Why in the News
Vijay won the confidence motion in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly with 144 votes, ensuring the survival of the TVK-led coalition government.
Key Highlights of the Floor Test
- Confidence Motion Passed
- The motion moved by Chief Minister Vijay received: 144 votes in favour
- Supporting Parties
- Indian National Congress
- Communist Party of India
- Communist Party of India (Marxist)
- Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
- Indian Union Muslim League
- 25 rebel AIADMK MLAs
- One AMMK MLA
Constitutional Significance of Floor Test
- What is a Floor Test?: A mechanism to determine whether the government enjoys majority support in the legislature.
- Conducted By: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
- Constitutional Basis: Related to Article 164(2) of the Constitution:
- Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly.
Anti-Defection Aspect
- Relevant Provision: Tenth Schedule of the Constitution
- Deals With
- Defection by legislators
- Violation of party whip
- Possible Issue Ahead
- Potential action against rebel AIADMK MLAs.
Note: In India, the office of the “whip” is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the Rules of the House, or any parliamentary statute; rather, it is based on convention. However, the authority to issue whips and the consequences for defying them are legally upheld by the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law).
| [2020] A Parliamentary System of Government is one in which a) All political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government b) the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it c) the Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them d) the Government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before completion of a fixed term |
