Background: The Gujarat Assembly
has issued an order restricting the number of unstarred questions an MLA can
ask to three per week. The Opposition Congress in Gujarat is up in arms against
an order of Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi barring MLAs from asking more
than three unstarred questions per week. It has described the Speaker’s action
as “an attempt to stifle the voice of Opposition” and “an attack on the right
of MLAs to raise people’s issues”.
Types of questions
Starred Questions: These are questions that are answered orally on
the floor of the House by the Minister concerned during Question Hour. These
are identified in the printed lists of questions by an asterisk. Following an
answer by the Minister, the member concerned is entitled to ask two
supplementary questions.
Unstarred Questions: These are questions to which written answers
are given by Ministers, that are deemed to have been tabled in the House at the
end of Question Hour. In this case, members are not entitled to ask
supplementary questions.
Allotment of time: In both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, a member has
to give at least 15 clear days’ notice for both Starred and Unstarred
Questions. The notice is sent to the Ministry concerned by the Lok Sabha/Rajya
Sabha Secretariat.
Selection process: A ballot is held for all notices received by the
Secretariat on the fifteenth day before the respective date of the answer
through a computerised auto-ballot system to determine their inter-se priority.
Separate ballots are held for Starred and Unstarred Questions, and results of
ballots are displayed in the Parliamentary Notice Office. Starred and Unstarred
Questions are numbered separately according to the priority gained by them at
the ballot.
Rules Regulating Questions
The Speaker of the Lower
House has been issuing, from time to time under his inherent powers, directives
to regulate the working of the House under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct
of Business.
The Lok Sabha has very elaborate
provisions with regard to Questions. Rule 45(2) of the Rules of Procedure and
Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha says: “In the list of questions for written
answer on any one day, not more than four questions by the same member if she
or he has one question in the list of questions for oral answer, and not more
than five questions if that member has none in the list of questions for oral
answer, and not more than 230 questions in all, shall be included.”
“Unless the Speaker otherwise
directs, not less than fifteen clear days’ notice of a question shall be
given,” says Rule 33 of the Rules.
As for the format, the notice of
a question has to be given in writing to the Secretary-General along with a
mention of the Minister to whom the question is addressed.
“If in the opinion of the Speaker
any question put down for oral answer is of such a nature that a written reply
would be more appropriate, the Speaker may direct that such question be placed
on the list of questions for written answer.” (Rule 44)
“A member who desires an oral
answer to one’s question shall distinguish it by an asterisk. If the member
does not distinguish it by an asterisk, the question shall be placed on the
list of questions for written answer.” (Rule 36)
And, “Not more than one question
distinguished by an asterisk by the same member and not more than twenty
questions in all shall be placed on the list of questions for oral answer on
any one day.” (Rule 37(1))
When a large number of notices of
questions are received from several members on the same or allied subject, “the
Speaker may direct that all the notices be consolidated into a single notice
if, in the opinion of the Speaker, it is desirable to have a single
self-contained question covering all the important points raised by members,
and the Minister shall then give reply to the consolidated question”. (Rule
54(4))
Originally, the practice in Lok
Sabha was to skip an oral question if the member concerned was absent. However,
Somnath Chatterjee, who was Speaker from 2004-09, introduced a welcome change.
The current provision says: “If on a question being called it is not asked (or)
the member in whose name it stands is absent, the Speaker may direct that the
answer to it be given.” (Rule 48(3))
Credit: Indian Express Explained
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