NEW DELHI: A joint move against Rajya Sabha chairman has brought the INDIA bloc back together. The turbulent relations between Jagdeep Dhankhar and opposition came to a head on Monday with the rival camp considering submitting a notice “very soon” for moving a resolution to remove the vice president, who also serves as chairman of RS, from his office, sources said.
While the move may fail as the numbers are not in favour of opposition, it would be the first-ever attempt to remove the chairman in India’s parliamentary history, and would be seen as an embarrassment to the chair.
Opposition sources said they had the “required number of signatures” from all INDIA bloc parties when the move was first planned in Aug during monsoon session but they did not go forward as they decided to give Dhankhar “another chance” but his “conduct” Monday convinced them to go ahead.
Besides marshalling numbers, opposition also has to tackle the requirement of 14-day notice for the chairman’s removal. Sources said Congress had taken the lead on the issue and TMC and SP, besides other INDIA bloc parties, were supportive. “This is not about the chair, it is about BJP,” a TMC source said.
In Aug, sources said opposition parties were concerned that the microphone of the leader of opposition was allegedly being turned off repeatedly. “Opposition wants the House to be run by rules and conventions, and personal remarks against members are unacceptable,” another source said.
The procedure for removal of the chairman has to begin with a resolution moved in RS. The resolution must be passed by 50% of members present, plus one member, of those in the House that day. If the resolution gets passed, it has be passed by Lok Sabha by a simple majority for it to get accepted. This procedure follows from Articles 67 (b), 92 and 100 of the Constitution.
“Opposition wants Parliament to function. In the last two-three days, it has become clear that govt does not want the House to function. What I saw in Rajya Sabha today was unbelievable. LoP was not allowed to and leader of the House was given a number of chances to speak,” Congress’ Jairam Ramesh said.