ParliamentPresident’s Addresses to Parliament since the beginning of UPA IIKaran- March 12, 2012The President addressed the Parliament after the 2009 Lok Sabha Elections on 4thJune 2009.  She also addressed Parliament on 22ndFebruary 2010, as well as on 21stFebruary 2011.  The tables below highlight some items from the agenda of the central government as outlined in these speeches, as well as the initiatives undertaken with respect to these agenda items. Table 1: Some Items from the President’s Address to Parliament on 4thJune 2009Agenda Items outlined in the President’s SpeechCurrent StatusEstablishment of National Counter-Terrorism CentreProposed launch of NCTC in March 2011 on holdEnactment of legislation for prevention of communal violenceCommunal Violence Bill 2005 pending in Parliament. New bill drafted by NAC but not introduced in ParliamentUnique Identity Card scheme to be implemented in three yearsUnique Identification Authority of India created under Planning Commission on 28 January 2009.  Bill to give statutory status pending in ParliamentEstablishment of a regulator for the pension sectorBill introduced in Lok Sabha on 24 March 2011Convergence of NREGA with other programs; expansion of works permitted; independent monitoring and grievance redressalRashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to cover all families below the poverty line in five yearsEnactment of Right to Free and Compulsory Education BillBill passed in 2009 and brought into force on 1 April 2009Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan to universalize access to secondary educationRashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan launched in March 2009National Mission for Female Literacy to make every woman literate in five yearsNational Literacy Mission recast in 2009 to focus on female literacyConstruction of 1.2 crore rural houses under Indira Awas Yojana in five yearsIntroduction of Rajiv Awas Yojana for slum dwellers and urban poorPhase I approved by Cabinet on 2 June 2011Enactment of National Food Security ActIntroduced in Lok Sabha on 22 December 2011Enactment of Amendment Bill to Land Acquisition Act and Rehabilitation and Resettlement BillLand Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011 introduced in Lok Sabha on 7 September 2011Enactment of Women’s Reservation BillPassed by Rajya Sabha, pending in Lok SabhaConstitutional Amendment for 50 percent reservation for women in panchayats and urban local bodiesTwo Bills introduced in Lok Sabha in November 2009; both pending in ParliamentAmendment of RTI to provide for disclosure by government in all non-strategic areasModel Public Services Law to be drawn up in consultation with statesRight of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievance Bill,     2011 introduced in Lok Sabha on 20 December 2011Introduction of Goods and Services TaxConstitutional Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha on 22 March 2011National Council for Human Resources in HealthIntroduced in Rajya Sabha on 22 December 2011National Council for Higher EducationBill introduced in Rajya Sabha on 28 December 2011*Note: Blank cells indicate that PRS has not been able to find official information in the public domain. Table 2: Some Items from the President’s speech to Parliament on 22ndFebruary 2010Agenda Items outlined in the President’s SpeechCurrent StatusIntroduction of legislation to ensure food securityIntroduced in Lok Sabha on 22 December 2011Rural teledensity of 40 percent by 2014Rural teledensity of 33% as of February 2011Introduction of Rajiv Awas Yojana for urban poor and slum dwellersPhase I approved by Cabinet on 2 June 2011Disposal of remaining claims under the Scheduled Tribes  and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers ActIntroduction of amendment to the Wakf ActPassed by Lok Sabha; pending in Rajya SabhaEnactment of Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005Pending in Rajya Sabha since 2005Enactment of Women’s Reservation BillPassed by Rajya Sabha; pending in Lok SabhaConstitutional amendments for 50 percent reservation for women in panchayats and urban local bodiesTwo Bills introduced in Lok Sabha in November 2009; both pending in ParliamentEstablishment of National Council for Higher Education and ResearchHigher Education and Research Bill, 2011 introduced in Rajya Sabha on 28 December 2011Legislation for facilitating participation of foreign academic institutions in the education sectorForeign Educational Institutions Bill, 2010 introduced in Lok Sabha on 3 May 2010Voting rights for Indian citizens living abroadBill passed.  NRIs can vote at the place of residence that is mentioned in their passportTable 3: Some Items from the President’s speech to Parliament on 21stFebruary 2011Agenda Items outlined in the President’s SpeechCurrent StatusEnactment of Food Security LawIntroduced in Lok Sabha on 22 December 2011Whistleblower BillBill passed by Lok Sabha; pending in Rajya SabhaEnactment of Judicial Standards and Accountability BillIntroduced in Lok Sabha on 1 December 2010Enactment of new Mines and Minerals BillIntroduced in Lok Sabha on 12 December 2011Rural teledensity of 40 percent by 2014Rural teledensity of 33% as of February 2011Construction of 1.2 crore rural houses during 2009-14Enactment of Women’s Reservation BillPassed by Rajya Sabha; pending in Lok SabhaIntroduction of Bill regarding protection of children from sexual offencesIntroduced in Rajya Sabha on 23 March 2011Introduction of Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India BillNot introduced till dateParliamentFirst no-confidence motion of the 17th Lok Sabha discussed todayNiranjana Menon- August 8, 2023Discussion on the first no-confidence motion of the 17thLok Sabha began today.  