No-confidence motion against Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar dismissed as improper

The Rajya Sabha deputy chairman, Harivansh, has dismissed the no-confidence motion submitted by Opposition MPs seeking the removal of Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. The motion, spearheaded by the INDIA bloc, was criticized for being "bereft of facts" and aimed at garnering publicity.

On December 10, at least 60 Opposition MPs submitted the notice, accusing Dhankhar of conducting the House’s proceedings in a partisan manner. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the chairman's behavior left the INDIA bloc with no option but to pursue his impeachment.

However, Deputy Chairman Harivansh, in a detailed ruling, called the notice a "misadventure" designed to denigrate the Vice President’s office. The ruling highlighted several procedural flaws, including the absence of proper resolution text, incorrect spelling of Dhankhar’s name, and reliance on unauthenticated media reports.

The ruling also pointed out the broader implications of the motion, stating that it appeared to trivialize constitutional institutions and was deliberately targeted at maligning the Vice President. Harivansh said such actions undermine the prestige of Parliament and its members.

The motion referenced incidents dating back to Dhankhar’s assumption of office in August 2022, which the deputy chairman claimed were presented out of context and lacked substantiated evidence. He further criticized the Opposition for drawing up the petition in haste, accusing them of intending to harm the institution’s reputation.

The rejection of the motion has deepened the political divide between the Opposition and the ruling bloc. The INDIA group has yet to respond to the dismissal, but the decision is expected to fuel further debates about the role and impartiality of constitutional office holders in Indian democracy.