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ASSIGNMENT REPORT

ON

PAPER III

LAWS AND RULES REGULATING PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE OF PARLIAMENT AND STATE
LEGISLATURE

ASSIGNMENT TOPIC

THE RELEVANCE OF QUESTION HOUR IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS

SIGNATURE

--------------------

1
CONTENTS

 Introduction

 The question hour (Lok Sabha)

 Types of questions

 Notices of questions

 Mode of asking questions

 Half-an-hour discussion

 Questions and half-an-hour discussion in Rajya Sabha

 Grouping of ministries and types of questions

 Question lists

 Withdrawal or postponement of questions

 Final lists of questions

 Sets of answers

 Corrections to answers

 Short notice questions

 Half-an-hour discussion

 Attendance during question hour

 Conclusion

 Reference

2
INTRODUCTION

India has a unique and substantial form of parliamentary system and the parliamentary
procedures, which holds a novel identity among the parliamentary frameworks all across the
world. By virtue of its nature and substance, the Indian parliamentary framework is only a
strong set of rules and directions that govern the Indian democracy.

The fact that the Indian parliament continues to survive and exist even today, is a great
achievement for the Indian democracy. It can be even said that the Indian parliamentary
system is an achievement of the trust of the Indian people and their resolve to make the
Indian democracy as a success.

This is perhaps the reason why the framework of the parliament is such that it consists of
some colossal powers which ensure that the democracy system takes place in an exact
manner that it was initially intended by the policymakers.Some of the most important and
pivotal parliamentary procedures contain certain rules and regulations that ensure that the
Indian democracy functions seamlessly and governance takes place in a fair and systematic
manner. As per the Article 79 on the Constitution of India, a parliamentary council in India
consists of two separate houses, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha respectively.

As stated in article 74 of the Constitution of India, A council of ministers, headed by the


Prime Minister of India, shall be responsible for assisting the president of the country, to
exercise and perform the functions entrusted to him, with the help of such council. It can
be rightly said that this council is truly vested with some exceptional administrative powers.

Under the parliamentary procedures, the role of the two houses is to seat it many Members of
the parliament (MP’s) and allow the formulation of various laws and orders, which would
help in the better functioning of the country.Question Hour is the first hour of a sitting
session of India's Lok Sabha devoted to questions that Members of Parliament raise about
any aspect of administrative activity.

The concerned Minister is obliged to answer to the Parliament, either orally or in writing,
depending on the type of question raised. Questions are one of the ways Parliament can hold
the Executive accountable.Parliament is empowered to ensure that the Government and

3
executive are accountable and can keep the bureaucracy in check. That’s why we need longer
House sessions

Fundamentally, the bureaucracy forms the other arms of the Government because unlike the
elected representatives, who may be voted out in an election or the judiciary, which has to
justify its decisions through reasoned orders that may even be challenged and are a matter of
public record, the bureaucracy can really be held accountable by elected representatives, who
are in turn answerable to the public. This is one of the primary reasons why both Houses, at
the Centre and in the States, must be more active so as to ensure that those individuals, who
are actually responsible for the day-to-day working of the country, are held accountable along
with the MPs and MLAs.

4
THE QUESTION HOUR (LOK SABHA)

Generally, the first hour of a sitting of Lok Sabha is devoted to Questions and that hour is
called the Question Hour. 1It has a special significance in the proceedings of Parliament.
Asking of questions is an inherent and unfettered parliamentary right of members. It is during
the Question Hour that the members can ask questions on every aspect of administration and
Governmental activity.

Government policies in national as well as international spheres come into sharp focus as the
members try to elicit pertinent information during the Question Hour. The Government is, as
it were, put on its trial during the Question Hour and every Minister whose turn it is to
answer questions has to stand up and answer for his or his administration’s acts of omission
and commission.

