Why in News?

The Lok Sabha Secretariat officially released the schedule for the monsoon Parliament session that starts on September 14, with Question Hour dropped in LS

Question Hour

The first hour 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, unstarred and short notice.
  • Starred question (Mentioned by an asterisk *) : Requires an oral answer and hence supplementary
    questions can follow.
  • Unstarred question : Requires a written answer and hence, supplementary questions cannot follow.
  • Short notice question : Asked by giving a notice of less than ten days. It is answered orally.
• Zero Hour
  • Zero hour is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure.
  • The zero hour starts immediately after the question hour and lasts until the agenda for the day.
• Importance of the question Hour
  • Members of Parliament ask questions of ministers and hold them accountable for the functioning of their ministries.
  • Questions have exposed financial irregularities and brought data and information regarding government functioning to the public domain.
  • In 2014, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari shifted Question Hour in the House from 11 am to 12 noon.
  • Questions have to be limited to 150 words and precise.
  • Presiding officers of the two Houses who finally decide whether a question raised by an MP will be admitted for answering by the government.
  • Question Hour in both Houses is held on all days of the session.
    • But there are two days when an exception is made.
    • There is no Question Hour on the day the President addresses MPs from both Houses in the Central Hall.
    • Question Hour is not scheduled either on the day the Finance Minister presents the Budget.
  • Ministries receive the questions 15 days in advance so that they can prepare their ministers for Question Hour.
  • Chinese aggression in 1962 the sitting of the House started at 12 pm and there was no Question Hour held.

Source : The Hindu

Topic

Prelims : Question Hour

GS : Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these

Current Affairs Compilation : 3 September 2020