What is a Question Hour in a Parliament?
Ava Robinson
Published Apr 10, 2026
Question Hour is the first hour of a sitting session of India’s Lok Sabha devoted to questions that Members of Parliament raise about any aspect of administrative activity. The concerned Minister is obliged to answer to the Parliament, either orally or in writing, depending on the type of question raised.
What are the three types of questions asked in the Question Hour?
This hour is known as Question Hour. There are three types of questions: i) Starred questions ii) Unstarred questions iii) Short notice questions.
How Question Hour is an important mechanism?
It has a special significance in the proceedings of Parliament. Asking of questions is an inherent and unfettered parliamentary right of members. It is during the Question Hour that the members can ask questions on every aspect of administration and Governmental activity.
How do you ask a question in Parliament?
Steps
- Go to the online MemberHub: Click ‘submit’ (towards the top of the screen) and choose ‘written question’.
- The Table Office will check your question and contact you if there is a problem. Once the Table Office has approved your question, it has been tabled.
What is the maximum time of zero hour?
The correct answer is 60 minutes. The total time allocated for Zero hours is 60 minutes wherein a member gets three minutes to raise the issue. The session would be completed before 1 pm.
What do u mean by zero hour?
1a : the hour at which a planned military operation is scheduled to start. b : the time at which a usually significant or notable event is scheduled to take place. 2 : a time when a vital decision or decisive change must be made.
What is the duration of zero hour?
The total time allocated for Zero Hour is 30 minutes wherein a member gets three minutes to raise the issue. The session should be completed before 1 pm. It was during the 1960s when several issues of national and international importance used to be raised by members of Parliament immediately after Question Hour.
Why is it called zero hour?
ZERO HOUR denotes the time immediately following the Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament. This is about 12 noon which is why it is called Zero Hour. During this hour members’ can raise matters of great importance without prior notice. However, the duration of the Zero Hour has varied over the years.
What is the time limit of zero hour?
What is a zero Hour?
In that sense, Zero Hour may be defined as the interregnum between. the end of Question Hour and the beginning of the regular listed business in the. House. In other words it is the time which begins at 12 o’clock after Question. Hour which is from 11.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon.
What is the purpose of Zero Hour?
Zero Hour is the time when Members of Parliament (MPs) can raise Issues of Urgent Public Importance. For raising matters during the Zero Hour, MPs must give the notice before 10 am to the Speaker/ Chairman on the day of the sitting.
Is there a Prime Minister’s Question Time today?
The Prime Minister answers questions from MPs in the Commons every sitting Wednesday from 12pm to 12.30pm.
How do I get in touch with the government?
Contact the House of Commons Enquiry Service
- Telephone: 0800 112 4272 (Freephone) or 020 7219 4272.
- Email: [email protected]uk.
- Text relay: Dial 18001 followed by our full number.
What is the maximum limit of zero Hour?
