Uddhav resigns after SC denies stay on floor test
- June 30, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Uddhav resigns after SC denies stay on floor test
Subject : Polity
Section:Executive
Context: Embattled Maharashtra Chief Minister announced his resignation from the post on Wednesday, moments after the Supreme Court refused to stay Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari’s direction to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take a floor test in the Assembly.
What is a floor test?
- Floor test or a “No Confidence Motion” is always conducted on the floor of the House to check if the government of the day, i.e. the Executive, shares the confidence of at least 51% of the members present in the House, i.e the Legislature
- While the constitution does not mandate a political party to have an absolute majority for forming the government, the ministers forming the executive must enjoy the confidence of the legislature, which represents the will of the public
- In cases where this majority is questioned, the leader of the House needs to prove the majority by undergoing a trust vote.
- If the leader fails to do so, he/she is bound to resign from the position, thereby leading to the dissolution of the entire House.
- The trust vote or the floor test can be initiated both, at the Central, as well as state levels.
- Under Article 164 of the Indian constitution, “the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the State.”
- A no-confidence motion can be passed in the Lower Houses only — Lok Sabha and VidhanSabhas
How is a ‘no-confidence motion’ moved?
- The process is explained under rule 198 of the Lok Sabha. Though there is no mention of the term ‘No confidence motion’ or ‘floor test’ in the Constitution
- Articles 75 and 164 do mention that the executive — both at the Centre and state — is collectively responsible to their respective legislatures.
- Any member from the Opposition can move the no-confidence motion against the ruling government
- The motion has to receive the backing of at least 50 members before it is accepted and subsequently, a date for the discussion of the motion is announced by the Speaker, which has to be within 10 days from the date of acceptance.