The Parliament of India is debating the no-confidence motion presented by the opposition parties against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, who was reinstated as a legislator on Monday, will open the debate on behalf of the opposition.
Lawmakers will vote on the motion on Thursday after debate.
Mr Modi’s government will not lose votes as his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have a majority.
But opposition leaders say the debate will force Mr Modi to address the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur state.
The current parliamentary session, which began on July 20, has been marked by protests by opposition leaders who have demanded that Mr Modi address the House on the violence in Manipur.
More than 150 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced in Manipur since early May, when ethnic clashes erupted between the majority Meiti group and the tribal Kuki minority.
Federal Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the government is ready to discuss the issue and accused the opposition of ‘running away’.
Some important bills have been passed with little debate amid disruptions and protests.
This is the second time that Mr Modi’s government has faced a no-confidence motion since coming to power in 2014. In 2018, a legislator moved a motion to grant special category status to the state of Andhra Pradesh. He was defeated after 12 hours of debate.
The no-confidence debate will be an opportunity for the newly formed opposition alliance of 26 parties – known as India – to show its unity. The alliance, which was formed in July – aims to take on Mr Modi’s BJP in next year’s general election.
Mr Modi is expected to respond to the debate on Thursday.
