Question

Difficulty: MediumUnion Legislature: Parliament Structure, Lawmaking, and Committees

Which of the following statements correctly distinguishes between a Censure Motion and a No-Confidence Motion in the Lok Sabha?

  1. A Censure Motion must state the specific reasons or grounds on which it is based, whereas a No-Confidence Motion does not require stating any specific grounds.Answer
  2. B
    A Censure Motion can be moved only against the entire Council of Ministers, whereas a No-Confidence Motion can be moved against an individual minister.
  3. C
    If a Censure Motion is passed in the Lok Sabha, the Council of Ministers must mandatorily resign immediately, whereas a No-Confidence Motion requires Presidential confirmation before resignation.
  4. D
    A No-Confidence Motion can be introduced in either House of Parliament, whereas a Censure Motion can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha.

Answer

A Censure Motion must state the specific reasons or grounds on which it is based, whereas a No-Confidence Motion does not require stating any specific grounds.
The correct statement highlights that a Censure Motion must state the specific reason or policy failure for which it is moved, whereas a No-Confidence Motion requires no specific grounds to be listed when sought for leave in the Lok Sabha.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the constitutional and procedural origin of executive responsibility in the Union Legislature.
Under Article 75(3) of the Constitution of India, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
This responsibility is enforced through parliamentary motions exclusively in the Lok Sabha.
2
Compare the procedural requirements for introducing a Censure Motion versus a No-Confidence Motion.
Rule 198 of the Lok Sabha Rules governs the No-Confidence Motion, which does not require stating any specific reasons. Conversely, a Censure Motion must explicitly state the grounds, specific policies, or actions being censured.
Censure focuses on specific errors of commission/omission, whereas No-Confidence assesses the government's general right to stay in office.
3
Evaluate the consequences of passing each motion.
If a Censure Motion passes, the Council of Ministers is expected to seek a vote of confidence, but resignation is not mandatory. If a No-Confidence Motion passes, the ministry must immediately resign.
A No-Confidence Motion directly tests the majority support required to maintain office.

Key Concept

Procedural distinctions between Censure Motion and No-Confidence Motion in the Lok Sabha
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Rate this question