Relevance: GS II (Parliamentary Procedures & Executive Accountability) | Source: The Hindu / Indian Express
1. The Context: A Rare Departure
In a significant break from parliamentary convention, the Lok Sabha adopted the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address on February 5, 2026, without the Prime Minister’s customary reply.
- The Reason: The Speaker cited “concrete information” regarding potential disruption and security risks to the PM inside the House from Opposition members.
- The Consequence: The debate concluded without the Executive Head (PM) answering the criticisms raised by the Opposition, leading to concerns about declining accountability.
2. Understanding “Motion of Thanks”
- Constitutional Basis: Under Article 87, the President addresses both Houses assembled together at the start of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year.
- The Procedure: This address is discussed on a motion called the “Motion of Thanks.”
- Significance: It serves as a Vote of Confidence. The motion must be passed in the Lok Sabha. If defeated, the government is deemed to have lost its majority and must resign.
- Convention: Traditionally, the PM replies to the debate to defend the government’s policies before the motion is put to vote.
3. Key Issues: Accountability vs. Disruption
- Erosion of Accountability: The “Debate and Reply” mechanism is the primary tool for the Legislature to hold the Executive accountable. Skipping the reply sets a precedent where the government might bypass questioning during hostile atmospheres.
- The Disruption Dilemma: While the Opposition has a right to question, constant disruption (preventing the Leader of the House from speaking) violates the democratic mandate of the majority.
- Privilege & Freedom: The incident also highlighted tensions over Article 105 (Parliamentary Privileges), as the Chair disallowed the Leader of Opposition from citing specific excerpts from a book by former Army Chief M.M. Naravane.
UPSC Value Box
| Concept / Article | Relevance for Prelims |
| Article 87 | Mandates the Special Address by the President to both Houses. It informs Parliament of the causes of its summons (government’s policy roadmap). |
| Guillotine | A parliamentary procedure where undiscussed clauses of a bill or budget are put to vote together due to lack of time. This incident is akin to a “procedural guillotine” of the debate. |
| Leader of the House | Usually the Prime Minister (if they are a member of that House) or a Minister appointed by them. They are responsible for managing government business in the House. |
Q. With reference to the “Motion of Thanks” in the Indian Parliament, consider the following statements:
- It is addressed by the President at the commencement of the first session of every year.
- The motion must be passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the government to survive.
- The content of the President’s Address is drafted by the Union Cabinet.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer: (b)
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