RAS question
No-confidence motion against Sarpanch requires:
Correct answer: (D) 3/4 majority.
A no-confidence motion against a Sarpanch in Rajasthan is carried only when it has the support of not less than three-fourths of the elected members of the concerned Panchayati Raj Institution.
Explanation
Section 37 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 governs motions of no-confidence against chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of Panchayati Raj Institutions. A Sarpanch is the chairperson of a Panchayat, so the same provision applies. The section first requires a written notice signed by at least one-third of the directly elected members, after which the competent authority convenes the meeting. The decisive voting rule is stricter: the motion is carried only if supported by not less than three-fourths of the elected members of the concerned Panchayati Raj Institution. Therefore, the required threshold is not a simple majority, unanimity, or two-thirds majority, but three-fourths of elected members.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Two-thirds is not the carrying threshold under Section 37; the Act requires support from not less than three-fourths of the elected members.
- (B) Unanimity is not required because Section 37 specifies a quantified three-fourths support threshold, not agreement by every elected member.
- (C) A simple majority is too low for this removal mechanism; Section 37 sets the higher bar of not less than three-fourths of elected members.
Concept
This tests the local self-government portion of Rajasthan Polity, especially statutory safeguards around Panchayati Raj office-bearers. RAS repeatedly asks such provisions because the exact majority threshold decides whether a Panchayat-level no-confidence motion succeeds.