No-confidence motion to be debated from August 8 to 10
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will take up the no-confidence motion against the Centre for discussion between August 8 and 10, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reply to the motion on August 10. The opposition bloc—the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) led by the Congress—moved a no-confidence motion against the government last month, demanding a statement from PM Modi on strife-torn Manipur.
Why does this story matter?
The no-confidence motion poses no threat to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government as it commands a brute majority in the Lok Sabha with over 330 MPs. However, the bloc said the motion isn't intended to bring the government down but to force PM Modi to appear in Parliament and address the situation in Manipur, which has witnessed ethnic clashes for nearly three months.
Parliament proceedings disrupted over Manipur issue
Since the start of the Parliament Monsoon Session, the opposition has accused PM Modi of avoiding discussion on Manipur in the Parliament to hide the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s failures. The government, on the other hand, has blamed the opposition for derailing discussions. Over 180 people have been killed in Manipur, and over 70,000 have been displaced due to the ethnic violence.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2:00pm
Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the House until 2:00pm on Tuesday amid sloganeering by opposition members. He said the House is becoming a subject of "ridicule" for the people. Meanwhile, the government is set to introduce the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, replacing the ordinance on Delhi's services.
Delhi services bill likely to be passed amid opposition's walkout
Notably, the opposition huddled to strategize against the Delhi services bill before the Monsoon Session started. The Centre seeks to override the Delhi government's control over its bureaucracy through the bill, which is likely to be passed as the government has received enough backing, thanks to the support of Andhra Pradesh's ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).
