CHAPTER II

GENERAL
41. Parliamentary Terms.There is always a disposition on
the part of the members to use in their speeches parliamentary
words and phrases. But such words and phrases are scattered over
in various books on Parliamentary Procedure and are not to be
found in one single book and at one place. The following is the list
(not exhaustive) of such expressions as are important and commonly
used, and a note has been added to each expression explaining as
briefly as possible its meaning and implication:
(1) Act.A Bill passed by both the Houses of Parliament and
assented to by the President.
(2) Adjournment of the debate.Adjournment on a motion
adopted by the House, of the debate on a Motion/Resolution/Bill on
which the House is then engaged to a future day or sine die as
specified in the motion.
(3) Adjournment of the House.An adjournment terminates
the sitting of the House which meets again at the time appointed for
the next sitting. An adjournment also signifies brief break of the
sitting of the House which re-assembles at the appointed time on
the same day.
(4) Adjournment sine die.Termination of a sitting of the House
without any definite date being fixed for the next sitting.
(5) Agenda paper.This is equivalent to the List of Business
issued under rule 31(1) and contains items of business to be taken
up by the House in the order in which they stand in it.
(6) Appropriation Bill.A Bill passed annually (or at various
times of the year) providing for the withdrawal or appropriation from
and out of the Consolidated Fund of India of moneys by Lok Sabha
and moneys charged on the Consolidated Fund for the services of
a financial year or a part thereof.
(7) Ballot.A method applied to determine the relative
precedence of Private Members Bills and Resolutions, notices for
Half-an-Hour discussions, Questions, Adjournment Motions,
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Calling Attention, or any other notice given by more than one Member
simultaneously on the same subject for being taken up at the same
sitting.
[Rules 27, 28, 55, 57, 197, 377 and Directions 3 to 9]
(8) Bill.The draft of a legislative proposal which, when passed
by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President,
becomes an Act.
(9) Budget.Annual financial statement of the estimated
receipts and expenditure of the Government of India in respect of a
financial year.
The Budget is presented in Lok Sabha in two parts, namely, the
Railway Budget pertaining to Railway Finance and the General
Budget which gives an overall picture of the financial position of the
Government of India excluding the Railways.
[Article 112 and Rule 204]
(10) Bulletin.Bulletin means the Bulletin of the House. It is
published in two parts, Part I containing a brief record of the
proceedings of the House at each of its sittings; and Part II containing
information on any matter relating to or connected with the Business
of the House or Committees or other matter which in the opinion of
the Speaker may be included therein.
[Rule 2]
(11) Calendar of Sittings.A provisional Calendar of Sittings
circulated to Members along with the summons for a session showing
the days on which Lok Sabha is to sit and the nature of business
to be transacted by it.
(12) Casting Vote.The vote cast by the Speaker, or person
acting as such in the House and by the Chairperson or person
acting as such in a Committee in the case of an equality of votes
on a matter.
The Speaker in giving casting vote may state ones reasons for
taking the side in whose favour he votes but is not bound to give
such reasons. He/She almost always votes in such a way as to
maintain the status quo or to postpone the settlement of the question.
[Article 100(1) and Rule 262]
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(13) Closure.In order to bring a debate to a close, a member

may rise and move That the question be now put. The acceptance
of a closure motion lies within the discretion of the Speaker. Before
he accepts it, he considers whether the question before the House
has received adequate debate or not, whether or not the views of
the Opposition have been adequately expressed before the House.
The Speaker also intervenes by restricting the closure to occasions
when a motion is made not in abuse of the rules of the House or
infringement of the rights of the minority. Such a motion is generally
made at the conclusion of a speech and also at times whilst a
member is addressing the House and the Speaker may accept it
immediately or within a few minutes after a proposal to this effect is
made to the House. The convention is to leave to the Speaker much
discretion as to the time and circumstances in which closures should
with propriety be granted. The discretion that the Speaker exercises
in the matter of accepting a proposal for closure or in refusing it is
entirely absolute and is not open to debate. No debate is allowed on
a closure motion. When a closure has been moved and carried, it
is not considered to be in order to reflect upon the moving of the
closure. Neither time nor motive of closure can be discussed. The
effect of a closure is that the original question is put forthwith and
decided without further amendment or debate save as otherwise
provided in the rules.
[Rule 362]
(14) Contingent Notice.Notice of a motion or resolution or
Bill which if admitted, may be included in the List of Business with
a suitable footnote that it would be taken up only after the conclusion
of the business on which that notice is contingent.
[Rule 333]
(15) Crossing the floor.Passing between the member in
possession of the House and the Chair. To cross the floor, is a
breach of Parliamentary etiquette.
[Rule 349(IV)]
(16) Cut motion.A motion for the reduction of a demand for
grant by or to a specified amount. The three kinds of cut motions
are:
(i) Disapproval of policy cutwhen the motion moved is that
the amount of the demand be reduced to Re. 1;
(ii) Economy cutwhen the motion moved is that the amount
of the demand be reduced by a specified amount; and
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(iii) Token cutwhen the motion moved is that the amount

