What is the objective of ‘Cut Motion’ in the Parliament?
(A) To restrict day-to-day financial expenditure of Government
(B) To restrict grants of the Government
(C) To move a proposal to reduce expenditure in budget proposals
(D) To restrict grants from consolidated fund of India
The correct answer is (C) To move a proposal to reduce expenditure in budget proposals.
Explanation ✂️
A Cut Motion is a special power vested in the members of the Lok Sabha to oppose a specific demand for a grant proposed by the government in the annual budget. Its main objective is to initiate a discussion on a particular demand and to express disapproval of the government’s policies or highlight grievances.
As the name suggests, it is a proposal to “cut” or reduce the amount of expenditure for a specific grant. While they are rarely passed, they are a fundamental tool for holding the government accountable for its spending. If a cut motion is passed in the Lok Sabha, it is considered a vote of no-confidence, and the government is expected to resign.
There are three types of Cut Motions:
- Policy Cut Motion: Proposes reducing the grant amount to ₹1 to express complete disapproval of the policy behind the demand.
- Economy Cut Motion: Proposes reducing the grant by a specific amount to suggest that the expenditure is extravagant.
- Token Cut Motion: Proposes a nominal reduction of ₹100 to voice a specific grievance against the government.
Analysis of Other Options
- (A) To restrict day-to-day financial expenditure of Government: This is too broad. A cut motion targets specific grants in the budget, not all day-to-day spending.
- (B) To restrict grants of the Government: While the motion does seek to reduce a grant, its primary objective is to serve as a legislative tool to propose this reduction and register dissent. Option (C) is a more precise description of the action.
- (D) To restrict grants from consolidated fund of India: All government expenditure is met from the Consolidated Fund of India, but this option doesn’t accurately describe the mechanism or purpose of a cut motion, which is to target a specific budget proposal.