Make a note on Zero Hour

Zero Hour is a concept that is specific to the Indian Parliament. Zero Hour in the Indian Parliamentary innovation to discuss matters of utmost urgency concerning public importance. The concept of Zero Hour is neither mentioned in the Indian Constitution nor does it have its presence in the Rules of Procedure of both the houses of the Parliament. It is a mechanism used by the Members of Parliament to raise questions without notice in advance. It is a crucial instrument in the Indian Parliamentary System to ensure issues of public welfare and urgent importance.

How did the Zero Hour start?

The concept of Zero Hour in the Indian Parliament started in the first decade when MPs felt the need to raise nationally important issues without much delay. It has been in existence since 1962. The Parliament, during its initial days, used to break for lunch at 1 PM, allowing the MPs to raise national issues and question the ministers without any prior notice at noon, which could last for an hour until the House adjourned for lunch at 1 PM. Hence, the Hour was popularly referred to as the “Zero Hour,” and the matters raised during the Hour came to be known as “Zero Hour Submissions”. The presiding officers of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, over the years, have given some important directions in order to smoothen the functioning of the Zero Hour and make it more effective. Its importance can be seen by the support that it receives from the citizens, media, the MPs, and the presiding officers, even though it is not a part of the rulebook. 

Zero Hour in Parliamentary Proceedings

The matters of national importance can be discussed without giving any prior notice; however, the speaker needs to be informed by 10 AM on the day of the Parliamentary Session. The notice by the MP must also state the subject they wish to raise in the House. It is decided by the Chairman whether to allow a particular matter to be raised or not. The Zero Hour also takes up short notice questions. The Zero Hour is regulated by the presiding officers in the Parliament by setting rules for streamlining the process. In Lok Sabha, the Zero Hour starts after the Question Hour and lasts until the agenda for the day is taken up; however, in Rajya Sabha, the case is the other way round. In Lok Sabha, the time gap between the Question Hour and the agenda is the Zero Hour. However, unlike the Question Hour, the ministers are not bound to reply in the Zero Hour. In the session, 20 matters per day as per the priority in the ballot are raised and the order is decided by the speaker. It consists of two phases, wherein the first phase, 5 matters of national and international importance are raised as per the decision of the chair and are taken up after the Question Hour. In the second phase, the rest of the matters related to urgent public importance are taken up after 6 Pm or at the end of the regular proceedings of the house.

Difference between the Zero Hour and the Question Hour

The functioning of the Question hour is regulated by detailed guidelines and parliamentary rules. It also requires at least a 15-day notice in advance to raise a matter. On the other hand, the Zero Hour does not find it mentioned in the parliamentary rules book. The MPs, here, can raise the matters without giving any prior notice; however, they must inform the chair by 10 AM on the day the session is scheduled.

Importance of the Question Hour and Zero Hour

The questioning of the ministers by the MPs is a mechanism used to make the government of the day accountable to the public. While most of the answers are submitted as a response in writing, the oral answering of the questions is what is visible to the public. It puts pressure on the government to work efficiently, making the inefficiencies and the functioning of the democracy visible in the public domain.

Conclusion

An important Parliamentary instrument, the Zero Hour, has held accountable the government on urgent public welfare issues since the 1960s. Despite the fact that the parliamentary session and sitting are frequently disrupted by Zero Hour, it has repeatedly highlighted and held the government accountable for crucial problems. The Question Hour and the Zero Hour are both the mechanisms aimed at bolstering the democratic system of the country. These are the very essence of the functioning of the Indian Parliament and play a pivotal role in bringing the important national issues to the table, seeking accountability. Over the past 70 years, the MPs have successfully used the devices to question the government’s functioning. In the past, it has exposed several irregularities related to the country’s finances and brought important data into the public domain.