Question

What is zero hour?

Answer 1

The critical moment or the moment of decision, among the members of parliament is called the zero hour. In other words, it is the time gap between the end of Question Hour and the beginning of the regular business. The other reason behind naming it so can be attributed to the fact that it starts at 12 noon.

Introduction of zero hour in India

• It is an Indian innovation in the field of parliamentary procedures and came onto existence since 1962.
• During the time span of the sixties, members of parliament used to raise many pressing issues of national and global import after Question Hour.
• On such an occasion, a member raised an issue about announcements of policy made by ministers outside the parliament when parliament was in session.
• This act raised an idea among other members who called for another provision for discussing important matters in the House.
• Rabi Ray, who was the ninth Speaker of the Lok Sabha introduced 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 technique to regulate the proceedings during the ‘Zero Hour’, and raise matters in a more orderly manner and optimize the time of the House.
• In the Rajya Sabha, the day initiates with the Zero Hour and not the Question Hour as it is for the Lok Sabha.