Through the Question Hour the Government is able to quickly feel the pulse of the nation and
adapt its policies and actions accordingly. It is through questions in Parliament that the
Government remains in touch with the people in as much as members are enabled thereby to
ventilate the grievances of the public in matters concerning the administration. Questions
enable Ministries to gauge the popular reaction to their policy and administration. Questions
bring to the notice of the Ministers many an abuse which otherwise would have gone
unnoticed. Sometimes questions may lead to the appointment of a commission, a court of
enquiry or even legislation when matters raised are grave enough to agitate the public mind
and are of wide public importance. 2

The Question Hour is an interesting part of the Parliamentary proceedings. Although a


question mainly seeks information and tries to elicit facts on a particular subject, there are
many a time lively and quicksilver repartees between the Members asking the questions and
the Ministers answering them. These repartees are sometimes coupled with flashes of wit and
humour. That is why the public galleries and the press galleries are packed to capacity during
the Question Hour.

1
Agrawal, A. (2005). The Indian Parliament. In Kapur, D., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), Public institutions in India:
Performance and design (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press
2
Lok Sabha Secretariat . (2003). Indian parliamentary companion: Who’s who of members of Lok Sabha: First
to thirteenth Lok Sabha. Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat

5
Types of Questions

Questions are of four types:-3

 Starred
 Un-starred
 Short Notice Questions
 Questions addressed to private Members:

1. A Starred Question is one to which a member desires an oral answer in the House and
which is distinguished by an asterisk mark. When a question is answered orally,
supplementary questions can be asked thereon. Only 20 questions can be listed for oral
answer on a day. 4

2. An Un-starred Question is one which is not called for oral answer in the House and on
which no supplementary questions can consequently be asked. To such a question, a written
answer is deemed to have been laid on the Table after the Question Hour by the Minister to
whom it is addressed. It is printed in the official report of the sitting of the House for which it
is put down. Only 230 questions can be listed for written answer on a day. In addition to this,
25 more questions can also be included in the Un-starred List relating to the States under
Presidential Rule and the total number of questions in the list of Un-starred Questions for a
day may not exceed 255 in relaxation of normal limit of 230 questions.

3. A Short Notice Question is one which relates to a matter of urgent public importance and
can be asked with shorter notice than the period of notice prescribed for an ordinary question.
Like a starred question, it is answered orally followed by supplementary questions.

4. The Question to a Private Member is addressed to the Member himself/herself and it is


asked when the subject matter of it pertains to any Bill, Resolution or any matter relating to
the Business of the House for which that Member is responsible. For such Questions, the
same procedure is followed as in the case of Questions addressed to a Minister with such
variations as the Speaker may consider necessary or convenient.5

Notices of Questions

3
Banerjee, S. (2006). Salvaging an endangered institution. Economic and Political Weekly, 41(36), 3837–3841
4
Ibid
5
Wallack, J. S. (2008). India’s parliament as a representative institution. India Review, 7(2), 91–114

6
A member gives notice in writing addressed to the Secretary-General, Lok Sabha, intimating
his intention to ask a question. Besides the text of the question, the notice states clearly the
official designation of the Minister to whom the question is addressedas also the date on
which the question is desired to be placed on the list of questions for answer as also the
order of preference, if any, for its being placed on the list of questions when a member
tables more than one notice of questions for the same day.

The normal period of notice of a question is not more than twenty-one and not less than ten
clear days. A short notice question can be asked with a notice shorter than ten days, but the
member has to state briefly the reasons for asking the question at short notice.6

Mode of Asking Questions

The member whose question has been admitted and which is included in the list of questions
for oral answers for a particular day, rises in his/her seat when the turn of his/her question
comes and asks his/her question by reading out its number on the list of questions. The
Minister concerned answers the question.

Thereafter the member who had asked the question can ask only two supplementary
questions. (After him/her the second member whose name is clubbed on the question is
allowed to ask one supplementary question.) Thereafter, the Speaker allows one
supplementary each to members who are able to catch his eye. The number of such members
depends on the importance of the question.

Then the next question is taken up. The replies to questions not reached for oral answer
during the Question Hour are deemed to have been laid on the Table of Lok Sabha. At the
end of the Question Hour, i.e. after the questions for oral answer have been answered, Short
Notice Question, if any, for that day is taken up and disposed of in the same way as the
questions for oral answers.7

Half-an-Hour Discussion

6
Shankar, B. L., Rodrigues, V. (2010). The Indian Parliament: A democracy at work. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press
7
Ibid

7
Where answer to a question whether Starred or Un-starred needs elucidation on a matter of
fact, any member can table a notice for raising Half-an-Hour Discussion thereon. If the notice
is admitted and gets priority in ballot such a discussion may be allowed by the Speaker. 8

During the discussion, the member who has given notice makes a short statement and not
more than four other members, who have given advance notice (before 11.00 hours on the
day on which discussion is to be held) are permitted to ask a question each for further
elucidating any matter of fact. Thereafter, the Minister concerned replies.9

QUESTIONS AND HALF-AN-HOUR DISCUSSION IN RAJYA SABHA

The ‘Question Hour’ is an important part of the parliamentary proceedings which gives the
institution of Parliament the great significance it possesses. This Hour has assumed greater
importance because the members can elicit information through questions on matters
affecting the day-to-day life of the citizens for which Ministers are collectively and severally
answerable to the legislature. This parliamentary device, in fact, is primarily meant for
exercising a kind of legislative control over executive actions.

Besides, the Members also find an opportunity through this device to criticise Government's
policies and programmes; ventilate public grievances; expose Government's lapses; and
extract promises from Ministers. Members also get opportunity to give vent to their feelings
when they are not satisfied with the answers by putting supplementaries. The Question Hour
serves another purpose. The Ministers are also made aware of the working of their
departments at the ground level which otherwise could have gone unnoticed.10

Although the apparent purpose of asking a question is to elicit information, the real object of
the member is to point out shortcomings of the administration; to ascertain the thinking of the
Government on a particular matter or even to help the Government in formulating their
policy; and where policy already exists, in making suitable modifications in that policy. Thus,
answers to questions achieve twin objectives -- one, the public at large comes to know of the
policies of the Government and two, information about public reaction and public opinion
about a Government policy and its implementation including its shortcomings is fed back to

8
Hewitt, V., Rai, S. M. (2010). The Indian parliament. In Jayal, N. G., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), The Oxford
Companion to Politics in India (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press
9
Banerjee, S. (2006). Salvaging an endangered institution. Economic and Political Weekly, 41(36), 3837–3841
10
Ibid

8
the Government to enable them to make necessary modifications, if required in the public
interest.11

The Question Hour sometimes witnesses fine repartees, full of wit and humour. Ministers
doing their home work are better equipped to face the questions as well as the volley of
supplementaries which throw a searchlight on the working of the administration.

Thus, the Question Hour enjoys a special place in the parliamentary proceedings. Perhaps this
is the only parliamentary device which is made use of by most of the Members of the House.
This device is an effective method for obtaining information on a variety of matters
concerning administration. The Question Hour also provides a wide attraction to the press as
well as the public.12

Ministers have to be precise and accurate while answering questions. The information given
through the answers is always taken as authentic. So, Ministers have to be very careful while
giving answers. They cannot afford to mislead the House by giving wrong and inaccurate
answers which might lead to raising questions of privilege. If a Minister later finds that the
information supplied is inaccurate or incorrect, he may make a statement in the House
correcting the previous answer, in case it is a starred question or lay a statement on the Table
of the House, in case of an unstarred question. Where a Minister feels that he cannot supply
authentic information when the question is asked, he may ask for time and assure the House
to supply it as soon as it is available. A Minister may refuse an answer to a question in public
interest. A heavy responsibility devolves on a Minister while answering a question as he
presents the viewpoint of the Government in the House.

