Question Hour
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- Timing: First hour of every parliamentary sitting is reserved for Question Hour.
- Significance: It is a mechanism through which legislators ask questions to the ministers. It ensures answerability of the executive to the parliament.
- Prior Notice: Members need to give a prior notice to the secretary-general of the concerned house before asking questions. Notice must be provided at least 10 days in advance.
- Types of questions:
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- Starred Questions: They are referred to as such because they include an asterisk symbol. Answers to these questions must be oral and the member asking the question gets to ask up to two supplementary questions after the reply from the concerned minister. A supplementary question may also be posed by a member other than the one who raised the initial question. Maximum 20 starred questions can be tabled for answers in the house on a particular day.
- Unstarred Questions: These types of questions do not carry an asterisk mark. This question necessitates a written response from the minister. No supplementary question follows on the reply from the concerned minister.
- Short Notice Questions: These pertain to urgent public matters and can be raised without a 10-day prior notice. These questions are answered orally.
- Questions can also be asked to a private member if he/she has moved a resolution, a motion or a bill in the house.
| Important note – Every member of the parliament, who is not a minister, is called a private member. |
Zero Hour
It is an Indian innovation in parliamentary processes that has been utilized since 1962. It is not included in the procedural rules of either house of Parliament. Zero hour begins immediately after the question hour ends and continues until the house starts the day’s agenda. During Zero hour, members have the opportunity to address issues without prior notice.
Motion
Definition: It is a procedural device to start a discussion in the House on a matter of general public interest.
- Purpose: To elicit a decision or an opinion of the house on a particular matter.
- Nature of Motions:
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- Substantive Motion: It is a self-contained motion addressing critical issues such as the impeachment of the President, removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, and so forth. Resolutions moved in a house fall are in the form of substantive motion.
- Substitute Motion: Motions moved in substitution of the original motion are called Substitute Motion. If the house approves a substitute motion, it takes precedence over the original motion.
- Subsidiary Motion: These are not capable of eliciting the decision of the House without reference to the original motion.
Types of Motions
| Category of Motion | Meaning and significance |
Closure Motion |
Purpose: To cut short a debate. Once this motion receives approval, the debate is halted and the issue is submitted for a vote. There are 4 types of Closure Motions:
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Privilege Motion |
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Calling Attention Motion |
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Adjournment Motion |
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Censure Motion |
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No-Confidence Motion |
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Motion of Thanks |
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Point of Order
- A Parliament member may raise a ‘point of order’ if they believe the house is not adhering to the Rules of Procedure.
- No discussion is permitted on a point of order.
- It is an exceptional mechanism as it halts the proceedings before the House.
- An opposition member usually raises it to exert control over the government.
Short duration discussion
- It is also referred to as a two-hour discussion.
- Members typically bring up urgent public matters. The presiding officer of the House, if satisfied, may allow the discussion at a date he/she deems fit.
- Concerned minister responds at the end of the discussion.
Half-an-hour Discussion
- When an answer to a starred or unstarred question needs further explanation, a member of the parliament can raise a request for half-an-hour discussion.
- The authority to permit such a discussion rests with the discretion of the Presiding officer.
Special Mention in Parliament
Any matter that cannot be raised during question hour, half-an-hour discussion, short duration discussion, or under adjournment motion, calling attention motion, or any other house rule, may be raised under Special Mention in both Houses.
Parliamentary Resolutions
A member or Minister can propose a resolution regarding matters of general public interest. Resolutions are similar to substantive motions and are used for raising very important issues.
Difference between motion and resolution
- All resolutions are classified as motions, while not all motions qualify as resolutions.
- All resolutions undergo voting, although not all motions are subjected to a vote by the house.
Types of Resolution
- Private Member Resolution: It is presented by a private member. Discussion on it is fixed on alternate Fridays and in afternoon sittings.
- Government Resolution: It is presented by a minister. This can be discussed on any day from Monday to Thursday.
- Statutory resolution: It can be introduced by either a private member or a minister. It is referred to as a ‘statutory’ resolution because it is always submitted in accordance with a provision in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.
