CHAPTER - XV
Leader of the
Lok Sabha
15.1 Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
continues as the Leader of the Lok Sabha with effect from 13.10.1999.
Leader of the
Rajya Sabha
15.2 Shri Jaswant Singh, Minister
of Finance and Company Affairs continues as the Leader of the Rajya Sabha with
effect from 15.10.1999.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
15.3 Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Leader of
the Congress (I) Party continues as the Leader of Opposition with effect from 13.10.99
Leader of
Opposition in the Rajya Sabha
15.4 Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader
of the Congress (I) Party in the Rajya Sabha continues as Leader of Opposition
with effect from 15.06.2001.
Motion of
Confidence in the Council of Ministers
GENESIS:
15.5 An
essential tenet of the Westminister system is that the Government must be
collectively responsible to the representative House and possess at all times
its confidence. In India, the doctrine of collective responsibility of the
Union Executive to the House of the People and of the State Executive to the
Legislative Assembly is specifically enshrined in the Constitution. Collective
Ministerial responsibility is the crux of Parliamentary democracy. The Council
of Ministers must enjoy the confidence of the House to stay in power. By
convention, loss of confidence of the popular House requires the Government to
resign and facilitate installation of an alternative Government. The usual
procedure to express want of confidence in the Council of Ministers is through
a motion of no confidence under Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct
of Business in Lok Sabha. The device of confidence motion is of recent origin.
There is no rule in the Rules of Procedure relating to Motion of Confidence in
the Council of Ministers. The requirement of moving such motion was perhaps not
visualised at the time of framing of Lok Sabha Rules. The necessity of raising
debate through such a motion, which is in the nature of an exercise of
demonstrating majority support in the Lok Sabha, arose in the late seventies
with the advent of minority Governments caused by split in parties and later
formation of coalition Governments as a result of hung Parliaments. In the
absence of any specific rule in this regard, such Motions of Confidence have
been entertained under the category of motions stipulated in Rule 184 which are
meant for raising discussions on matters of public interest. Decisions on such
motions are taken under Rule 191 by putting before the house all the necessary
questions.
15.6 In
the case of a Confidence Motion, there is no requirement for seeking leave of
the House. The one line notice of
motion under Rule 184 that "This House expresses its confidence in
the Council of Ministers" is given by the Prime Minister at the behest of
a Presidential direction. When admitted by the Speaker, it is bulletined. The
date and time for its discussion is then fixed in consultation with the
Business Advisory Committee.
15.7 Though
a Confidence Motion is worded in the language which is directly opposite to the
wording of a No-Confidence Motion, in effect, the object and purpose of both is
same. While, in one case, the majority support is demonstrated by the adoption
of the Confidence Motion, in the other the same purpose is achieved by the
defeat of a No-Confidence Motion. Where notices are received both for a
Confidence Motion and a No-Confidence Motion, the former gets priority over the
later.
15.8 The
notice of the first ever Motion of Confidence was given by the then Prime Minister
Ch. Charan Singh and admitted for being moved on 20th August, 1979.
This motion could not be moved as Ch. Charan Singh tendered the resignation
of his Council of Ministers that
day and the House was adjourned sine die.
15.9 The
first Motion of Confidence was moved by Shri V.P. Singh, the then Prime
Minister on 21st December, 1989 in the Lok Sabha which was adopted
by the House by the voice vote on the same day. A statement showing the ten
Motions of Confidence so far moved is annexed (Appendix - XV).
Introduction
of Ministers
15.10 Ministers
inducted into Council of Ministers are normally introduced to the two Houses by
the Prime Minister. However, in exceptional circumstances when Prime Minister
is not available due to indisposition etc. new Ministers are also introduced to
the Rajya Sabha by the Leader of the House or to the Lok Sabha by the Minister
of Parliamentary Affairs(MPA). No entry for the purpose is given in the List of
Business of the two Houses. During the year under report, the Ministers who
were inducted into Council of Ministers were introduced to the Houses as
indicated below.