of the demand be reduced by Rs. 100.
[Rule 209]
(17) Demand for Grant.The estimate of expenditure in respect
of a Ministry/Department not charged upon the Consolidated Fund
of India, placed for approval before the House on the
recommendations of the President.
[Article 113(2) and (3), Rule 206]
(18) Dilatory motions.Motions for the adjournment of the
debate on Bills, motions or resolutions etc. or motions to retard or
to delay the progress of a business under consideration of the House.
Debate on such motions should be restricted to the matter contained
in such motions.
[Rule 341]
(19) Division.The mode of arriving at a decision on a proposed
measure or question by recording votes for or against it.
[Rule 367]
(20) Expunction.Deletion of words, phrases or expressions
from the proceedings or records of the House by an order of the
Speaker or from the proceedings or records of a Committee by an
order of the Chairman of the Committee or the Speaker as being
defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified.
[Rule 380 and Direction 64]
(21) Finance Bill.A Bill ordinarily introduced each year to
give effect to the financial proposals of the Government of India for
the following financial year and includes a Bill to give effect to
supplementary financial proposals for any period.
[Rule 219]
(22) Financial Bill.Financial Bills can be divided into two
categories
(i) In the first category are Bills which inter alia contain provisions
for any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f) of
clause (1) of Article 110 of the Constitution. Such a Bill
cannot be introduced except on the recommendation of
the President and a Bill making such provisions cannot be
introduced in Rajya Sabha, and
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(ii) In the second category of Financial Bills are those Bills

containing inter alia provisions which if enacted and brought
into operation would involve expenditure from the
Consolidated Fund of India. Such Bills cannot be passed
by either House of Parliament unless the President has
recommended to that House the consideration of the Bill.
[Article 117]
(23) Gazette.The Gazette of India.
[Rule 2]
(24) Guillotine.Putting by the Speaker of outstanding question
or questions relating to the business in hand on expiry of the time
allotted for its discussion. Unlike closure, the guillotine to be applied
is not preceded by any motion. On the last of the allotted days at
the appointed time, the Speaker puts every question necessary to
dispose off all the outstanding matters in connection with the demands
for grants. The guillotine concludes the discussion on demands for
grants.
[Rules 208(2) and 291]
(25) Hear, hear.This exclamation by members during the
progress of a debate has been sanctioned by long parliamentary
usage; but if it is used with immoderation or with undesirable
intonation, it is declared to be out of order by the Chair.
(26) Leader of the House.The Prime Minister, if he/she is a
Member of the House, or a Minister who is a member of the House
and is nominated by the Prime Minister to function as the Leader of
the House.
[Rule 2]
(27) Leader of the Opposition.A Member of the House who
is for the time being the Leader in that House of the party in opposition
to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and
recognised as such by the Speaker.

ExplanationWhen there are two or more parties in opposition

to the Government, having the same numerical strength, the Speaker
shall, having regard to the status of parties recognise any one of the
leaders of such parties as the Leader of the Opposition and such
recognition shall be final and conclusive.
[Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament
Act, 1977, Act No. 33 of 1977]
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(28) Lobby.(i) The covered corridors immediately adjoining

