Chapter XII-A ZERO HOUR

[2][113A. Raising matters of immediate importance.– (1) The Speaker may allot last half an hour of every sitting, except on Fridays, for raising matters of immediate importance which are not points of order:

Provided that such matters shall not be raised on the days mentioned in sub-rule (2) of rule 42.

            (2)        No prior notice would be required for raising such matter.

            (3)        A member may raise the matter only if permitted by the Speaker to do so.

            (4)        The matters referred to in sub-rule (1), shall be primarily the concern of the Government.

            (5)        A member shall not raise more than one such matter in a sitting.

            (6)        The Speaker may fix time limit for making speech for raising such matter.

            (7)        The Assembly Secretariat shall, as soon as possible, transmit a copy of the extract from the un-edited version of the proceedings of the sitting regarding these matters to the Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs for onward transmission to the Department or authorities concerned and their attached or associated bodies.

            (8)        The Department or the authority concerned shall, within a period specified by the Speaker or if not so specified, within fifteen days, inform the Assembly Secretariat about the actions taken on the matters transmitted under sub-rule (7).

            (9)        The report received from the Department or the authority concerned shall be forwarded to the concerned members.]

[3][113B].  Zero hour.– (1) A member may give zero hour notice to take up matter of urgent public importance relating to the Government and requiring intervention of the Assembly.

(2)  The Notice shall be given in the prescribed format and shall be submitted in the Notice Office of the Assembly Secretariat not less than forty-eight hours before the commencement of the sitting on the day on which it is proposed to be fixed.

(3)  The [4][Secretary General] shall not entertain more than one such notice of a member for the sitting.

[5][113C]. Conditions of admissibility.– In order that a zero hour notice may be admissible, it shall satisfy the following conditions:

(a)    it shall not exceed fifty words;

(b)   the matter has not been raised through an adjournment motion or a Call Attention Notice; and

(c)    it fulfills the conditions mentioned in rule 83.

[6][113D]. Time and mode of taking zero hour notice.– (1) The notice shall be included in the List of Business on every Tuesday and Friday in such order as may be determined by the Speaker in view of the public importance of the notice raised thereby.

(2)  The time for taking such notices shall be half an hour immediately after the question hour.

(3)  Not more than two such notices shall be included in the List of Business for a sitting.

(4)  A notice shall not be taken on the days mentioned in sub-rule (2) of rule 42.

(5)  Upon being asked by the Speaker, the member concerned may read the zero hour notice and speak for not more than five minutes.

(6)  The Minister or the Parliamentary Secretary concerned shall respond to the matter raised in the notice.

[7][113E].  Notices to lapse.– All zero hour notices which are not included in the List of Business on a day immediately following the said notice shall lapse, and notices which, although brought on the List of Business, are not disposed of because of expiry of time fixed for the purpose shall also lapse.]