Like other legislatures, Rajya Sabha has provided for the procedure for asking questions in its
Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. The first sitting of Rajya Sabha was held on 13
May 1952. From that day till 26 May 1952 there was no Question Hour in the House. The
first half-an-hour was made available for asking and answering questions on 27 and 28 May
13
1952. In Rajya Sabha the questions were thus put for the first time on 27 May 1952. The
Chairman, Rajya Sabha made an announcement on 14 July 1952 regarding amendment in the
Rules thereby making the first hour of the sitting on every Monday to Thursday available for

11
Lok Sabha Secretariat . (2003). Indian parliamentary companion: Who’s who of members of Lok Sabha: First
to thirteenth Lok Sabha. Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat
12
Agrawal, A. (2005). The Indian Parliament. In Kapur, D., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), Public institutions in India:
Performance and design (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press
13
Ibid

9
asking questions. The new procedure was followed in the House from 21 July 1952. This
procedure continued till July 1964 when it was further revised to include Friday also.14

Rule 38 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha provides that
unless the Chairman otherwise directs, the first hour of every sitting shall be available for the
asking and answering of questions.

The Question Hour starts at 11.00 a.m. and concludes at 12.00 noon on five days a week
when the House sits, i.e., from Monday to Friday. In case any other business like oath taking
by members or obituary references is taken up at 11.00 a.m. the time taken thereon is not
made good by extending the Question Hour beyond 12.00 noon.

Asking of questions is an inherent parliamentary right of a member irrespective of his party


affiliation. Hence every member, whether belonging to the ruling party or the Opposition, is
entitled to ask questions. Members can ask questions on different aspects of administration
and governmental activity. Questions are to be addressed to a Minister for the purpose of
eliciting information on a matter of public importance within the cognizance of that
Minister.15

Grouping of Ministries and types of questions

For the purpose of answering questions in Rajya Sabha, the Ministries and Departments of
the Government of India have been divided into five Groups, i.e., I, II, III, IV and V and
these Groups have been allotted Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays, respectively. The grouping is done in such a way that each Minister has one day
fixed in the week for answering questions in Rajya Sabha and another fixed day in the week
for answering questions in Lok Sabha.16

Changes are introduced in the grouping of Ministries according to the changes in the
restructuring of Ministries or due to a reshuffle in the portfolios of Ministers or some such
valid reasons. In each Group of Ministries, there are some important Ministries about which
more questions are tabled. Grouping is done in such a way that, as far as practicable, each
Group has approximately the same number of questions. The Ministries which attract a large

14
Shankar, B. L., Rodrigues, V. (2010). The Indian Parliament: A democracy at work. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press
15
Ibid
16
Hewitt, V., Rai, S. M. (2010). The Indian parliament. In Jayal, N. G., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), The Oxford
Companion to Politics in India (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press

10
number of questions are not usually bunched together; one or two such Ministries are
normally put along with other Ministries which attract lesser number of questions.

Questions in Rajya Sabha have been categorised as under:-

Starred Questions: Questions to which answers are desired to be given orally on the floor of
the House during the Question Hour. These are distinguished in the printed lists by asterisks.

Unstarred Questions: Questions to which written answers are given by Ministers which are
deemed to have been laid on the Table of the House at the end of the Question Hour.

Short Notice Questions: Such questions can be asked orally in the House after the Question
Hour or as the first item in the agenda where there is no Question Hour at a notice shorter
than that prescribed for Starred and Unstarred Questions. These must relate to a subject-
matter considered by the Chairman to be of urgent public importance.17

Supplementary Questions: These are questions which arise out of a Minister's answer to a
Starred or Short Notice Question. These can be asked with the Chair's permission
immediately after the Minister has answered the main question, for the purpose of further
elucidating any matter of fact.

Notices of questions

A member has to give a minimum of 15 clear days' notice of a question. Members can give
notices of questions after the issue of summons. In respect of all notices of questions for any
particular day received up to 3.00 p.m. of the last date of receipt of such notices under Rule
39 of the Rules of Procedure, two draws of lot are held at 5.00 p.m. on that day with a view to
determining the inter se priority of members who have given such notices and the lists of
Starred and Unstarred Questions are prepared in accordance with the result of such draw of
lot.18

A member can give as many notices of questions as he likes for a particular day but only
seven notices are considered for one date and rest are to be carried over to the next date and
the total number of questions that can be put down in his name in the list of questions, both
Starred and Unstarred together for a day cannot exceed five.19

17
Wallack, J. S. (2008). India’s parliament as a representative institution. India Review, 7(2), 91–114
18
Ibid
19
supra

11
In order to enable members to address their questions to the appropriate Ministers, a booklet
entitled "Subjects for which various Ministers are responsible for answering questions in
Rajya Sabha" is brought out by the Rajya Sabha Secretariatas and when it becomes
necessary. This booklet is based on the information furnished by the Cabinet Secretariat.
Admissibility of questions

The admissibility of questions in Rajya Sabha is governed by Rules 47 - 50 of Rules of


Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).

Questions seeking information on matters falling within the exclusive domain of the States
and for which the State Governments are not answerable to the Union Government are
generally not admitted. When a State is under the President’s Rule, all Questions pertaining
to matters falling within the sphere of that State are admitted. Usually the following types of
questions are admitted for written answer, that is, as Unstarred Questions :

 questions seeking information of statistical nature;


 questions seeking information in great details;
 questions raising matters of local interest;
 questions relating to strength of staff in Government offices or Departments and
representation in the service of communities protected under the Constitution;
 questions on which prima facie there could be no scope for Supplementaries;
 questions asking for statements to be laid on the Table; and
 questions of interest only to a limited section of the people.20

These, however, are only illustrative of the types of questions which may be admitted as
Unstarred. Each question, however, is considered on its merit.

In certain cases it becomes necessary to refer a question to the Ministry concerned to


ascertain facts in the first instance. This is ordinarily done in the following circumstances:21

 where the responsibility of the Central Government is not clear;


 where the question prima facie relates to a matter affecting the security of the country;
 where the subject-matter of the question appears to be

20
Agrawal, A. (2005). The Indian Parliament. In Kapur, D., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), Public institutions in India:
Performance and design (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press
21
Hewitt, V., Rai, S. M. (2010). The Indian parliament. In Jayal, N. G., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), The Oxford
Companion to Politics in India (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press

12
 sub judice;
 where relations with foreign countries are involved; and
 where the subject-matter is already under the consideration of a Parliamentary
Committee.22

Ministries are requested to furnish these types of facts as well as other factual information to
the Rajya Sabha Secretariat as early as possible. Inclusion of a question in the list of
questions for oral answer depends upon the priority secured by the member in the draw of lot,
the order of preference indicated by him and the orders passed by the competent authority.

On receipt of the facts from the Ministry in response to the reference made by the Secretariat,
the question is further examined and thereafter a decision is taken. Admitting or disallowing
questions is the sole discretion of the Chairman.23

Rule 47(2)(i) of the Rajya Sabha Rules provides that a question "shall be pointed, specific
and confined to one issue only." Rule 47(2)(vii) provides that a question shall not exceed 100
words.

Questions containing arguments, inferences or defamatory statements or which otherwise


refer to the conduct or character of any person except in his official or public capacity are not
admitted. Questions which are in substance repetitions of those that have been answered
previously or in regard to which information is available in accessible documents or in
ordinary works of references are not admitted24. Besides, if subject-matter of a question is
pending consideration before any court of law or is under consideration of a Parliamentary
Committee, the same is not permitted to be asked. Questions making discourteous references
to a friendly foreign country are not admitted. Similarly, questions which raise policy matters
too large to be dealt within the limits of an answer to a question are not generally admitted.

