Tale of no-trust motions: Vote against Modi 27th in history, 1st in 15 yrs

The no-confidence motion moved against the Narendra Modi-led government, taken up in the Lok Sabha on Friday, is the 27th in the history of the House and the first in 15 years.

Of the 27, 15 were against Indira Gandhi during her various tenures as prime minister, reveals data from the Lok Sabha secretariat.

There were three motions against Lal Bahadur Shastri, three against P V Narasimha Rao, two against Morarji Desai and one each against Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The first no-confidence motion was moved against Jawaharlal Nehru in August 1963 by J B Kripalani.

The last no-confidence was moved in 2003 by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi against the Atal Bihar Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance government.

Only once in the history of the lower house has the prime minister resigned after a no-confidence motion. In 1979, Morarji Desai resigned as the discussion on the motion was inconclusive.

According to details available with Lok Sabha secretariat, six no-confidence motions were moved in the third and the fourth Lok Sabha, the maximum.

The third Lok Sabha, from 1962 to 1967 saw three prime ministers -- Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi.

The fourth Lok Sabha was from 1967 to 1970 with Indira Gandhi as prime minister.

Four of the 15 no-confidence motions against Indira Gandhi were moved by Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Jyotirmnoy Basu.