Token Cut Motion

A token cut motion is used to ventilate a specific grievance that is within the sphere of the responsibility of the Government of India.

It one of three different types of Cut Motions. This article will give further details about token motions as well as other cut motions that are granted as powers in the Lok Sabha. The information in this article will be used in the Polity segment of the IAS Exam.

What is Cut Motion?

Before we understand what is Token Cut Motion it is prudent to first to understand what is cut motion in the first place.

Cut motion is a power given to the members of the Lok Sabha that enables  its members to oppose any demand in a Finance Bill proposed by a government.

If a cut motion is accepted, it is tantamount to  a no-confidence motion. And similar to a no-confidence motion, if a the government fails to get numbers in its favour in the lower house, it is obliged to reform as per established norms.

The decision to accept a cut motion depends on the discretion of the Speaker of the House. If a notice of a motion to reduce any demand for a grant has not been given a day prior to the day on which the demand is under consideration, any member may object to the moving of the motion, and such objection prevails, unless the Speaker allows the motion to be made.

Types of Cut Motion

There are three types of cut motion. They are as follows:

1. Disapproval of policy cut: A disapproval of policy cut demand seeks the amount of the demand be reduced to Re 1, representing the disapproval of the policy undermining the demand. However, if a member moves the cut, they have to indicate in precise terms the details of the policy which they want to discuss and should be confined to the specific points mentioned in the cut notice.

2. Economic cut: The economic cut motion calls for a reduction in the allocation of the demand to a specific amount. It represents the economy that can be affected. Such a specified amount may either be a lump-sum reduction in the demand or omission or reduction of an item in the demand. The notice has to indicate briefly and precisely the particular matter on which a discussion is sought to be raised.

3. Token cut: A token cut motion is moved so that the amount of the demand is reduced by Rs 100. This is to ventilate a specific grievance that is within the sphere of the responsibility of the Government of India.

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