Disgusted over repeated disruptions and adjournments, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari hinted that Zero Hour might be taken at 11 am as the first agenda of the day in the house.

While delivering the concluding day address on Tuesday, Ansari stated that losing eight question hours is too valuable time where the government could have been made answerable to many pressing public issues.

The 220th session of Rajya Sabha came to a close on Tuesday. It commenced on July 26 and was extended by two days in order to transact essential government business. As many as 59 new members joined the house during the session.

“I am confident they would make valuable contributions to the house in the days to come. I am glad to mention that 26 of them have already made their maiden speech,” Ansari said.

The house cleared several pieces of important legislation during the session. Apart from transacting government business, the session provided opportunities to members to discuss some important issues through (07) calling attention notices and (02) short duration discussions.

Notwithstanding the impressive work transacted in the course of the session, the house could not conduct any business on five days. In addition, there were several disruptions and adjournments as a result of which eight Question Hours were lost.

“This is a matter on which I wish to draw attention of the members. When the rules for the conduct of business were drawn up decades back, it was not visualised that perceived concerns or grievances would be articulated through disruption of proceedings. This is now taking place with disturbing regularity. The practice tramples on the rights of individual Members, detracts from the dignity of parliament, and has invited public criticism,” said the vice president.

Earlier, the chair, recognising the need for such articulation on matters of urgent interest and apart from what is covered under Rule 180, sought to seek a solution through the so-called Zero Hour restricted to three-minute interventions by up to 10 members. This too does not seem to meet the requirements and, as a consequence, leads to a fairly regular disruption of the Question Hour which is the most effective window available to individual members to seek information and accountability.

“It is evident that we need to think collectively about the matter and explore possible options for saving the Question Hour from such disruptions.  It may be noted that while the other time lost is compensated by sitting beyond the normal hours, it is only the Question Hour which is irretrievably lost in disruptions. The Chair will, therefore, continue its consultations on the re-scheduling of daily items of business in order to strike a balance between expression of perceived concerns and the normal business of the day. One option is to start the proceedings with the Zero Hour at 11 am and take up the Question Hour later in the day,” Ansari said.