Question lists

Under Rule 51-A, the total number of questions to be included in the lists of questions for
oral and written answers for any day shall not exceed 175 including 20 questions for oral

22
Banerjee, S. (2006). Salvaging an endangered institution. Economic and Political Weekly, 41(36), 3837–3841
23
Ibid
24
Lok Sabha Secretariat . (2003). Indian parliamentary companion: Who’s who of members of Lok Sabha: First
to thirteenth Lok Sabha. Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat

13
answers, questions postponed from one list of questions to another for written answers and 15
questions pertaining to the State(s) under the President's Rule.25

For determining the inter se priority of members for including their questions admitted for
oral and written answers, two ballots are held on the last day for receipt of questions for the
day. The Ballot for Starred Questions indicates names of members for a list of 20 questions.
A separate ballot indicating the ballot priority of members for including their questions for
written answers for a list of 155 questions in pursuance of Rule 51- A is held simultaneously.
26
The ballot priority thus obtained by each member who has given notices for a day, is
displayed on the Notice Board in the Outer Lobby of Rajya Sabha.

After the last date of receipt of questions for a particular date is over, the admitted questions
for oral answers are arranged in order of priority obtained by the members in the draw of lot
and also as per the preferences indicated by the members on the notices. In putting down the
questions in the list, questions of first priority of the members are included unless they have
been admitted as Unstarred or disallowed or transferred. Where there is no question admitted
as Starred from any of the members securing a position within the limit of twenty, a question
from the member securing the twenty-first position is put down in the list and so on.

The list of questions for written answers does not contain more than 155 questions and is
prepared on the basis of the ballot priority indicated in the ballot for written answers. To
illustrate the point, if for Monday 100 members have given their notices, the ballot will
indicate 100 priorities and 100 questions for written answers will be included as per the
priority indicated. For the rest of 55 questions the priority commencing from serial No. 1 of
the ballot for written answers will be taken in the second round. This process will continue
until the ceiling of 155 is reached or all the questions have been exhausted.27

The left over admitted questions after 155, if any, may be carried over to the next date. While
preparing the list of questions for written answers, questions which have been postponed
from any previous date(s) and also 15 questions pertaining to States under President's Rule
may also be included within the limit of 155 questions per day as per rule.28

25
Wallack, J. S. (2008). India’s parliament as a representative institution. India Review, 7(2), 91–114
26
Ibid
27
Shankar, B. L., Rodrigues, V. (2010). The Indian Parliament: A democracy at work. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press
28
Agrawal, A. (2005). The Indian Parliament. In Kapur, D., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), Public institutions in India:
Performance and design (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press

14
The list of questions is printed both in English and Hindi. The printed lists are circulated to
Ministries/ Members five clear days in advance of the date of answer.29

Withdrawal or postponement of questions

A member may, by notice given at any time before the meeting for which his question has
been placed on the list, withdraw his question or have it postponed to a later day to be
specified in the notice, and on such later day the question shall be placed on the list after all
questions which have not been so postponed, provided that a postponed question shall not be
placed on the list until two clear days have expired from the time when the notice of
postponement has been received by the Secretary-General.

Final lists of questions

The printed lists of questions, circulated to Ministers are the final lists on the basis of which
Ministries frame their answers.30

Sets of answers

Five sets of answers are sent to the Press Gallery of Rajya Sabha for use by Press
Correspondents in the Gallery. These answers are, however, not made public until the
Question Hour is over and have been answered in the House or laid on the Table of the
House.

Five complete sets of English/Hindi versions of answers to Starred and Short Notice
Questions included in a day's list are placed in the Notice Office an hour before the
commencement of the Question Hour for reference by members.