the Chamber and coterminus with it is known as Inner and Outer
lobbies. The Inner Lobby functions as the Division Lobby as and
when votes are to be recorded in the Lobby. The Ayes lobby is
situated to the right of the Speakers Chair and Noes to its left.
(ii) Where the votes are not recorded either by the automatic
vote recorder or by distribution of Aye or No slips in the House,
Members may be asked to go to the division lobbies to record their
votes.
[Rules 2, 367, 367A, 367AA and 367B]
(29) Maiden Speech.This is the first speech of a member
elected for the first time in a new House. Such a member is, as a
matter of courtesy, called upon by the Speaker to make his maiden
speech in preference to others rising to speak at the same time.
This privilege is, however, not extended by the Chair unless claimed
within the term of the House to which the member was first returned.
(30) Member. Means a member of the House of the People
(Lok Sabha).
(31) Member in charge of the Bill.The member who has
introduced the Bill and any Minister in the case of a Government
Bill.
[Rule 2]
(32) Message.A communication from the President to a House
or Houses of Parliament under Articles 86(2) and 111 of the
Constitution and a communication sent from one House of Parliament
to the other House.
[Articles 86(2) and 111 and Rules 23, 97, 103, 108,
153, 236 and 237 etc.]
(33) Money Bill.A Bill containing only provisions dealing with
all or any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (g) of
Clause (1) of Article 110 of the Constitution. Such a Bill cannot be
introduced except on the recommendation of the President and a
Bill making such provisions cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha.
[Articles 109, 110 and 117]
(34) Motion.It is a formal proposal made to the House by a
member that the House do something, order something to be done
or express an opinion with regard to some matter, and is so phrased
as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House.
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All motions moved in the House are classified into three broad
categories namely Substantive, Substitute and Subsidiary Motions,
which are defined in the succeeding paragraphs.
(i) Substantive Motion.It is a self-contained independent
proposal submitted for the approval of the House and drafted in such
a way as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House, e.g.,
all Resolutions are substantive motions.
(ii) Substitute Motion.Motions moved in substitution of the
original motion for taking into consideration a policy or situation or
statement or any other matter. Such motions, though drafted in such
a way as to be capable of expressing an opinion by themselves are
not strictly speaking substantive motions in asmuchas they depend
upon the original motion.
(iii) Subsidiary Motion.It is a motion which depends upon or
relates to another motion or follows upon some proceedings in the
House. By itself it has no meaning and is not capable of stating the
decision of the House without reference to the original motion or
proceedings of the House.
Subsidiary Motions are further divided into:
(a) Ancillary Motion.
(b) Superseding Motion.
(c) Amendment.
(a) Ancillary Motion.A motion which is recognised by the
practice of the House as the regular way of proceeding with various
kinds of business. The following are examples of ancillary motions:
(i) That the Bill be taken into consideration.
(ii) That the Bill be passed.
(b) Superseding Motion.A motion which though independent
in form, is moved in the course of debate on another question and
seeks to supersede that question. In that class fall all the dilatory
motions. The following motions are superseding motions in relation
to the motion for taking into consideration a Bill:
(i) That the Bill be recommitted to a Select Committee.
(ii) That the Bill be recommitted to a Joint Committee of the
Houses.
(iii) That the Bill be re-circulated for eliciting further opinion
thereon.
(iv) That the consideration of the Bill or the debate on the Bill
be adjourned sine die or to some future date.
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(c) Amendment.A subsidiary motion which interposes a new

process of question and decision between the main question and its
decision. Amendments may be to the clause of a Bill, to a Resolution
or to a Motion, or to an amendment to a clause of a Bill, Resolution
or Motion. The object of an amendment is either to modify a question
before the House with a view to increasing its acceptability, or to
present to the House a different proposition as an alternative to the
original question.
[Direction 41]
(35) Motion of Thanks.A formal motion moved in the House
expressing its gratitude for the Address delivered by the President
under Article 87(1) of the Constitution to both Houses of Parliament
assembled together. It provides an opportunity for the discussion of
the matters referred to in the Address.
[Article 87(1) and Rule 17]
(36) Naming a Member.The drawing of attention of the House
by the Speaker to the conduct of a member(s) who disregards the
authority of the Chair or abuses the rules of the House by persistently
and wilfully obstructing the business thereof, with a view to action
being taken to suspend them from the service of the House for a
period not exceeding the remainder of the session.
[Rule 374]
However, in the event of grave disorder occasioned by a member
coming into the well of the House or abusing the rules of the House
persistently and wilfully obstructing its business by shouting slogans
or otherwise, such member shall, on being named by the Speaker,
stand automatically suspended from the service of the House for
five consecutive sittings or the remainder of the session, whichever
is less.
[Rule 374A]
(37) Order, order.The Speaker sometimes says this to call
the House to order, or to ask the House to hear the Chair or a
member in possession of the floor. Generally, this is done under
various circumstances some of which are noted below:
(i) If the member seeking to intervene is not allowed to
interrupt.
(ii) If the member speaking is found to be irrelevant.
(iii) If a member rises to speak when he/she should not.
(iv) If a member is in any manner disorderly.
72

(v) If there is noise and confusion in the House and the Chair
wants that order should prevail.
(vi) If there is an occasion for the Speaker to speak on a
matter of procedure at any time.
(38) Ordinance.A law made by the President in exercise of
the powers vested in him by Article 123 of the Constitution.
[Article 123]
(39) Panel of Chairpersons.The panel of ten members of
Lok Sabha nominated by the Speaker, any one of whom may preside
over the House in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy
Speaker when so requested by the Speaker or in her/his absence
by the Deputy Speaker.
[Rule 9]
(40) Papers laid on the Table.(i) Means the papers or
documents laid on the Table of the House for the purpose of bringing
them on the record of the House by a Minister or by a private
member or by the Secretary-General with the permission of the
Speaker in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution or the
Rules of Procedure or Directions by the Speaker or an Act of
Parliament and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder. All
papers so laid on the Table are either printed as part of the
proceedings of the House or placed in the Library.
(ii) A member wishing to raise any point regarding delay in laying
or any other matter about a paper to be laid on the Table should
through a written communication refer it to the Committee on Papers
laid on the Table and not raise it in the House.
[Rule 305C]
(41) Point of order.(i) A point relating to the interpretation or
enforcement of the Rules of Procedure or such Articles of the
Constitution as regulate the business of the House, raised in the
House for the decision of the Chair.
(ii) As soon as a point of order is raised, the member who is in
possession of the floor should give way and resume his seat.
(iii) A member should not raise a point of order
(a) to ask for information; or
(b) to explain his position; or
(c) when a question on any motion is being put to the House;
or
73

