'Explicitly partisan': Opposition moves no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar

Jagdeep Dhankhar

The Congress-led INDIA bloc on Tuesday submitted a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha chairman and vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar to the Secretary General of the Upper House.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh shared the development in a post on X. “All parties belonging to the INDIA group have had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the learned Hon'ble chairman of the Rajya Sabha for the extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States,” the post read.

“It has been a very painful decision for the INDIA parties to take, but in the interests of parliamentary democracy they have had to take this step. The motion has just been submitted to the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha,” it added.

ALL parties belonging to the INDIA group have had no option but to formally submit a no-confidence motion against the learned Hon'ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for the extremely partisan manner in which he has been conducting the proceedings of the Council of States. It has

Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 10, 2024

A News18 report citing sources has revealed that all parties including the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) have signed the motion, which was moved under Article 67(B) of the Constitution.

This is the first time that a notice for bringing a motion to remove the vice-president has been moved in the Rajya Sabha. A 14-day notice has to be given and it should be approved by the deputy chairman before the motion is taken up.

The opposition has been upset with Dhankhar over multiple issues. The notice was submitted shortly after disruption erupted in both the houses of Parliament over BJP’s accusation that senior Congress leaders were collaborating with international investor George Soros to undermine the country's political stability.

Noting that the role of the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha is of pivotal importance, the parties said Dhankhar is expected to conduct himself in a non-partisan manner but has instead reduced "the prestige of the position he presently occupies to that of a mere spokesman for the Government of the day".

They accused the chairman of repeatedly making disparaging comments about members of the house belonging to Opposition parties publically, criticising any and every action taken by them where the leaders have expressed issues with the functioning of the ruling government.

They also mentioned an instance from July this year, where Dhankar, while presiding as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, labelled himself as the "Eklavya of the RSS".

The notice also said that he has repeatedly denied "legitimate requests" of the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha to intervene and rebut the Prime Minister and the Leader of the House.