved.
- It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha, not in the Rajya Sabha.
- If it is passed, the government must resign.
The constitutional basis:
- The Constitution makes the executive collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, so the House can remove a government that has lost its support.
- The no-confidence motion itself is not mentioned in the Constitution; it is provided by the rules of the Lok Sabha.
Related motions:
- A confidence motion is moved by the government to prove that it has the support of the majority.
- A censure motion must state reasons and is moved against specific policies or ministers; if passed, the government need not resign.
History:
The first no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha was moved in 1963.
The government of V.P. Singh lost a confidence vote in 1990, and a later coalition government fell by a margin of just one vote.
The government of Morarji Desai resigned in 1979 before a no-confidence motion could be voted on.
Importance:
It is a powerful tool for the opposition to test whether the government still enjoys majority support.
Why not the other options?
- ✗25, 55 and 100 members are not the number required by the rules for a no-confidence motion.
Quick tip
Remember: No-confidence motion = 50 members' support, Lok Sabha only, no reasons needed.
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Parliament — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Parliament, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Parliament of India: the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, their composition, powers and officers, sessions, the law-making process, money bills, joint sittings, parliamentary committees, and devices such as question hour, zero hour and the various motions. Typical questions ask about the maximum strength of each house, the minimum age for members, who certifies a money bill (the Speaker), who presides over a joint sitting, and which committee is chaired by a member of the opposition (the Public Accounts Committee, by convention). Note the special powers of the Rajya Sabha under Articles 249 and 312. Practise the Parliament questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.