Leaders in Parliament

Leader of the House

• The Prime Minister is the Leader of the House if he/she is a member of that House.
• If the Prime Minister is not a member of a House, another minister nominated by the Prime Minister becomes the Leader of that House.

Functions

• Plans and coordinates the legislative business.
• Decides the schedule and priorities of government business.
• Coordinates between the Government and the Opposition.
• Advises the Presiding Officer on the conduct of business.

Leader of the Opposition (LoP)

Statutory Basis: Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977. The Leader of the Opposition was formally recognized for the first time in 1965.

Recognition

• Must be the leader of the largest opposition party recognized by the Speaker/Chairman.
• By convention, the party should have at least 10% of the total strength of the House for formal recognition.

Functions

• Provides constructive criticism of government policies.
• Ensures executive accountability.
• Participates in the selection of constitutional authorities (e.g., CVC, CBI Director, Lokpal, CIC, NHRC).

Chief Whip and Party Whips

Functions

• Maintain party discipline.
• Ensure members' attendance.
• Issue party directions (Whips).
• Coordinate voting during important business.

The offices of the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition are not mentioned in the Constitution. However, they are recognized under the Rules of Procedure of the respective Houses and by parliamentary conventions.

The office of the Whip is mentioned neither in the Constitution nor in the Rules of Procedure of Parliament or any parliamentary statute. It is based entirely on the conventions of the parliamentary system of government.

The Whip monitors the attendance and conducts of party members in Parliament. Members are expected to comply with the Whip's directions; failure to do so may invite disciplinary action, including disqualification under the Tenth Schedule in appropriate cases.

Sessions of Parliament

Summoning

• The President summons Parliament under Article 85.
• It formally calls a session of Parliament to meet on time to time. the maximum gap between two sessions of parliament cannot be more than six months.

Adjournment

• The Presiding Officer (Speaker/Chairman) suspends the sitting of the House for a specified period.
• It may be for a few hours, a day, or several days, without ending the session.

Sessions

Types of Sessions of Parliament

• Budget Session (February – May): The longest and most important session, primarily devoted to the presentation and passage of the Union Budget, Finance Bill, and other legislative business.
• Monsoon Session (July – August): Conducted after the Budget Session, it focuses on legislative business, discussions on national issues, and government accountability.
• Winter Session (November – December): The final session of the year, mainly held to consider pending Bills, policy matters, and other important legislative business.

Adjournment Sine Die

• The Presiding Officer terminates a sitting of the House without fixing the next date of meeting.
• The session remains in existence until it is prorogued by the President.

Prorogation

• The President prorogues Parliament after the House has been adjourned sine die.
• It terminates a session but does not dissolve the Lok Sabha.

• It is done by the President of India.

Dissolution

• The President dissolves the Lok Sabha before or on the expiry of its term.
• It ends the tenure of the Lok Sabha, requiring fresh general elections.

Quorum

• Quorum is the minimum number of members required to be present for the House to conduct its proceedings.
• Under Article 100, the quorum for both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is one-tenth of the total membership of the respective House.
• If the quorum is not met, the presiding officer may adjourn the House or suspend the sitting until the required number of members is present.

Joint Sitting of Parliament (Article 108)

• Article 108 of the Constitution provides for a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha to resolve a legislative deadlock between the two Houses.
• The President summons the joint sitting.
• It is presided over by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
• In the Speaker's absence, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides.
• If both are absent, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha presides over the joint sitting.

Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings

Question Hour

• Question Hour is the first hour of every sitting of Parliament and is one of the most effective instruments of parliamentary control over the Executive.
• During this period, Members of Parliament (MPs) ask questions to Ministers regarding the administration, policies, and functioning of the government.
• It promotes transparency, accountability, and responsible governance.

Types of Questions

(a) Starred Question

• A Starred Question requires an oral answer from the concerned Minister.
• It is identified by an asterisk and allows the member to ask supplementary questions for further clarification.

(b) Unstarred Question

• An Unstarred Question requires a written reply from the Minister.
• No supplementary questions are permitted.
• It is generally used for obtaining detailed factual information.

(c) Short Notice Question

• A Short Notice Question is asked on a matter of urgent public importance by giving less than the prescribed notice period (normally 10 days).
• It is answered orally, and supplementary questions are allowed.

(d) Questions to Private Members

• These questions are addressed to a Private Member (an MP who is not a Minister).
• They relate to Bills, resolutions, or other parliamentary business for which the member is responsible.

Zero Hour

• Zero Hour begins immediately after Question Hour.
• It is not mentioned in the Constitution, the Rules of Procedure, or any statute; it is a parliamentary convention.
• During this period, MPs raise urgent matters of public importance requiring immediate government attention, without any prior notice.
• The presiding officer decides whether to allow a matter to be raised.

Half-an-Hour Discussion

• A Half-an-Hour Discussion is held to seek clarification on factual matters arising from answers already given during Question Hour.
• It is allowed only when the member feels that the earlier reply was incomplete, ambiguous, or required further explanation.
• It provides an opportunity for detailed discussion but does not involve voting.

