Bihar, India : The newly formed NDA government under Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is set to face a crucial confidence vote in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on April 24. The Assembly Secretariat has officially issued a notification confirming that a special one-day session will be held on Friday.
According to the notice, all members of the House have been requested to be present at 11 AM. The session has been convened specifically for the purpose of the trust vote, which will take place before the expansion of the state cabinet.
Confidence Vote Seen as Formality Due to Strong Majority
With a clear majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the NDA is widely expected to secure the trust vote without difficulty. Political observers consider the exercise largely procedural, given the current strength of the ruling alliance.
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is likely to sail through the floor test comfortably before moving ahead with his cabinet expansion plans.
NDA’s Strength in the Assembly
In the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA alliance secured a dominant mandate, winning 202 out of 243 seats. However, after BJP leader Nitin Naveen resigned from his Assembly seat following his election to the Rajya Sabha, the effective strength of the NDA in the House currently stands at 201 members.
The party-wise composition within the NDA is as follows:
- BJP: 88 MLAs
- JDU: 85 MLAs
- LJP (Ram Vilas): 19 MLAs
- HAM: 5 MLAs
- RLM: 4 MLAs
On the other hand, the opposition Mahagathbandhan currently holds 35 seats in the Assembly.
To form the government, a minimum of 122 MLAs is required in the 243-member House, giving the NDA a comfortable majority.
Constitutional Procedure Behind the Floor Test
As per Articles 163, 164, and 175 of the Constitution, when a new government is formed, the Governor can direct the convening of the Assembly for a trust vote. This process ensures that the Chief Minister enjoys the confidence of the majority of the House.
During the session, the Chief Minister himself moves the confidence motion, which is then debated by the members. The motion is finally decided either through a voice vote or division voting.
Key Political Moment Before Cabinet Expansion
The upcoming session is seen as an important formality before the government proceeds with expanding its council of ministers. With numbers firmly in its favour, the NDA is expected to comfortably pass the trust vote, paving the way for the next phase of governance in the state.