Question map
Who among the following Indian Prime Ministers could not vote for himself during the Vote of Confidence’ that he was seeking from the Lok Sabha?
Explanation
In the Indian parliamentary system, a 'Vote of Confidence' or 'No-Confidence Motion' is conducted exclusively in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) [2]. While a Prime Minister can be a member of either House, only members of the Lok Sabha have the right to vote on such motions. Dr. Manmohan Singh served as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014 while being a member of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) representing Assam. During the crucial 2008 'Trust Vote' (Vote of Confidence) triggered by the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal and the withdrawal of support by the Left Front, Dr. Singh sought the mandate of the House. However, because he was a member of the Rajya Sabha and not the Lok Sabha, he was constitutionally ineligible to cast a vote for himself during the proceedings. In contrast, V.P. Singh, Chandra Shekhar, and P.V. Narasimha Rao were members of the Lok Sabha during their respective confidence motions.
Sources
- [1] Democratic Politics-I. Political Science-Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: WORKING OF INSTITUTIONS > Two Houses of Parliament > p. 63
- [2] Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: EXECUTIVE > PRIME MINISTER AND COUNCIL OF MINISTERS > p. 90