Q. What is the objective of “cut motion” in Parliament ?
a) To move a proposal to reduce expenditure in the budget proposals
b) To restrict day-to-day financial expenditure of the government
c) To restrict grants from consolidated fund of India
d) To restrict the grants of the Government
Question from BPSC PT 70, 2024
Correct Answer: a) To move a proposal to reduce expenditure in the budget proposals
Explanation:
A “cut motion” is a parliamentary tool used by members of the legislature to express their disapproval of specific budgetary allocations proposed by the government. The primary objective of a cut motion is to seek a reduction in the amount of expenditure outlined in the budget proposals. It allows members of Parliament to question the government’s policies and priorities reflected in the budget.
There are three types of cut motions:
1. Policy Cut: Seeks to reduce the amount of a demand to ₹1, symbolizing disapproval of the policy underlying the demand.
2. Economy Cut: Seeks to reduce the amount of a demand by a specific amount, indicating that the proposed expenditure can be curtailed.
3. Token Cut: Seeks to reduce the amount of a demand by ₹100, to highlight a specific grievance.
Cut motions are an important mechanism for ensuring accountability and transparency in government spending. However, they rarely succeed in practice due to the majority enjoyed by the ruling party or coalition in Parliament.
