Parliamentary Question Hour - Lok Sabha

Parliamentary Question Hour

Question Hour is a very important part of parliamentary proceedings in the Indian Parliament. Through the question hour, a member of parliament asks a question of public importance on a particular subject, which has to be answered by the concerned minister. Through the question hour, the government maintains contact with the public, because through this the member can ask questions on matters related to administration and government activities. Asks, and receives its answer from the concerned minister. Generally, the first one hour of the sitting of the Lok Sabha is reserved for the question hour.

The questions asked in the Question Hour of the Parliament are divided into four types. Whose details and rules related to asking questions are as follows.

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Type of Questions

The questions asked in the Parliament are mainly of four types –

1. Starred Question
2. Unstarred Question
3. Short Notice Question
4. Questions to Private Members

Apart from the above mentioned questions, some other questions are also asked in the House, which are as follows –

• Supplementary Question
• The Question of Order

Public Accounts Committee

1. Starred Question

The questions for which the members want to get the answer orally in the House are called Starred Questions. Generally, according to tradition, to identify such questions, members make a star-* mark in front of them. Due to which these questions are called starred questions. Starred questions are printed on green paper. In case of not getting satisfactory answers to such questions, the member can ask supplementary questions related to the main question.

2. Unstarred Question

The questions for which the member wants to get the answer in writing in the House are called unstarred questions. No mark is made in front of these questions. These types of questions are printed on white paper. No supplementary or supplementary question is asked after the unstarred question. Such questions are deemed to have been put on the Table of the House by the Minister.

3. Short Notice Question

A Member of Parliament can ask a question by giving a notice less than the limit prescribed for an oral answer to a question related to an urgent matter of public importance. These types of questions are called short notice questions. These types of questions are printed on light pink colored paper. These types of questions are answered orally. Generally, the minimum period for asking questions is 10 days.

4. Questions to Private Members

Such questions, the subject matter of which is related to a bill, resolution or other matter related to the conduct of business in the House and for which that member is responsible. Such questions are kept in the category of questions for private members. Such questions are printed on yellow paper. The same procedure is adopted for such questions, which is adopted in a letter addressed to a minister or as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha can change it.

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Supplementary Question

After answering the starred question or oral question by the concerned minister, the member can ask questions related to the main question, such questions are called supplementary questions or supplementary questions.

The Question of Order

This is an extraordinary parliamentary procedure, when raised, the proceedings of the House are suspended and the member or minister speaking at that time has to stop his speech or statement in the middle. To regulate the functions of the House by such question, to assist the Speaker of the Lok Sabha in the enforcement of the rules, instructions and constitution.

Procedure and rules related to questions

The rules relating to questions are laid down in rules 41 to 44 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. The various procedures related to the questions are as follows –

1. Starred and Unstarred Questions

• Members of Parliament have to give a minimum of 15 days' notice for a question. Members can give notice of questions from the next day after the invitation is sent by the Lok Sabha.
• The number of both starred and unstarred questions of a member cannot exceed 5 for any one day. In case more than 5 questions are received by the member, the remaining questions are listed for some other day for the same session.
• The number of words in the question should be around 150.
• The question should be addressed to the Secretary General, Lok Sabha on the prescribed form available in the Parliamentary Notice Office.
• In the notice of the letter addressed to the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha, the subject matter, the name and designation of the Minister of the Ministry concerned and the day fixed for the answer to the question should be clearly mentioned.
• If the number of questions is more than one, then their priority order must be mentioned.
• The name of the member should be written in capital letters on the top of the notice of questions.
• The notice of each question should be separately signed by the member.
• A question with the carbon signature of the member is treated as an unsigned question and is returned.
• In case the signature of the member does not match with the specimen signature, considering it suspicious, it is sent back to the member for signature matching with the specimen signature of the member.
• Unreadable questions are sent back to the member.
• If the notice of a question is signed by more than one member, it is deemed to have been given by the first signed member only.
• In case of identical questions being received by the members, the question of one member is accepted, which is determined by computerized self-ballot system. Other questions are rejected.

We will discuss about the  Procedure And Rules Related To Questions in next topic , to read this click here .

Public Undertaking Committee