Podcast: What's a trust vote

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Keywords: UPA, Trust Vote

Your date with July 22: what’s a floor test. There are allegations that Rs 25 crores is the going rate for an MP, to vote for the Congress during the Vote of Confidence on Monday and Tuesday. The Congress, of course says the BJP is trying to buy MPs. But what is the Vote of Confidence, or 'Trust Vote' all about? How does it all work? Senior Anchor H R Venkatesh chats with National Affairs Editor Diptosh Majumdar in the News Junkie Podcast.

H R Venkatesh: It's probably the best time to see how Indian democracy works, or is used or misused. Newspapers, TV channels, they've all been blanketing people with this term, 'trust vote'. Also the other term, 'vote of confidence', 'floor test', they all mean the same don't they?

Diptosh Majumdar: They all mean the same thing, and interestingly the Constitution doesn't specifically mention that there is something called the trust vote. Yet, when the government decides that it'll go and face Parliament and prove that it has the majority on the floor of the house, it decides to take a 'trust vote'.

H R Venkatesh: So basically, what is going to be happening on Monday, Tuesday?

Diptosh Majumdar: Basically, voting-first, a lot of debating on it and then voting.

H R Venkatesh: In other words, all the MPs are going to be gathering in Lok Sabha come Monday, Tuesday?

Diptosh Majumdar: Yeah, there are two kinds of MPs, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. We have the Lower House and the Upper House. The Lower House comprises people who are direct representatives who are directly voted by people; it is they who are going to vote. So we will see around 542 MPs, with the Speaker holding the casting vote rights, in which, in case of a tie he only votes.

H R Venkatesh: I understand there are three choices available to every MP, an 'aye', a 'nay' and abstaining, or abstention. Now abstention is something that everybody is talking about. Why is it so crucial this time?

Diptosh Majumdar: Well, when abstention happens the total number of votes comes down. So suppose there are twelve and fourteen abstentions, the house number comes down from 542 to 528. So in that case you have the halfway mark coming down from 271 to 264. It helps for whichever party which is trying to win to reach the halfway mark with less number of MPs. So that is why abstentions become crucial.

For example, we are getting to hear at this point in time, that the National Conference of Omar Abdullah or Trinamool Congress, which is one MP, Mamata Banerjee herself, they might abstain. So basically, the total number of votes in the house my come down to 539 straightaway!