Question Hour
- Timing: The first hour of every parliamentary sitting is reserved for Question Hour, during which members ask questions and ministers provide answers.
- Types of Questions: Questions can be of three types:
➤ Starred questions: These require an oral answer and allow for supplementary questions. Starred questions are marked with an asterisk.
➤ Unstarred questions: These require a written answer and do not permit supplementary questions.
➤ Short notice questions: These are asked with less than 10 days' notice and require an oral answer.
- Color Coding: To distinguish between the types of questions, lists are printed in different colors:
➤ Starred questions: Green
➤ Unstarred questions: White
➤ Short notice questions: Light pink
➤ Questions to private members: Yellow
Zero Hour
- Timing: Zero Hour begins immediately after Question Hour and lasts until the agenda for the day is taken up.
- Purpose: Zero Hour is an informal period for members to raise matters without prior notice.
- Flexibility: Unlike Question Hour, Zero Hour is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure, making it a unique Indian parliamentary practice that started in 1962.
