Cabinet ministers are allowed to visit either of the houses - Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha - to discuss and debate the various bills. After the discussion when the bill goes to the division of votes, do they get the right to vote on the bill if they are not part of that house? For example, when the home minister (who is a member of Lok Sabha) visits Rajya Sabha for the discussion on a bill from their ministry, do they also get to vote in Rajya Sabha?
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1 Answer
No. In the Westminster system (on which the Indian government is modelled) only members of a house may vote. So members of Lok Sabha may not vote in the Rajya Sabha.
From the Constitution of India, part V, article 88:
Every Minister and the Attorney-General of India shall have the right to speak in, and otherwise to take part in the proceedings of, either House, any joint sitting of the Houses, and any committee of Parliament of which he may be named a member, but shall not by virtue of this article be entitled to vote
A minister may not vote in either house by virtue of being a minster. But ministers are usually already members of one or other house, and so do get to vote in the house which they are a member of.
