Party Whip

• 27 Jan 2025

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

The Vice President of India has expressed concerns regarding the use of party whips in Parliament, questioning their impact on limiting the independent judgment of elected representatives. 

What is a Party Whip? 

• About: 
  • A whip in Parliament is a directive issued  by a political party to its members in the legislature, instructing them on how to vote during discussions and decisions on specific bills, motions, or resolutions.  
  • Also, the whip is also the designated party member responsible for ensuring attendance and adherence to these directives. 
• Objective: 
  • The primary objective of a whip is to maintain party discipline, ensure uniformity in decision-making, and avoid defections or dissent within the party ranks. 
    • The term "whip" originates from England's hunting fields, where a whipper-in kept stray hounds within the pack. 
• Constitutional Status:  
  • It is not mentioned in the Constitution, Rules of the House, or any parliamentary statute, and is based on parliamentary conventions. 
• Types of Whips: 
  • One-Line Whip: Informs members about an important vote, allowing abstention without penalty. 
  • Two-Line Whip: This mandates the presence of members during a vote but does not explicitly require them to vote in a particular manner. 
  • Three-Line Whip: The strictest form, requiring members to attend the vote and align their vote with the party’s directive.  
• Functions: 
  • Ensures Attendance: Responsible for ensuring the presence of party members and maintaining quorum in the House. 
  • Secures Support: Works to garner support for or against specific issues. 
  • Maintains Discipline: Ensures party members adhere to party guidelines and maintain stable democratic institutions. 
  • Identifies Discontent: Monitors signs of discontent among MPs and reports them to party leaders. 
  • Internal Party Coordination: Acts as a unifying force, maintaining party cohesion within the Parliament. 
• Violation of Whip: 
  • If an Members of Parliament (MPs)/ Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) defies the party's whip, they may face expulsion under the Anti-Defection Law, unless more than two-third of the legislators dissent, leading to a split within the party. 

Quorum: 

• The quorum in the Parliament is the minimum number of members required to be present for a session to be considered valid.  
• It is specified in Article 100 of the Constitution of India.  
• It  is one-tenth of the total number of members in a house of Parliament. (Lok Sabha:  55 and Rajya Sabha: 25).

UPSC Civil Services Exam, Previous Year Questions (PYQ) 

Prelims 

Q. Consider the following statements: (2013)

1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not the members of that House.  
2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President.  

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only  

(b) 2 only  

(c) Both 1 and 2  

(d) Neither 1 nor 2 

Ans: (b)