Tag: parliamentary system and procedures

Questions Related to parliamentary system and procedures

During the _________ members of the Parliament raise all types of questions, without any permission or prior notice.

  1. Question hour

  2. Zero hour

  3. Prime Time

  4. Standard time


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Zero Hour denotes the time immediately following the Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament. It starts at around 12 noon and members can, with prior notice to the Speaker, raise issues of importance during this time. Mainly discussions on important Bills, the Budget, and other issues of national importance take place from 2 pm onwards.

The first hour on every working day of the House is reserved for questions unless otherwise decided by the Speaker. This hour is known as the ___________.

  1. Question hour

  2. Answer hour

  3. Supporting hour

  4. Critical hour


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The question hour is the time when members of the parliament exercise their right to interpellation or raising requests and questions to the government.

Adjournment motions are generally allowed on subjects such as ____________.

  1. A railway accident resulting in the death of several persons

  2. A daring dacoity, communal tension

  3. Some natural calamity like flood or a tornado

  4. All of these


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Adjournment motions are raised only in Lok Sabha and raise a definite and factual matter of urgent and public importance. They do not cover more than one matter.

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 so long as it enjoys the confidence of the ______________.

  1. Majority of the members of the Lok Sabha

  2. Majority of the members of the Rajya Sabha

  3. Majority of the members of the Parliament

  4. None of these


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha which implies that the Lok Sabha can remove the ministry from office by passing a vote of no confidence. The no confidence motion can only be introduced in Lok Sabha. Hence, the ministry stays in office so long as it enjoys the confidence of the majority of the members of the Lok Sabha.

What is meant by an Adjournment Motion?

  1. A proposal to lay aside all other business and take up a definite matter of urgent importance

  2. A proposal to lay aside all other business and take up a matter of not much importance

  3. A proposal to lay aside all other business and take up an indefinite matter

  4. A proposal to lay aside all other business and take up a matter of little importance


Correct Option: A

________ questions are questions to which answers are given in a written form.

  1. Starred

  2. Unstarred

  3. Short notice

  4. Simple


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

These are questions to which written answers are given by Ministers which are deemed to have been laid on the Table of the House at the end of the Question Hour. Also called an Urgent question, is a written question that the mover demands should be answered in the course of the sitting in progress.

________ questions are those to which a member wishes to have an oral answer on the floor of the House.

  1. Starred

  2. Unstarred

  3. Short notice

  4. Simple


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

A Starred question is one to which a member desires an oral answer in the House and which is distinguished by an asterisk mark. Only 20 questions can be listed for oral answer on a day. The member is allowed to ask a supplementary question, with the permission of the Speaker, after the reply is obtained from the Minister concerned.

The no-confidence motion needs the support of 100 members to be admitted.

  1. True

  2. False


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

If a house feels that the government does not enjoy majority, then they can move a 'no-confidence' motion. It can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha. The motion is admitted for discussion when a minimum of 50 members of the house supports the motion.  If the motion is passed, the Government is bound to vacate the office.

The time gap between the question hour and the agenda is known as zero hour.

  1. True

  2. False


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Zero hour is neither mentioned in the Constitution nor the Rules of Procedure of the Houses. It is an Indian innovation in the field of parliamentary procedures and has been in existence since 1962. It is an informal device available to the members of the Parliament to raise matters without any prior notice. It starts immediately after the question hour and lasts until the agenda for the day is taken up.

Which Parliamentary Committee in Indian system of democracy is chaired by a member of Opposition Party?

  1. Estimates Committee

  2. Joint Parliamentary Committee

  3. Public Accounts Committee

  4. Finance Committee


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is chaired by leader of opposition and elected members of Parliament, constituted by the Parliament of India, for the auditing of the revenue and the expenditure of the Government of India.