The ongoing Winter Session of the Parliament started on Monday, November 18, and it will continue till December 13. With the beginning of the current session, the Rajya Sabha marked its 250th session.
Here’s your complete Parliament guide:
What is Question Hour?
Generally, the first hour of a sitting of Lok Sabha is devoted to the Questions and this hour is called the Question Hour. It has a special significance in the proceedings of the Parliament.
It is during the Question Hour that the members can ask questions on every aspect of administration and Governmental activity. However, the Rajya Sabha has recently shifted the question to the afternoon session.
Type of Questions
(i) Starred Questions- A Starred Question is one to which a member desires an oral answer from the Minister in the House and is required to be distinguished by him/her with an asterisk.
(ii) Unstarred Questions- An Unstarred Question is one to which written answer is desired by the member and is deemed to be laid on the Table of the House by Minister. Thus it is not called for oral answer in the House and no supplementary question can be asked thereon.
(iii) Short Notice Questions- A member may give a notice of question on a matter of public importance and of urgent character for oral answer at a notice less than 10 days prescribed as the minimum period of notice for asking a question in ordinary course. Such a question is known as ‘Short Notice Question’.
(iv) Questions to Private Members- A question may also be addressed to a Private Member provided that the subject matter of the question relates to some Bill, Resolution or other matter connected with the business of the House for which that Member is responsible.
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What is Zero Hour?
The time immediately following the Question Hour has come to be known as “Zero Hour”. It starts at around 12 noon (hence the name) and members can, with prior notice to the Speaker, raise issues of importance during this time.
However, the Government is not obliged to answer the questions raised during the Zero Hour. It is referred as the time gap between the end of Question Hour and the beginning of the regular business.
Proceedings during Zero Hour
During the Zero Hour, the members of both the Houses get a chance to raise matters of public importance that need immediate attention. Only after the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs gives assurances on the issues raised during ‘Zero Hour’, the relevant extracts from the proceedings are sent to the concerned ministry on the same day.
The ministry takes over from there and initiates actions as deemed fit. Even if no assurance of action is given, the extracts are sent to the concerned departments. They may reply to the members after intimating the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
What is a privilege motion?
Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can “effectively discharge their functions”.
When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament. Privilege motion can ve moved against members of the house.
Who can move it and how?
A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege. Each House also claims the right to punish as contempt actions which, while not breach of any specific privilege, are offences against its authority and dignity.
What is adjournment motion?
The primary object of an adjournment motion is to draw the attention of the House to a recent matter of urgent public importance having serious consequences.
The adjournment motion is thus an extraordinary procedure which, if admitted, leads to setting aside the normal business of the House for discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance.
Presiding officers in Parliament
Lok Sabha
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament.
The Speaker is elected generally in the first meeting of the Lok Sabha following general elections. Serving for a term of five years, the speaker is chosen from sitting members of the Lok Sabha, and is by convention a member of the ruling party or alliance.
Om Birla is the current Speaker who presides over the 17th Lok Sabha.
Rajya Sabha
In Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the parliament, the Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the house who presides over its sessions.
Currently, Venkaiah Naidu is the Vice-President of India and the presiding officer of Rajya Sabha.