Whip

Subject: Polity

Context:

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has informed the Assembly Speaker that the Chief Government Whip had not issued any whip to MLAs of his party to support him during the Motion of Confidence moved by him in the House on February 18, 2017.

Concept:

• A whip is a directive from the party that binds party members of a House to obey the line of the party.
• Though the office of whip is not officially recognised in the standing orders, there has been a long tradition to give them a place in the Parliamentary form of government.
• The whip plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth and efficient conduct of business on the floor of the House.
• The whip is an MP drawn from the party that is in power and also from the party that sits on the opposition bench. They are vital in maintaining the links between the internal organisation of party inside the Parliament.
• It is also the duty of the chief whip to maintain discipline of the party on the floor of the House. Besides, he is responsible for keeping MPs, especially Ministers, informed of opinion in the party on the moods of individual members.
• If an MP violates his party’s whip, he faces expulsion from the House under the Anti-Defection Act.