Former top LS officials differ on taking up no-confidence motion by House

Din in the House should not be a hurdle in taking up a notice of no-confidence motion against the government, a former Lok Sabha secretary general said today, while two others maintained that taking up the issue amid disruptions has "practical difficulties".

The notices for no-confidence motion against the government could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha for the second day today due to noisy protests by several parties.

Today was the 11th consecutive day that the proceedings of the House were washed out due to this and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan could not take up the notices for no-confidence motion.

Former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Acharya said a no-confidence motion is not admitted like other motions.

"It is a special motion and the Speaker merely informs the members of the notice. If the motion is in order (the documentation is as per rules), she can go ahead," he told PTI.

He said even if the House is not in order, the motion can be taken up if the notice is in order.

Acharya also said it is the duty of the Speaker to bring order in the House.

Once 50 members stand up in support of the motion, the Speaker only decides on the date and time when it will come up for debate, he said.

He also noted that to give a notice of no-confidence motion was the right of a Lok Sabha member and this "right cannot be curtailed."