When Question Hour is dispensed with owing to the cancellation of the sitting of the House
or its adjournment without transacting any business, the questions entered in the lists of
questions (both Starred and Unstarred) for that day are treated as Unstarred Questions for the
next sitting and printed with their answers as such in the official report of that day.31

Corrections to answers

29
Ibid
30
Hewitt, V., Rai, S. M. (2010). The Indian parliament. In Jayal, N. G., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), The Oxford
Companion to Politics in India (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press
31
Banerjee, S. (2006). Salvaging an endangered institution. Economic and Political Weekly, 41(36), 3837–3841

15
When a Minister wishes to correct any inaccuracy in the information which he has earlier
given in answer to a Starred/Short Notice Question or a Supplementary Question he may,
with the prior permission of the Chairman, make a statement on the floor of the House
correcting the reply already given by him. In respect of an Unstarred Question, a statement
correcting the reply is laid on the Table of the House by the Minister.32

Short Notice Questions

On receipt of a Short Notice Question it is examined to ascertain if it relates to a matter of


public importance which requires urgent attention. An inquiry is made from the Minister as to
whether he is prepared to answer the question at a short notice. If the Minister is not in a
position to answer the question at a short notice, an intimation to that effect is sent to the
member concerned. There is, however, a provision in the Rules that if the Chairman is of the
opinion that a Short Notice Question which a Minister is unable to answer at short notice is of
sufficient public importance to be orally answered in the House, he may direct that the
question be placed as the first question on the list of questions for the day on which it would
be due for answer under the Rules. Ordinarily, not more than one such question on a day is
given such priority.33

Half-an-hour discussion

Members can give notice under Rule 60(2) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of
Business in Rajya Sabha for raising discussion on a matter of sufficient public importance
which has been the subject of a recent question, oral or written and the answer to which needs
elucidation on a matter of fact.

The discussion, if admitted, is limited to half-an-hour and is held in the last half-an-hour of a
sitting.

A member wishing to raise a half-an-hour discussion has to give notice in writing at least
three days in advance of the day on which the discussion is desired to be raised. He has to
specify in the notice the date on which he desires to raise the discussion, the points on which
elucidation is required and the question whose reply needs further elucidation. The notice

32
Ibid
33
Wallack, J. S. (2008). India’s parliament as a representative institution. India Review, 7(2), 91–114

16
should also be accompanied by an explanatory note stating the reasons for raising discussion
and should be countersigned by two other members.34

The notices are carefully scrutinised and the following points are examined with reference to
the original reply given to the questions and supplementaries thereon:

 whether the points intended to be raised by the member arise out of the answer to the
relevant question;
 whether the period of notice satisfies the requirements of Rule 60(2);
 whether the points desired to be raised have been specified and relate to a matter of
fact; and
 whether the reasons stated justify a discussion being raised.

When a notice is to be put down for discussion, the Ministry concerned is informed and
copies of the notice, explanatory note and points proposed to be raised by the member are
sent to the Ministry.

On the date when the discussion is to take place members may with the permission of the
Chairman ask clarificatory questions. The member raising the discussion, when called by the
Chairman, makes a short statement and the Minister concerned replies thereafter.

If the member who has given the notice for half-an-hour discussion is absent, any other
member who has supported the notice may, with the permission of the Chairman, initiate the
discussion.35

Observations of hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha regarding Questions

In order to make the question procedure more effective, the hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha,
Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat made the following important observations :

Restriction on supplementary questions

On 25 November 2002, during the Question Hour, he observed that henceforth not more than
two members would be allowed to ask supplementaries on a Starred Question, apart from the

34
Agrawal, A. (2005). The Indian Parliament. In Kapur, D., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), Public institutions in India:
Performance and design (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford University Press
35
Lok Sabha Secretariat . (2003). Indian parliamentary companion: Who’s who of members of Lok Sabha: First
to thirteenth Lok Sabha. Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat

17
member(s) against whose name the question is listed, so that maximum number of questions
could be covered for oral answer.36