Short Duration Discussion (Rule 193)

• A Short Duration Discussion under Rule 193 of the Lok Sabha Rules enables members to discuss a matter of urgent public importance.
• It is initiated with the permission of the Speaker and supported by the required number of members.
• No formal motion is moved, and no voting takes place at the end of the discussion.
• The Minister replies after the discussion, making it an important tool for parliamentary deliberation.

Motions in Parliament

What is a Motion?

A motion is a formal proposal moved by a member for the House to discuss, decide, or express its opinion on a particular matter.

No-Confidence Motion

• A No-Confidence Motion is moved to test whether the Council of Ministers continues to enjoy the confidence of the Lok Sabha.
• It is based on the principle of collective responsibility under Article 75(3) of the Constitution.
• It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha.
• The motion requires the support of at least 50 members for admission.
• It is passed by a simple majority of members present and voting.
• If adopted, the Council of Ministers must resign.

Confidence Motion (Trust Vote)

• A Confidence Motion is moved by the Government to prove that it enjoys the majority support of the Lok Sabha.
• It is generally moved after elections, formation of a new government, or when the President directs the government to prove its majority.
• It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha.
• Failure to secure majority support requires the Council of Ministers to resign.

Censure Motion

• A Censure Motion is moved to criticize a specific policy, decision, or action of the Government or an individual Minister.
• Unlike a No-Confidence Motion, the grounds or reasons for censure must be clearly specified.
• It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha.
• If passed, it amounts to a strong political criticism of the government, though it does not automatically require the government to resign unless it is treated as a matter of confidence.

Adjournment Motion

• An Adjournment Motion is moved to draw the attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance.
• It interrupts the normal business of the House to discuss the issue immediately.
• It serves as an extraordinary device to censure the Government for its failure or negligence.
• It is admissible only in the Lok Sabha, as the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to it.
• The Speaker's consent is mandatory for its admission.

Motion of Thanks

• The Motion of Thanks is moved after the President's Address to Parliament under Article 87.
• It provides an opportunity for members to discuss the government's policies, programmes, and legislative agenda outlined in the Address.
• The motion is debated and passed separately by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
• If the Motion of Thanks is defeated in the Lok Sabha, it is regarded as a serious setback to the government and may indicate that it has lost the confidence of the House.

Privilege Motion

• A Privilege Motion is moved when a member or a minister is alleged to have breached the privileges of Parliament or committed contempt of the House.
• It is commonly invoked when a Minister is believed to have misled the House by providing incorrect or misleading information.
• Its objective is to protect the dignity, authority, and privileges of Parliament and its members.
• The admissibility of the motion is decided by the Speaker (Lok Sabha) or the Chairman (Rajya Sabha).

Cut Motions (Budget)

Cut Motions are moved during the discussion on Demands for Grants in the Lok Sabha to express dissatisfaction with government expenditure or policies.

(a) Policy Cut Motion

• Under a Policy Cut Motion, the amount of the demand is reduced to ₹1.
• It signifies the House's disapproval of the policy underlying the demand.
• It enables members to discuss and criticize the concerned government policy.

(b) Economy Cut Motion

• Under an Economy Cut Motion, the amount of the demand is reduced by a specified amount.
• It aims to reduce unnecessary or excessive government expenditure.
• Members suggest areas where public spending can be curtailed without affecting essential services.

(c) Token Cut Motion

• Under a Token Cut Motion, the amount of the demand is reduced by ₹100.
• It is moved to highlight a specific grievance within the sphere of responsibility of the Government.
• The objective is not to reduce expenditure substantially but to draw the government's attention to a particular issue.

Calling Attention Motion

• A Calling Attention Motion enables a member to draw the attention of a Minister to an issue of urgent public importance.
• The concerned Minister makes an official statement on the matter, after which members may seek clarifications.
• It is an Indian innovation in parliamentary procedure and combines elements of Question Hour and adjournment motions.
• It serves as an important mechanism for ensuring executive accountability.

Special Mention

• Special Mention allows MPs to raise matters of public importance that cannot be brought up through other parliamentary devices.
• The matter is raised with the prior permission of the presiding officer.
• It provides members with an opportunity to highlight issues of regional or national significance without interrupting the regular business of the House.
• No discussion or voting follows the Special Mention.

Point of Order

• A Point of Order is a procedural device through which a member raises a question regarding the violation or incorrect interpretation of the Rules of Procedure, constitutional provisions, or parliamentary conventions during the proceedings of the House.
• Its purpose is to ensure that the business of the House is conducted in accordance with the prescribed rules.
• A member may raise a Point of Order only when the House is in session.
• It cannot be used to raise a substantive issue, seek information, or criticize government policy; it must relate strictly to procedural irregularities.
• The decision of the Speaker/Chairman on a Point of Order is final and binding, and no debate is permitted on it.