UPSC 2020

Topic – Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings – UPSC GS-II

In a parliamentary sitting, both the houses of the Indian Parliament have different devices of
Parliamentary proceedings. These devices are used to bring by the members of Parliament to act
according to the rules of the houses. This article will provide you with a list of 'Devices of
Parliamentary Proceedings,' which is a topic that comes under Indian Polity syllabus (GS-II) of the IAS
Exam.

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List of Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings

The table below mentions the different devices of Parliamentary Proceedings:

Devices of
Parliamentary Facts about Parliamentary Proceedings Devices
Proceedings
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.

1. A starred question (distinguished by an asterisk) requires an oral answer and

hence supplementary questions can follow.
Question Hour
2. An unstarred question, on the other hand, requires a written answer and hence,
supplementary questions cannot follow.

3. A short notice question is one that is asked by giving a notice of less than ten
days. It is answered orally.
It is a motion moved by a member to cut short the debate on a matter before the
House. If the motion is approved by the House, debate is stopped forthwith and the
Closure Motion matter is put to vote. There are four kinds of closure motions :

(a) Simple Closure: It is one when a member moves that the 'matter having been
 sufficiently discussed be now put to vote'.

(b) Closure by Compartments: In this case, the clauses of a bill or a lengthy

resolution are grouped into parts before the commencement of the debate. The
debate covers the part as a whole and the entire part is put to vote.

(c) Kangaroo Closure: Under this type, only important clauses are taken up for
debate and voting and the intervening clauses are skipped over and taken as
passed.

(d) Guillotine Closure: It is one when the undiscussed clauses of a bill or a

resolution are also put to vote along with the discussed ones due to want of time
(as the time allotted for the discussion is over).
Article 75 of the Constitution says that the council of ministers shall be
collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. It means that the ministry stays in office
No-Confidence so long as it enjoys confidence of the majority of the members of the Lok Sabha.
Motion In other words, the Lok Sabha can remove the ministry from office by passing a
no-confidence motion. The motion needs the support of 50 members to be
admitted.
It is concerned with the breach of parliamentary privileges by a minister. It is
moved by a member when he feels that a minister has committed a breach of
Privilege Motion privilege of the House or one or more of its members by withholding facts of a
case or by giving wrong or distorted facts. Its purpose is to censure the concerned
minister.
The first session after each general election and the first session of every fiscal
year is addressed by the president. In this address, the president outlines the
policies and programmes of the government in the preceding year and ensuing
year. This address of the president, which corresponds to the 'speech from the
Throne in Britain', is discussed in both the Houses of Parliament on a motion
Motion of Thanks
called the 'Motion of Thanks'. At the end of the discussion, the motion is put to
vote. This motion must be passed in the House. Otherwise, it amounts to the defeat
of the government. This inaugural speech of the president is an occasion available
to the members of Parliament to raise discussions and debates to ex-amine and
criticise the government and administration for its lapses and failures.
It is introduced in the Parliament by a member to call the attention of a minister to
a matter of urgent public importance, and to seek an authoritative statement from
Calling Attention
him on that matter. Like the zero hour, it is also an Indian innovation in the
Motion
parliamentary procedure and has been in existence since 1954. However, unlike
the zero hour, it is mentioned in the Rules of Procedure.
It is a motion that has been admitted by the Speaker but no date has been fixed for
its discussion. The Speaker, after considering the state of business in the House
No-Day-Yet-
and in consultation with the leader of the House or on the recommendation of the
Named-Motion
Business Advisory Committee, allots a day or days or part of a day for the
discussion of such a motion.
 It should state the reasons for its adoption in the Lok Sabha. It can be moved
against an individual minister or a group of ministers or the entire council of
Censure Motion ministers. It is moved for censuring the council of ministers for specific policies
and actions. If it is passed in the Lok Sabha, the council of ministers need not
resign from the office.
It is meant for discussing a matter of sufficient public importance, which has been
Half-an-Hour subjected to a lot of debate and the answer to which needs elucidation on a matter
Discussion of fact. The Speaker can allot three days in a week for such discussions. There is
no formal motion or voting before the House.
It is also known as two-hour discussion as the time allotted for such a discussion
should not exceed two hours. The members of the Parliament can raise such
Short Discussion discussions on a matter of urgent public importance. The Speaker can allot two
days in a week for such discussions. There is neither a formal motion before the
house nor voting. This device has been in existence since 1953.
A Member can raise a point of order when the proceedings of the House do not
follow the normal rules of procedure. A point of order should relate to the
interpretation or enforcement of the Rules of the House or such articles of the
Constitution that regulate the business of the House and should raise a question
Point of Order
that is within the cognizance of the Speaker. It is usually raised by an opposition
member in order to control the government. It is an extraordinary device as it
suspends the proceedings before the House. No debate is allowed on a point of
order.
A matter which is not a point of order or which cannot be raised during question
hour, half-an hour discussion, short duration discussion or under adjournment
Special Mention motion, calling attention notice or under any rule of the House can be raised under
the special mention in the Rajya Sabha. Its equivalent procedural device in the Lok
Sabha is known as 'Notice (Mention) Under Rule 377'.
When there is an urgent matter of public importance then a member may propose
Adjournment that the business of the house be adjourned for discussing that matter. This motion
Motion can be moved only with the consent of the Speaker. Generally such motions are
discussed in the afternoon at 4.00 p.m.
It refers to the last session of the existing Lok Sabha, after a new Lok Sabha has
Lame Duck Session been elected. Those members of the existing Lok Sabha who could not get re-
elected to the new Lok Sabha are called lame-ducks.

Types of Budgetary Motions

The most popular and well known motions which are used by members in connection with the budget
are three. The demand for grants are considered and passed by Lok Sabha. Hence, these motions can be
moved only in Lok Sabha.

1. Policy Cut: The member moves that the demand be reduced to one rupee. The member moving this
motion in fact wants to discuss the policy behind the demand in detail and gives alternative policy
suggestions.
2. Economy Cut: In this motion the reduction in the amount of demand is substantial. The amount to be
reduced is clearly stated and the object is to bring about economy in the expenditure.
3. Token Cut: In this motion the demand is sought to be reduced by Rs. 100/-. The object of the motion
is to ventilate specific grievances within the sphere of responsibility of the Government. Private
Member’s Resolution A resolution may be moved by a Minister or by a private member. For private
members generally afternoons are reserved on alternate Fridays. Resolutions are selected by ballot.
Resolutions may be brought under Rule 200 of the Lok Sabha for the removal of the Speaker or the
Deputy Speaker.