Rajya Sabha extends sitting hours, changes timing of Question Hour
Distilled Policy Brief
- From the Winter Session starting 24 November, the Rajya Sabha will sit from 11 am to 6 pm, extending its daily sitting by one hour.
- Question Hour has been moved to 12 pm–1 pm, shifting it from the first hour of the sitting as per the Chairman’s direction.
- In the 2014 Budget Session, Question Hour functioned for only 40 % of its scheduled time in the Rajya Sabha compared with 87 % in the Lok Sabha, highlighting chronic disruptions.
🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points
Change in timing and extension of sitting hours of Rajya Sabha – a procedural amendment under the Rules of Procedure, relevant for questions on parliamentary functioning.
⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages
Assess the impact of extending sitting hours and rescheduling Question Hour on parliamentary accountability and discuss measures to curb disruptions.
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
According to the Rules of Procedure of the Rajya Sabha, which hour of the sitting is normally allocated for Question Hour, and who has the authority to alter this timing?
- [A] The first hour of the sitting; the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
- [B] The first hour of the sitting; the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
- [C] The second hour of the sitting; the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
- [D] The second hour of the sitting; the Speaker of the Lok Sabha
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
The Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure designate the first hour of the sitting for Question Hour, but they also empower the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha to direct a different timing, as exercised by Chairman Hamid Ansari. The other options incorrectly assign the authority or the designated hour.
🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)
Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.