(d) which may be hypothetical; or

(e) that Division Bells did not ring or were not heard.
(iv) The decision of the Speaker as to whether a point raised is
a point of order is final.
[Rule 376]
(v) The following procedure should be followed for raising points
of order:
(a) A member who has a point of order should stand up and say
point of order. He should not proceed to formulate it until the
member is identified by Chair. Only after he has been identified, he
should proceed to speak on his point of order;
(b) While formulating his point of order a member should quote
the specific rule or provision of Constitution relating to procedure of
the House which may have been ignored or neglected or violated;
(c) No member should rise or speak either standing or sitting,
when Speaker is on his feet. The Speaker should be heard in silence
and any member wanting to speak should rise only after the Speaker
has sat down and he has called the member to speak;
(d) Matters on which the Speaker cannot give any relief should
not be the subject of a point of order, should a member desire to
have a clarification from a Minister or object to any statement which
a Minister might have made, he should say so in the House with the
permission of the Speaker and should not raise it in the garb of a
point of order.
(42) Precincts of the House.Means and includes the Chamber,
the Lobbies, the Galleries and except for the purposes of rule 374,
the following places in Parliament House Estate:
(i) The Central Hall and its Lobbies;
(ii) Members Waiting Rooms;
(iii) Committee Rooms;
(iv) Parliament Library;
(v) Members Refreshment Rooms, Dining Rooms and
Banquet Hall;
(vi) Lok Sabha Offices located in Parliament House, Parliament
House Annexe, Parliament Library Building and Outer
Reception Offices of Parliament House and Parliament
House Annexe;
74

(vii) Corridors and passages connecting or leading to the

various rooms referred to above; and
(viii) Parliament House Estate and approaches to the
Parliament House and Parliament House Annexe.

ExplanationParliament House Estate includes

(a) all buildings, structures, installations, lawns and vacant land
adjoining Parliament House, Parliament House Annexe and Outer
Reception Office; and
(b) plot No. 118 (between Red Cross Road, Raisina Road and
Parliament House) and plot No. 115 where now Parliament Library
Building is located (between Talkatora Road, Pant Marg and
Parliament House) which are under the control of the Speaker.
[Rule 2 and Direction 124]
A member can remain within the Precincts of the House when
the House or any Committee of which she/he is a member, is sitting
and for a reasonable time before or after that. If a Member wants
to remain there beyond an hour after House or Committee has
adjourned to meet on a subsequent day, specific permission of the
Speaker has to be sought for the purpose. Permission given to a
member to remain within precincts of the House can be withdrawn
by the Speaker at any time. The precincts of the House cannot be
used by members for any demonstration, dharna, strikes, fasts or
for the purpose of performing any religious ceremony.
It is not permissible to use the Chamber of the House for any
purpose other than the sittings of the House. The Speaker has ruled
that No Member is allowed to escort under any circumstances,
inside the Chamber of Lok Sabha, any non-member, including near
relatives, ex-members, or members of the other House, before or
after the sitting of the House and that under no circumstances the
Lok Sabha Chamber should be used by anyone for holding a press
conference or for briefing the press correspondent etc..
Except for the Security Staff, who take possession of the
Chamber, none is permitted to remain in the Lok Sabha Chamber
after the House rises for the day.
(43) Proposing the Question.(i) When a member moving a
certain motion has concluded the speech, the Chair proposes the
question to which the motion relates in the following form:
Motion moved: and reads the text of the motion.
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(ii) The discussion on the question commences after the question

has been proposed by the Chair.
[Rule 365]
(44) Private Member.Means a member other than a Minister.
[Rule 2]
(45) Prorogation.The termination of a session of the House
by an order made by the President under Article 85(2) (a) of the
Constitution.
[Article 85]
(46) Putting the Question.When debate on a question is
closed, the Speaker, rising from the Chair, states or reads the question
to the House, beginning with The Question is, that.
[Rule 364]
(47) Question Chart.It is the chart circulated to members,
along with the Summons for a session. It indicates the first and the
last days for receiving notices of questions for the days on which
there is Question Hour and the dates for holding ballots.
(48) Question Hour.The first hour of a sitting of the House
normally allotted for asking and answering of questions.
(49) Question of Privilege.A question involving a breach of
privilege either of a member or of the House or of a Committee
thereof or a contempt of the House.
[Rule 222]
(50) Quorum.The minimum number of members required to
be present at a sitting of the House or the Committee for valid
transaction of its business. The quorum to constitute a sitting of the
House is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House
and in respect of a Committee, it is one-third of the total number of
members of the Committee.
[Article 100(3) and Rule 259(1)]
(51) Resolution.A self-contained independent proposal
submitted for the approval of the House and drafted in such a way
as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House. A resolution
may be in the form of a declaration of opinion; or a recommendation;
or may be in a form so as to record either approval or disapproval
76

