Opinion Making the government account for itself

Of all the means of investigation at Parliament’s disposal,asking questions is the easiest way for MPs to get information about public matters,and it is their unfettered right. Nothing can weaken Parliament’s control over the executive more than the abolition or curtailment of this right. Rule 38 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha states that unless the chairman of the Rajya Sabha so directs,the first hour on every sitting shall be kept for asking and answering questions. A similar provision exists for the Lok Sabha.

However,of late,disruption of this crucial Question Hour has become a disquieting feature of both Houses. Asking a question is both a right and a privilege of a member of Parliament. There have been instances when the presiding officers have cautioned members for disrupting Question Hour,thereby encroaching on the right of other members to ask questions or listen to ministers.

Question Hour is the best instrument to test ministerial competence. Ministers are meant to be aware of every aspect of their ministry’s working. If she or he fails to satisfactorily respond to a question,it embarrasses the minister and puts the government in an awkward situation. No other procedure has such potential to leave a minister standing alone,defending the government’s policies. The questions keep the government alert. The fact that ministers cannot refuse to answer parliamentary questions,unless in the interest of the nation,underlines its importance.

From time to time,the rules have been amended to render Question Hour more effective. Time management is crucial,so that maximum questions can be devoted to oral answers. Here are some of those changes:

Crisp questions and replies are necessary — a question should be concise and factual rather than laden with opinion and argument. To cover more starred questions during Question Hour,the chair has,on many occasions,ruled that the members should put up pointed questions,free of verbiage and long prefatory references. Ministers have also been exhorted to fully answer questions in a direct and succinct manner. Questions should aim to elicit more information rather than attack the government.

Mounting supplementaries on a few questions had resulted in only those starred questions being taken up in the House,leaving many important issues untouched. However,it was once decided that “a member in whose name a starred question is admitted will be allowed two supplementaries and if there is another member whose name is clubbed with the member for that question,he or she will be allowed one supplementary. Thereafter,only two further supplementaries will be permitted on that question”. This was a notable innovation,often enabling all 20 starred questions to be raised. It has also been ruled by the chair that no point of order should be raised during Question Hour,nor should any clarification be sought from the minister. There is also an amendment that limits the number of starred questions a member can ask — it has been brought down from three (once as a first questioner and twice by clubbing) to one.

Since a lot of time,effort and money are involved in the preparation of an answer to a question,absenteeism during Question Hour defeats its purpose. A recent innovation by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has now amended the rules to ensure that even if the main questioner is absent,the chair would allow three supplementaries to that question. This step will go a long way in streamlining procedure.

Other suggestions that have been mooted include shifting Question Hour to another time — being the first hour of the day,Question Hour is frequently disrupted when MPs are agitated over some issue. Upset at the frequent adjournments during Question Hour,the Rajya Sabha chairman directed,in March 2011,that such matters be raised at 11 am and the Question Hour be moved to the first hour after lunch from 2 to 3 pm. However,disruption of Question Hour continued,and the chairman decided,after consulting party leaders,to move it back to its previous 11 am slot from August 2011 onwards.

There have been demands from some quarters that the duration of the Question Hour may be increased to accommodate more questions. The Lok Sabha speaker,Meira Kumar,mooted a similar idea in the recently held Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth. However,the move is yet to break any ground.

The efficacy of Question Hour as an accountability mechanism depends on how members,cutting across party lines,utilise it. Questions asked in Parliament not only have a bearing on the policy decisions of the government,but have on several occasions even resulted in the setting up of commissions and courts of enquiry. However,with the overall sittings of Parliament per year going down and frequent disruptions and suspension of parliamentary business,the instrument has been weakened,in effect.

The writer is the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha