Saurabh Mukherjee
Members of the Opposition’s INDIA bloc on Tuesday (December 10) submitted a no-confidence motion against Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, accusing him of partisan conduct in the Rajya Sabha.
The move marks the first time in the 72-year history of the Rajya Sabha that Opposition parties have formally submitted a no-confidence motion against the Chairman.
The notice, submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General, alleges that Dhankhar has acted as an “impassioned spokesperson” for government policies and has undermined the impartiality expected of his role.
“All parties belonging to the INDIA group have had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the learned Hon'ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for the extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States. It has been a very painful decision for the INDIA parties to take, but in the interests of parliamentary democracy they have had to take this step,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
“The motion has just been submitted to the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha,” he added.
The motion reportedly outlines several instances of alleged bias, including Dhankhar’s frequent interruptions of Opposition MPs during debates, public criticism of their dissent, and alleged disparaging comments against them.
Sources claim that the Opposition has attached media clippings to substantiate these allegations.
One key event mentioned in the motion occurred on December 9, when Dhankhar reportedly allowed some NDA MPs to speak in the House after rejecting their Rule 267 notice, which sought to raise concerns about “rising threats to national security due to an alleged nexus between a political party and certain organisations.”
The Opposition has also accused Dhankhar of misusing privilege motions to suppress dissent and of refusing “legitimate” requests from the Leader of the Opposition to challenge statements made by the Prime Minister and Leader of the House.
The petition highlights Dhankhar’s alleged public remarks criticizing Opposition leaders, including those who are not members of the Rajya Sabha.
The motion argues that Dhankhar’s actions have reduced his pivotal role as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha to that of a government spokesperson, undermining the institution's independence.
As per Article 67(b) of the Constitution, a Vice President can be removed by a resolution passed in the Rajya Sabha and agreed to by the Lok Sabha, with a 14-day notice required before moving such a resolution.
The INDIA bloc, however, lacks the numbers to secure the motion's passage in either House.
Opposition leaders clarified that the motion was not just a protest against Dhankhar as an individual but an effort to safeguard the integrity of the Rajya Sabha and its chair.
The move marks the first time in the 72-year history of the Rajya Sabha that Opposition parties have formally submitted a no-confidence motion against the Chairman.
The notice, submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General, alleges that Dhankhar has acted as an “impassioned spokesperson” for government policies and has undermined the impartiality expected of his role.
“All parties belonging to the INDIA group have had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the learned Hon'ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for the extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States. It has been a very painful decision for the INDIA parties to take, but in the interests of parliamentary democracy they have had to take this step,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
“The motion has just been submitted to the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha,” he added.
ALL parties belonging to the INDIA group have had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the learned Hon'ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for the extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States. It has…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 10, 2024
The motion reportedly outlines several instances of alleged bias, including Dhankhar’s frequent interruptions of Opposition MPs during debates, public criticism of their dissent, and alleged disparaging comments against them.
Sources claim that the Opposition has attached media clippings to substantiate these allegations.
One key event mentioned in the motion occurred on December 9, when Dhankhar reportedly allowed some NDA MPs to speak in the House after rejecting their Rule 267 notice, which sought to raise concerns about “rising threats to national security due to an alleged nexus between a political party and certain organisations.”
The Opposition has also accused Dhankhar of misusing privilege motions to suppress dissent and of refusing “legitimate” requests from the Leader of the Opposition to challenge statements made by the Prime Minister and Leader of the House.
The petition highlights Dhankhar’s alleged public remarks criticizing Opposition leaders, including those who are not members of the Rajya Sabha.
The motion argues that Dhankhar’s actions have reduced his pivotal role as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha to that of a government spokesperson, undermining the institution's independence.
As per Article 67(b) of the Constitution, a Vice President can be removed by a resolution passed in the Rajya Sabha and agreed to by the Lok Sabha, with a 14-day notice required before moving such a resolution.
The INDIA bloc, however, lacks the numbers to secure the motion's passage in either House.
Opposition leaders clarified that the motion was not just a protest against Dhankhar as an individual but an effort to safeguard the integrity of the Rajya Sabha and its chair.
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