by the House of an act or policy of Government; or convey a

message; or command urge or request an action; or call attention
to a matter or situation for consideration by Government; or in such
other form as the Speaker may consider appropriate.
[Rule 171]
(52) Roll of Members.A register in which newly elected
Members sign after making and subscribing the oath or affirmation
and before taking their seats for the first time in the House.
[Rule 6]
(53) Session.A session of Lok Sabha comprises the period
commencing from the date and time mentioned in the order of the
President summoning Lok Sabha, and ending with the day on which
the President prorogues or dissolves Lok Sabha.
(54) Sitting of the House.A sitting of the House is duly
constituted when it is presided over by the Speaker or Deputy
Speaker or any other member competent to preside over a sitting of
the House under the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure and
Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
[Rule 11]
(55) Short Notice Question.A question relating to a matter of
public importance of an urgent character asked with notice shorter
than ten clear days.
[Rule 54]
(56) Starred Question.A question to which a member wishes
to have an oral answer on the floor of the House and which is
distinguished by an asterisk.
[Rule 36]
(57) Statutory Resolution.A resolution in pursuance of a
provision in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.
[Direction 9B]
(58) Subordinate Legislation.Rules, regulations or orders
having the force of law, framed by the executive or other subordinate
authority in pursuance of the power conferred on it by the Constitution
or delegated to it by an Act of Parliament.
(59) Summons.An official communication issued by the
Secretary-General of Lok Sabha to the members of Lok Sabha
77

informing them of the place, date and time of commencement of a

session of Lok Sabha.
[Rule 3]
(60) Suspension from the service of the House.When a
member(s) is suspended from the service of the House under
Rule 374 or Rule 374A, the following consequences arise from their
suspension and remain in force during the period of suspension:
(i) The member cannot enter the Chamber, the Inner Lobby and
Galleries.
(ii) The member stands suspended from sittings of Parliamentary
Committees of which she/he may be a member. Notices of sittings
of Committees held during the period of suspension are not sent to
member.
(iii) No item is put down in the List of Business in the members
name.
(iv) No notice tabled by the member is acceptable during the
period of members suspension.
(v) Notices tabled by a member prior to suspension from the
service of the House are not admitted or included in the List of
Business or List of Questions or List of Amendments or List of
Motions for reduction of Demands for Grants, etc. during the period
of suspension. Questions from such a member which have already
appeared in the List of Questions for the sitting held during the
period of suspension are removed from those Lists through
corrigendum.
(vi) The member cannot vote at election to Committee held during
the period of suspension.
(vii) The member is not entitled to daily allowance if suspended
from the service of the House for the remainder of the Session as
her/his stay at the place of duty cannot be regarded as residence
on duty under section 2(d) of Salary, Allowances and Pension of
Members of Parliament Act, 1954. However, if the member is
suspended for a specific period during a session, she/he is entitled
to daily allowance for each day of residence on duty at Delhi.
[Rules 374 and 374A]
(61) Table of the House.This table is just in front of the desk
of the Secretary-General below the Speakers Chair. Papers which
are required to be laid on the Table of the House are deemed to be
placed on this table. During sittings of the House, the Roll of Members
is kept on this table.
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(62) Unstarred Question.A question placed on the List of

Questions for written answer. The written answer to such a question
is deemed to have been laid on the Table at the end of the Question
Hour.
[Rule 39]
(63) Vote on Account.A grant made by Lok Sabha in advance
in respect of the estimated expenditure of the Government of India
for a part of a financial year pending the voting of Demands for
Grants for the financial year. A Motion for Vote on Account is dealt
with in the same way as if it were a demand for grant.
[Article 116 and Rule 214]
(64) Withdrawal of member from the House.The Speaker in
exercise of his/her disciplinary powers may direct any member guilty
of disorderly conduct to withdraw from the House. The member so
ordered to withdraw is required to do so forthwith and remain absent
for the remainder of that days sitting.
[Rule 373]
42. Parliamentary Customs and Conventions.There are
many established Parliamentary customs and conventions which a
member elected for the first time has to make oneself familiar with.
These customs and conventions are based on the past precedents,
the rulings of Presiding Officers and on the unrecorded traditions of
Parliament which a member comes to know through personal
experience in Parliament. A list of such customs and conventions is
given below which cannot, however, be taken as exhaustive:
(1) Every member should, while coming to the House for a
sitting, bring the identity card issued to them by the Secretary-General
so that security staff on duty in the premises of the House may
conveniently accommodate them, for such officers have strict orders
not to allow strangers into the Parliament House and it is no easy
thing for them to get acquainted with the names and appearances
of a large number of members, specially as the security staff deputed
to do the work change from time to time and they have to perform
their difficult task of regulating order in the buildings in an astonishingly
short time.
(2) Before making and subscribing the oath or affirmation, it is
customary for the members to call on the Speaker. That is arranged
by the Joint Secretary in-charge of Table Office or Table Office (B)
79

