A day after several leaders in the Opposition attacked the Centre for scrapping the Question Hour during the upcoming Monsoon Session, Par...
A day after several leaders in the Opposition attacked the Centre for scrapping the Question Hour during the upcoming Monsoon Session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said “unstarred questions” will be allowed, reported PTI. The first hour in the House, called the Question Hour, allows members to address queries to the government.
Replies to unstarred questions are given in writing, while answers to “starred questions” are provided verbally on the floor during the Question Hour.
“We are not running away from any debate and is ready to discuss any issue or topic which will be decided in the Business Advisory Committee,” he said. Joshi added that the administration has requested presiding officers of the two Houses to facilitate the process.
The Union minister said that the monsoon session was being conducted under unprecedented situations amid the pandemic. He added that officials from ministries would have to come to Parliament if the Question Hour was held. This may lead to overcrowding, therefore no Question Hour will be held for the safety of the members, he added.
Joshi claimed that the Centre had sought opinions of all opposition parties before the decision was taken and added that most politicians agreed to it. “We discussed the option to drop the Question Hour and...
