Key Parliamentary Terminologies

Question Hour

• Question Hour is the first hour of every Parliamentary sitting.
• During this period, Members of Parliament ask questions and Ministers are accountable for answering them.

Types of Questions

   1. Starred Question (★)

• • Requires an Oral Answer from the concerned Minister.
  • Supplementary Questions are permitted.
  • Normally, a Member may ask one Starred Question per day.

   2. Unstarred Question

• • Requires a Written Answer.
  • No Supplementary Questions are allowed.
  • Requires a 10-day Notice before submission.

   3. Short Notice Question

• • Raised on a matter of Urgent Public Importance.
  • Admitted with Shorter Notice than the prescribed period.
  • The Speaker/Chairman decides whether the matter is urgent.
  • The Member must state the Reasons for Urgency.

Zero Hour

• Begins immediately after Question Hour.
• Normally starts at 12 Noon.
• Members raise matters of Urgent Public Importance without prior notice.

Cut Motion

A Cut Motion is moved during the discussion on Demands for Grants to reduce Government expenditure and hold the Executive accountable.

Types of Cut Motions

   Policy Cut Motion

• • Expresses disapproval of Government Policy.
  • The demand is reduced to Re. 1.

   Economy Cut Motion

• • Seeks reduction by a Specified Amount.
  • Intended to ensure Economy in Public Expenditure.

   Token Cut Motion

• • Used to highlight a Specific Grievance against the Government.
  • The demand is reduced by ₹100.

Adjournment Motion

• Moved to Suspend the Normal Business of the House for discussing a matter of Definite, Urgent and Public Importance.
• Requires the support of 50 Members for admission.
• Notice must be submitted before the commencement of the sitting.

Calling Attention Motion

• Enables a Member, with the Prior Permission of the Speaker, to draw the attention of a Minister to an issue of Urgent Public Importance.
• The Minister may make a Statement or seek time to respond.

Privilege Motion

• Moved when a Member believes that:
  
  • A Minister, or
  • Another Member
• has committed a Breach of Parliamentary Privilege by suppressing facts or giving misleading information.

Point of Order

• Raised when the Rules of Procedure are violated.
• The Presiding Officer decides whether the point is admissible.

Vote on Account

• A Temporary Financial Provision allowing the Government to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India before the Budget is passed.
• Ensures continuity of Government Expenditure during the interim period.

Guillotine

• Procedure adopted on the last allotted day of Budget discussion.
• All pending Demands for Grants are put to vote without further discussion.

Quorum

• Refers to the Minimum Number of Members required to conduct the business of a House.
• As per Article 100, it is One-Tenth (1/10) of the total membership of the House.

No-Confidence Motion

• Moved to determine whether the Council of Ministers enjoys the Confidence of the Lok Sabha.
• If passed, the Council of Ministers must resign.

Censure Motion

• Expresses Strong Disapproval of the Government’s policy or the conduct of an individual Minister.
• Must clearly specify the grounds for criticism.
• Admission of the motion is decided by the Speaker.

Lame-duck Session

• The Final Session of the outgoing Lok Sabha after the election of a new House but before dissolution.
• Members who are not re-elected are known as Lame-duck Members.

Shadow Cabinet

• A Parliamentary practice followed mainly in the United Kingdom (UK).
• Consists of Senior Opposition Leaders assigned portfolios corresponding to Government Ministries.
• If the Opposition forms the Government, members of the Shadow Cabinet generally become Ministers.

Leader of the Opposition (LoP)

Recognition

• The office of the Leader of the Opposition enjoys Statutory Recognition in both Houses of Parliament.
• Recognition was provided through the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977.
• The Act came into force on 1 November 1977.

First Official Leader of Opposition

• Y.B. Chavan became the first officially recognised Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
• The LoP enjoys the Rank and Status of a Cabinet Minister.

Government Funds

Government receipts are credited to one of the following constitutional funds:

• • Consolidated Fund of India
  • Public Account of India
  • Contingency Fund of India

Consolidated Fund of India (CFI) (Article 266(1))

The Consolidated Fund of India includes:

• • All Tax and Non-Tax Revenues received by the Government.
  • All Loans raised by the Government of India.
  • Repayment of Loans received by the Government.

Important Feature

• No money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund without Parliamentary Approval.

Public Account of India (Article 266(2))

The Public Account contains money held by the Government in a Custodial Capacity, such as:

• Provident Fund Deposits
• Small Savings
• Postal Savings
• Judicial Deposits
• Other Trust Funds

Important Feature

• Withdrawal from the Public Account does not require prior Parliamentary approval, since the Government acts merely as a Trustee.

Contingency Fund of India (Article 267)

• Created to meet Unforeseen or Urgent Expenditure.
• Established by Parliament.
• Operated by the President of India.
• Expenditure is recouped later after obtaining Parliamentary approval.