[Room No. 46(B)] Parliament House, who also advises the members
on the procedure for making and subscribing the oath or affirmation.
(3) The members should not say or do anything on the floor of
the House which is not permissible under the Rules of Procedure,
rulings, precedents, customs and conventions of the House.
(4) Information given to members in confidence or by virtue of
their being members of Parliamentary Committees should not be
divulged to anyone nor used by them directly or indirectly in the
profession in which they are engaged, such as in their capacity as
editors or correspondents of newspapers or proprietors of business
firms and so on.
(5) A member should not try to secure business from Government
for a firm, company or organisation with which one is directly or
indirectly concerned.
(6) A member should not give certificates which are not based
on facts.
(7) A member should not sublet the Government accommodation
and its premises allotted to them for residential purpose.
(8) A member should not unduly influence the Government
officials or the Ministers in a case in which one is interested financially
either directly or indirectly.
(9) A member should not receive hospitality of any kind for any
work one desires or proposes to do from a person or organisation
on whose behalf the work is to be done by them.
(10) A member should not in ones capacity as a lawyer or a
legal adviser or a counsel or a solicitor appear before a Minister or
an executive officer exercising quasi-judicial powers.
(11) A member should verify the facts before proceeding to take
action on behalf of ones constituents.
(12) A member should satisfy oneself about the correctness of
bills claiming amounts due before signing them.
(13) A member should not elicit any official information in an
unauthorised manner by inducing a Government employee to give
information to them which in the course of ones normal functions
one should not give, nor encourage any such person to speak to the
employee against ones senior officials on matters of public
importance and policy.
80

(14) A member should not write recommendatory letters or speak

to Government officials for employment or business contacts for any
relation or other person in whom the member is directly or indirectly
interested.
(15) A member should not give publicity in the Press to the
discussions held by them with the Speaker in her/his Chamber.
(16) The decorum and the seriousness of the proceedings of the
House require that no member should shout slogans of any kind or
sit on dharna in the pit of the House or stand up on the seat.
(17) Applause or Cheers and Laughter are not recorded in
the Lok Sabha Debates.
(18) A notice should not be given publicity by any member or
other person until it has been admitted by the Speaker and circulated
to members. A notice of a question should not be given any publicity
until the day on which the question is answered in the House.
[Rule 334A]
(19) Rulings given by the Chair should not be criticised directly
or indirectly inside or outside the House.
(20) Matters pertaining to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and the
functions of the Speaker should not be raised on the floor of the
House. Reference should not be made in debates to any officer of
the House.
(21) Proposals for expenditure from grants relating to Lok Sabha
Secretariat are not discussed on the floor of the House or in any
Parliamentary Committee. These are considered by a Committee
constituted by the Speaker for the purpose.
(22) Display or carrying of arms and ammunition in the House
or in any part of the Parliament House Complex is strictly prohibited.
(23) Display of exhibits on the floor of the House is not in order.
(24) A member should not throw burning cigarette ends on the
floor anywhere except in the receptacles or ashtrays provided for
the purpose.
43. Parliamentary Etiquette.The rules which the members
are required to observe in the House are technically known as
Parliamentary Etiquette. These are based on the Rules of Procedure
81

and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha and also on the Rulings

given by the Speaker from time to time. The following is the list of
some of the important rules of parliamentary etiquette which members
have generally to observe in the House:
(1) Member should be present in the House a few minutes before
(i) the scheduled time of commencement of sitting, which is ordinarily
11.00 hours; and (ii) the time fixed by the Chair for reassembly of
the House after lunch-break.
When the Speaker comes to take the Chair in the House the
marshal announces her/his arrival in the following words:

, (Honble Members, Honble

Speaker). As soon as the Speaker enters the Chamber, members
should stop all conversation, return to their seats and rise in their
places. Members who enter the House at that time should stand
silently in the gangway till the Speaker takes the Chair and thereafter
they should go to their seats;
(2) Members should bow to the Chair while entering or leaving
the House, and also when taking or leaving their seats;
(3) Members should not read any book, newspaper or letter
except in connection with the business of the House;
(4) Members should not interrupt any member while speaking,
by disorderly expression or noises or in any other disorderly manner;
(5) Members should not leave the House when the Speaker is
addressing the House;
(6) A member should keep to her/his usual seat while addressing
the House;
(7) Members should maintain silence when not speaking in the
House;
(8) A member should not obstruct proceedings, hiss or interrupt
and should avoid making running commentaries when another
member is speaking;
(9) Members should not applaud when a stranger enters any of
the Galleries, or the Special Box;
(10) Members should not shout slogans in the House;
82