LOK SABHA
______________________________________________________________________________________
Date of Introduced
by Cabinet
Minister MOS(IC) MOS
Introduction___________________________________________________________________________
15.7.2002 PM 4 1 8
18.11.2002 PM 3 - 1
______________________________________________________________________________________
RAJYA SABHA
______________________________________________________________________________________
Date of Introduced
by Cabinet
Minister MOS(IC) MOS
Introduction___________________________________________________________________________
16.7.2002
PM 4 1 8
20.11.2002
PM 3 - 1
______________________________________________________________________________________
Work Study
15.11 As per instructions, Work Study Section functions in the Ministry for conducting work measurement and method/procedural studies of various Sections and on various subjects; co-ordinating action regarding such studies by the S.I.U in the Ministry of Finance and also see that instructions issued from time to time in regard to proper custody, care and management of office records and other aspects of O&M are scrupulously followed in the Ministry.
15.12 During the year 2002, special efforts were made for recording and reviewing of recorded files with the result that 2921 files were recorded and 3421 old files were reviewed, out of which 3330 files were destroyed and 91 files were retained for further references.
Research Work
15.13 The Ministry provides
advice/technical guidance on matters of Parliamentary procedure and practices
to Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments/Union Territories
Administrations whenever the same is asked for. From time to time, notes and
brochures are prepared on various Parliamentary and Constitutional matters for
official use.
Reservation for Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes
15.14 The Ministry follows the
instructions issued by the Government of India from time to time regarding
reservation of vacancies for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other
Backward Classes.
15.15 Out of the total number of
132 employees (excluding the Personal staff of Ministers) of the Ministry, 28
belong to the Scheduled Castes, 16 belong to the Scheduled Tribes and 9 belong
to Other Backward Classes.
Budgetary Position
15.16 The
Budgetary position of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is as under:-
(Amount in Lakhs of Rupees)
|
Major Head |
Sub-head |
Budget Estimates 2002-03 |
Revised Estimates 2002-03 |
Budget Estimates 2003-04 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
Major Head "2052" Secretariat General Services 00.090 Secretariat (Minor Head) 13-Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13.00.01 Salaries |
1,85,00 |
1,80,00 |
1,85,00 |
|
|
13.00.03 Overtime Allowance |
6,00 |
6,00 |
6,00 |
|
|
13.00.11 Domestic Travel Expenses |
20,00 |
18,00 |
18,00 |
|
|
13.00.12 Foreign Travel Expenses |
55,00 |
55,00 |
55,00 |
|
|
13.00.13 Office Expenses |
90,00 |
84,00 |
90,00 |
|
|
13.00.16 Publications |
5,00 |
4,00 |
5,00 |
|
|
13.00.20 Other Administrative Expenses |
20,00 |
15,00 |
15,00 |
|
|
13.00.50 Other Charges |
40,00 |
28,00 |
30,00 |
|
|
Total Major Head "2052" |
4,21,00 |
3,90,00 |
4,04,00 |
Training Courses in
Parliamentary Procedures and Practices
15.17 In pursuance of recommendations
of 10th and 11th All India Whips' Conferences, this Ministry
has been organizing Orientation Courses in Parliamentary Procedures and
Practices for the Officers of the level of Deputy Secretary/Under Secretary of
the Parliamentary/Legislative Affairs Departments of various States/Union
Territories Administration since 1994. During the period under Report, the
following course was organized by the Ministry:-
States which deputed No.
of Officers who Duration
of the Course
their Officers participated
in the
course
______________________________________________________________________________________
Orissa, Karnataka 5 9.4.2002
to 17.04.2002
Haryana
Training to Parliamentary
Fellows
15.18
This Ministry imparts training to Parliamentary Fellows sponsored by the Institute
of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies, New Delhi.
Home| Content | Previous |
Next