Types of Majority

There are certain types of majority followed in the Parliament to pass specific Bill or Motions.
1. Simple Majority: Also called working majority, this is the majority more than fifty percent of the
members of the legislature present and voting, excluding the members abstaining. For example, if the
total number of Members of Parliament present and voting is 500, a strength of 251 or more will be a
simple majority. A confidence, Non-Confidence or Censure Motion, Money, Financial or Ordinary Bill,
Budget, ratification of an amendment of Parliament by the state legislature(s) etc. are passed by simple
majority
2. Absolute Majority: It is the majority of more than fifty percent of the total strength of the House, which
includes even those members who are abstaining. For example, in case of the Rajya Sabha which has the
total strength of 245 members, 123 and above shall be an absolute majority.
3. Effective Majority: This is more than fifty percent of the effective strength of the House (vacancies are
not taken into account). In other words, the effective strength of the House is total strength of the House
minus the number of vacancies. In case of Rajya Sabha (total strength 245), if there are 15 vacancies, 230
shall be the effective strength and more than 50% of this (i.e. 230) -116 or more is called effective majority.
Removal of the Vice-President of India (resolution for this can be introduced in the Rajya Sabha only)
requires effective majority for passage of such a resolution to this effect (Art. 67(b)).
4. Special Majority: All types of majorities other than the above three are called special majorities. These
are of the following types:
Special Majority under Art. 249. This is basically a majority of 2/3rd of the members of the House present
and voting excluding the number of members abstaining. For example, in Rajya Sabha (total strength 245)
if only 200 members are present and voting, only 2/3rd of this (200) shall be special majority under Art.
249 (i.e. for creation of one or more All-India Services). To make it more clear, if 100 members of the
House are present and 10 of them abstain from voting then in this case only 2/3rd of this (100- 10=90), i.e.
60 will be special majority.
Special Majority under Art. 61 (Impeachment of the President of India). A resolution under Art. 61 must
be passed by not less than 2/3rd of the total strength of the House, including the number of vacancies.
For example, a resolution for impeachment of the President of India requires the support of 2/3rd of the
members of total strength of the Upper House 245, two third of which shall be 164 or more.
Special Majority under Art. 368. (Constitutional Amendment) A bill seeking Constitutional Amendment
requires its passage by 2/3rd of the members of the House present and voting. There is no provision of
joint sitting for this. Both the Houses must pass it separately. Also, this majority should be absolute
majority of the House. Constitutional Amendment Bills. Resolutions for removal of the judges of the
Supreme Court or High Courts. Chief Election Commissioner, Comptroller and Auditor General, etc. are
passed by special majority under Art. 368.
However, whenever the Constitution does not specially mention the type of majority required, it means
simple majority.