(11) A member should not sit or stand with her/his back towards
the Chair;
(12) A member should not approach the Chair personally in the
House. She/he may send chits to the officers at the Table, if necessary;
(13) Members should not wear or display badges of any kind in
the House except the National Flag in the form of a lapel pin or a
badge;
(14) Members should not bring or display arms in the House;
(15) Members should not display flags, emblems or any exhibits
in the House;
(16) A member should not leave the House immediately after
delivering her/his speech; courtesy to the House requires that after
finishing their speeches members resume their seats and leave the
House only afterwards, if necessary;
(17) Members should not distribute within the precincts of
Parliament House any literature, questionnaire, pamphlets, press
notes, leaflets etc.;
(18) Member should not place her/his hat or cap on the desk in
the House, bring boards in the Chamber for keeping files or for
writing purposes, smoke or enter the House with her/his coat hanging
on the arms;
(19) A member should not carry walking stick into the House
unless permitted by the Speaker on health grounds;
(20) A member should not tear off documents in the House in
protest;
(21) A member should not bring or play cassette or tape recorders
in the House;
(22) Members should avoid talking or laughing in lobby loud
enough to be heard in the House;
[Rule 349]
(23) Members should not stand in the passage of the Chamber.
They should either sit down or go out;
(24) A member should not cross the floor when the House is
sittingthat is, she/he should not pass between the Chair and the
member who is speaking;
83

(25) During a sitting a member should, if necessary, go out

quickly by a back door close to her/his seat without causing any
disturbance to the House;
(26) Members should not talk amongst themselves but if
indispensably necessary, they may do so only in very low voice, so
as not to disturb the proceedings. Talks by members, though not
very audible at a distance, may yet considerably disturb the Chair
due to special sound arrangements;
(27) While the House is sitting, every member should enter and
leave the Chamber with decorum and in such a manner as not to
disturb the proceedings in the House;
(28) Two members should not keep standing in the House at the
same time;
(29) A member while speaking should not
(i) refer to any matter of fact on which a judicial decision is
pending;
(ii) make personal reference by way of making an allegation
imputing a motive to or questioning the bona fides of any
other member of the House unless it be imperatively
necessary for the purpose of the debate being itself a
matter in issue or relevant thereto;
(iii) use offensive expressions about the conduct or
proceedings of Parliament or any State Legislature;
(iv) reflect on any determination of the House except on a
motion for rescinding it;
(v) reflect upon the conduct of persons in high authority unless
the discussion is based on a substantive motion drawn in
proper terms;

Explanation:The words persons in high authority mean persons

whose conduct can only be discussed on a substantive motion drawn
in proper terms under the Constitution or such other persons whose
conduct, in the opinion of the Speaker, should be discussed on a
substantive motion drawn up in terms to be approved by her/him.
(vi) use the Presidents name for the purpose of influencing
the debate;
(vii) utter treasonable, seditious or defamatory words;
84

(viii) use her/his right of speech for the purpose of obstructing

the business of the House;
(ix) make any reference to the strangers in any of the galleries;
(x) refer to Government officials by name;
(xi) read a written speech except with the previous permission
of the Chair; and
(xii) address individual members of the House but should
address the Chair.
(30) No member should raise in the House the subject-matter of
a notice or a communication sent by her/him to the Speaker or the
Lok Sabha Secretariat unless she/he has been specifically permitted
by the Speaker. If no intimation has been received by the member,
she/he should presume that the matter is under the consideration of
the Speaker or has been disallowed by the Speaker.
Submissions made by members only with the permission of the
Chair are recorded in the proceedings of the House;
(31) Every member should resume her/his seat as soon as the
Speaker rises to speak, or calls out Order, and also when any
other member is in possession of the floor (i.e. speaking with the
permission of the Chair) or has interposed in the course of the
debate to raise a point of order;
(32) A member is not allowed to read the speech for another
member;
(33) It is desirable that, as far as practicable, a member should
not be referred to by name, but in some other suitable way, e.g., as
the member who has last spoken, the member representing
constituency, the member from , etc. If unavoidably necessary,
full name may be used;
(34) No member is to argue with another member when the
latter is speaking. She/He may, however, ask through the Chair
questions with a view to obtaining information from the member who
is speaking. But a member who is addressing the House with the
permission of the Chair should not be interrupted by another member
persistently. It is open to the former not to give way but to go on with
her/his speech if the interruption is not for raising a point of order;
(35) Repetition of the arguments of previous speakers or ones
own should as far as practicable, be avoided;
85