No-confidence motions and confidence motions are trust votes, used to test or demonstrate the support of Lok Sabha for the government in power.  Article 75(3) of the Constitution states that the government is collectively responsible to Lok Sabha.  This means that the government must always enjoy the support of a majority of the members of Lok Sabha.  Trust votes are used to examine this support.  The government resigns if a majority of members support a no-confidence motion, or reject a confidence motion.So far, 28 no-confidence motions (including the one being discussed today) and 11 confidence motions have beendiscussed.  Over the years, the number of such motions has reduced.  The mid-1960s and mid-1970s saw more no-confidence motions, whereas the 1990s saw more confidence motions.Figure1: Trust votes in ParliamentNote: *Term shorter than 5 years; **6-year term.Source: Statistical Handbook 2021, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; PRS.The no-confidence motion being discussed today wasmovedon July 26, 2023.  A motion of no-confidence is moved with the support of at least 50 members.   The Speaker has the discretion to allot time for discussion of the motion.  TheRules of Procedurestate that the motion must be discussed within 10 days of being introduced.  This year, the no-confidence motion wasdiscussed13 calendar days after introduction.  Since the introduction of the no-confidence motion on July 26, 12 Bills have been introduced and 18 Bills have been passed by Lok Sabha.  In the past, on four occasions, the discussion on no-confidence motions began seven days after their introduction.  On these occasions, Bills and other important issues were debated before the discussion on the no-confidence motion began.Figure2: Members rise in support of the motion of no-confidence in Lok SabhaSource: Sansad TV, Lok Sabha, July 26, 2023; PRS.Figure3: Number of days from introduction to discussion on no-confidence motionsNote: Number of days implies calendar days.Source: Statistical Handbook 2021, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; PRS.On average, no-confidence motions (excluding the one being discussed today) have been discussed for 13 hours over three days.  Discussions have lasted longer than 20 hours on four instances, most recently in 2003.  Today’s no-confidence motion was allotted 12 hours discussion time by theBusiness Advisory Committee.Following the discussion, the motion is put to vote.  26 out of 27 no-confidence motions (excluding the one being discussed today) have been voted upon and rejected.  This means that no government has ever had to resign following a vote of no-confidence.   On one occasion, in 1979, the discussion on a no-confidence motion against the Morarji Desai government remained inconclusive.  He resigned before the motion was put to vote.  50% of all no-confidence motions (14 out of 28) were discussed between 1965 and 1975.  Of these, 12 were against governments headed by Indira Gandhi.Figure4: Duration of discussion on no-confidence motionsNote: This graph excludes the no confidence motion moved on July 26, 2023.Source: Statistical Handbook 2021, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; PRS.In comparison, confidence motions have a more varied history.  The first motion, brought in 1979 to demonstrate confidence in Charan Singh’s government, was not discussed at all.  The Prime Minister resigned before the discussion could take place.  Since then, 11 confidence motions have been discussed in Lok Sabha, with nine occurring in the 1990s.  During this period, several coalition governments were formed, and Prime Ministers sought to prove their majority throughconfidence motions.   These motions have been discussed, on average, for 12 hours over two days.Figure5: Duration of discussion of confidence motionsSource: Statistical Handbook 2021, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; PRS.Of the 11 confidence motions discussed in Lok Sabha, seven were accepted.  On three instances, governments had to resign as they could not prove that they had the support of the majority.  On one instance in 1996, the motion was not put to vote.  Following an eleven-hour discussion on this confidence motion, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced his intention to resign on the floor of the House.  He resigned 16 days into his term.Vajpayee became Prime Minister again in 1999, and faced another confidence motion.   This time, it was put to vote.   The motion was defeated by a margin of one vote.  This has been the closest result on a trust vote in the history of Lok Sabha.  The next closest result was when a motion of no-confidence against P V Narasimha Rao’s government was defeated by 14 votes in 1993.  In most cases, results have been in favour of the government by a large margin.«12345678910»