what is the importance of zero hour?
Answers
Zero Hour: The time immediately following the Question Hour has come to be known as "Zero Hour". It starts at around 12 noon (hence the name) and members can, with prior notice to the Speaker, raise issues of importance during this time
Explanation:
Zero Hour was not recognized in our parliamentary procedure before, but has now become a norm in both the houses of Indian Parliament.
Question Hour: The first hour of every sitting of Parliament is generally reserved for the asking and answering of questions.
Zero Hour: The time immediately following the Question Hour has come to be known as "Zero Hour". It starts at around 12 noon(hence the name) and members can, with prior notice to the Speaker, raise issues of importance during this time.
Typically, discussions on important Bills, the Budget, and other issues of national importance take place from 2pm onwards.
History
It was during the 1960s when several issues of national and international importance used to be raised by members of Parliament immediately after Question Hour. On one such occasion, a member raised an issue pertaining to policy announcements made by the ministers outside Parliament when Parliament was in session .
This act triggered an idea among other members who called for another provision for discussing important matters in the House.
As the 9th Lok Sabha Speaker, Rabi Rayintroduced certain changes in the proceedings of the House to create more opportunities for the members to raise matters of urgent public importance.
He proposed a mechanism to regulate the proceedings during the ‘Zero Hour’, raise matters in a more orderly manner and optimize the time of the House.
Significance of Zero Hour in Present Scenario
The Zero Hour concept has gained popularity because of the freedom its gives to any member irrespective of party affiliations to ask questions and seek immediate answers.
Over the years, Zero Hour has come to be known as an important ‘device’ to air grievances and reaffirm Parliament’s role as a platform for debate.