Attendance during Question Hour

On 26 November 2002, immediately after the Question Hour was over, he observed that since
a lot of time and effort is involved in preparation of answer to a question, a member in whose
name question is listed for oral answer, shall remain present in the House during Question
Hour. In case of his/her inability to do so, he/she must either give prior intimation to the
Chairman in writing or seek his prior permission to authorise some other member to ask the
question on his/her behalf.37

36
Shankar, B. L., Rodrigues, V. (2010). The Indian Parliament: A democracy at work. New Delhi: Oxford
University Press
37
Banerjee, S. (2006). Salvaging an endangered institution. Economic and Political Weekly, 41(36), 3837–3841

18
CONCLUSION

A short notice question is one that is asked by giving a notice of less than ten days. It is
answered orally. Each MP can submit a maximum of 10 questions for each day of the
Parliament’s sitting when question hour is to take place. The submissions are made 15 days
before the date assigned for answer and a paper signed by the MP listing the question must be
submitted in the parliamentary notice office. An un-starred question, on the other hand,
requires a written answer and hence, supplementary questions cannot follow. It Requires a
time-period of 10 days. A starred question (distinguished by an asterisk) requires an oral
answer and hence supplementary questions can follow. Only 20 questions can be listed for
oral answer on a day. First hour, i.e. 11a.m. to 12 a.m. of every parliamentary sitting is slotted
for this. During this time, the members ask questions and the ministers usually give answers.
The questions are of three kinds, namely, starred, un-starred and short notice.

The privilege of asking starred and unstarred questions are with the members of parliament.
There are two different forms for starred and unstarred questions. A question in form meant
for starred question is a starred question and question in a form for unstarred question is an
unstarred question.

Minimum period of notice for starred/ unstarred question is 10 clear days. The normal period
of notice does not apply to Short Notice Questions which relate to matters of urgent public
importance. However, a Short Notice Question may only be answered on short notice if so
permitted by the Speaker and the Minister concerned is prepared to answer it at shorter
notice. A Short Notice Question is taken up for answer immediately after the Question Hour.

The questions are of three types, namely,

Starred questions:

 These are distinguished by an asterisk.


 It requires an oral answer and hence supplementary questions can follow.
 The list of these questions is printed in green colour.

Unstarred questions:
 It requires a written answer and hence, supplementary questions cannot follow.
 The list of these questions is printed in white colour.

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Short notice questions:

 The matters of public importance and of urgent character are considered under this
type of questions.
 It is asked by giving a notice of less than ten days.
 It is answered orally.
 The list of these questions is printed in light pink colour.
 In addition to the ministers, the questions can also be asked to the private members.

Question to private members:

 These questions are mentioned under Rule 40 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct
of Business in Lok Sabha.
 A question may be addressed to a private member if the subject matter of the question
relates to some bill, resolution for which that member is responsible.
 The list of these questions is printed in yellow colour.

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REFERENCE

 Agrawal, A. (2005). The Indian Parliament. In Kapur, D., Mehta, P. B. (Eds.), Public
institutions in India: Performance and design (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford
University Press.
 Banerjee, S. (2006). Salvaging an endangered institution. Economic and Political
Weekly, 41(36), 3837–3841.
 Wallack, J. S. (2008). India’s parliament as a representative institution. India Review,
7(2), 91–114
 Shankar, B. L., Rodrigues, V. (2010). The Indian Parliament: A democracy at
work. New Delhi: Oxford University Press
 Lok Sabha Secretariat . (2003). Indian parliamentary companion: Who’s who of
members of Lok Sabha: First to thirteenth Lok Sabha. Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat
 Hewitt, V., Rai, S. M. (2010). The Indian parliament. In Jayal, N. G., Mehta, P. B.
(Eds.), The Oxford Companion to Politics in India (pp. 28–42). New Delhi: Oxford
University Press

21

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