Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated in a social media post on Tuesday that the Opposition alliance, INDIA Bloc formally submitted a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for the “extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States.”
Reportedly, over 70 Opposition MPs signed the motion submitted to the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha.
This marks the first instance of a no-confidence motion being brought against the Vice President of India.
According to reports, MPs from Congress, RJD, TMC, CPI, CPI(M), JMM, AAP, and DMK have signed the motion seeking the removal of the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
As per the rules, a discussion on the no-confidence motion in Parliament requires at least 50 signatures.
Opposition leaders have accused the Rajya Sabha Chairman of being partial and not allowing them an opportunity to speak in the House through the presiding officer.
In the ongoing Parliament session, the Opposition is reportedly upset with Dhankhar over multiple issues, including his decision to allow MPs from the ruling side to raise the “Congress-Soros link” issue in the Upper House.
In the previous session of Parliament, the Opposition had considered moving a no-confidence motion but ultimately decided against it.
Can the Vice President Be Removed from Office?
As the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Vice President holds a crucial role in India’s parliamentary system. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar can only be removed as Chairman if he is removed from the office of Vice President.
Under Article 67(b) of the Indian Constitution, the Vice President can be removed through a resolution passed by an effective majority in the Rajya Sabha and a simple majority in the Lok Sabha. The process requires a 14-day notice before the resolution is moved.
What’s Next?
The motion will require a formal debate and vote in the Rajya Sabha. While largely symbolic, the move highlights Opposition concerns about Dhankhar’s partisan manner.
Currently, the Rajya Sabha has 234 members, as per reports. The NDA, with 113 MPs, reaches 119 with support from six nominated MPs, exceeding the simple majority of 117. The Opposition, if fully united, has 90 MPs, making the motion unlikely to succeed.