(36) No member should speak to the Galleries from inside the

House nor should she/he make any reference or appeal to the
persons seated there. Except for the visiting foreign dignitaries whose
presence in the Special Box is brought to the notice of the House
by the Speaker, applause for any person sitting in the Gallery is out
of order;
(37) It is not in order for members, other than Ministers to consult
officials in the Officials Gallery from inside the House;
(38) Documents cited by a member in course of her/his speech,
which are not available to other members, should be kept ready to
be placed by her/him on Table of the House, if there is demand to
that effect and the Chair so directs;
(39) Words containing insinuations, offensive and unparliamentary
expressions should be avoided. When the Chair holds that a particular
word or expression is unparliamentary, it should be immediately
withdrawn without any attempt to raise any debate over it. Words or
expressions held to be unparliamentary and ordered to be expunged
by the Chair are omitted from the debates. A list of such words or
expressions is compiled annually and the same is available in the
Parliament Library for reference;
(40) A member having a personal, pecuniary or direct interest in
a matter to be decided by the House is expected, while taking part
in the proceedings on that matter, to declare her/his interest. It would
avoid raising of objections regarding her/his vote at the time of
division;
[Rule 371]
(41) When a member is making a maiden speech she/he should
not be interrupted;
(42) No speech made in Rajya Sabha should be quoted in the
House unless it is a definite statement of policy by a Minister.
The Speaker may, however, on a request being made to her/him
in advance, give permission to a member to quote a speech or
make reference to the proceedings in Rajya Sabha if she/he thinks
that such a course is necessary in order to enable the member to
develop a point of privilege or procedure;
[Rule 354]
(43) A statement made by a Minister from the records in her/his
possession should be accepted as correct unless a point is
deliberately raised to challenge it;
86

(44) A member against whom charges are made personally on

the floor of the House may, with the permission of the Speaker, make
a personal explanation although there is no question before the
House. In this case no debatable matter should be brought forward
and no debate should arise. No member is permitted to make a
statement by way of personal explanation unless a copy thereof has
been submitted in writing by her/him to the Speaker sufficiently in
advance and the Speaker has approved it. Words, phrases and
expressions which are not in the statement approved by the Speaker
if spoken, cannot form part of the proceedings of the House;
[Rule 357 and Direction 115C]
(45) If any statement is imputed to another member, and the
latter says that she/he did not make that statement, the contradiction
should be accepted without demur;
(46) The Speaker may direct any member whose conduct is in
her/his opinion grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the
House, and any member so ordered to withdraw should do so
forthwith and should absent oneself during the remainder of the
days sitting;
[Rule 373]
(47) When any member offers a criticism of another member or
Minister, the latter is entitled to expect that the critic should be
present in the House to hear her/his reply. To be absent when the
latter is replying is a breach of parliamentary etiquette.
44. Important Places in Parliament House and Parliament
House Annexe.New members should familiarise themselves with
the location of various rooms etc. in Parliament House and Parliament
House Annexe such as
(i) Parliament House
Lok Sabha Chamber
Speakers Chamber
Speakers Committee Room
Secretary-General, Room No. 18
Central Hall
Parliamentary Notice Office, Room No. 23
Table Office, Room No. 22
Table Office (B), Room No. 46-B
87

Reception Office
CPI Cell behind Mahatma Gandhis Statue
Ministers Rooms
Committee Rooms 53, 62 and 63
Posts & Telegraphs OfficeBetween Gate Nos. 9 & 11
Marshal Room, First Aid Post, Central Hall behind dais
Canteens: Refreshment Rooms 70 and 73, First Floor, between Lift
Nos. 4 and 5, Reception Office, Coffee BoardCentral Hall, Tea
BoardCentral Hall, Snack BarCentral Hall, DMS CounterCentral
Hall, Railway Booking and Reservation OfficeRoom No. 131,
Attic Storey between Lift Nos. 1 & 2 and Near Reception Block.
Reprography SectionCentral Hall
Lobby Telephone Booths
Party Offices
Lounges for Lady Members
Parliament Library
Sales Counter and Publications Counter, Airlines Booking Office
Room No. 131-A, Attic Storey between Lift Nos. 1 & 2
Pay Office of State Bank of IndiaRoom No. 57, 1st Floor
Members Stenographers PoolRoom No. 20-B, Ground Floor and
Room No. 129-A, Attic Storey between Lift Nos. 1 & 6
Press Room Nos. 59, 60 and 61
(ii) Parliament House Annexe
Medical Examination CentreBasement
Posts & Telegraphs OfficeBasement
State Bank of India BranchGround Floor
Income Tax Cell, (Anti-room of Auditorium)
Reception Office
Banquet HallGround Floor
Committee Rooms A, B, C and DGround Floor
Committee Room EBasement
Committee Room MainGround Floor
88

Committee Room No. 1391st Floor

Private Dining RoomGround Floor
NDMC, Liaison OfficeRoom No. 3143rd Floor
Telephones, Liaison OfficeRoom No. 5205th Floor
Directorate of Estates, Room Nos. 601 & 6026th Floor
A small folder Parliament House showing the location of all
important places is circulated to Members separately at the time of
the First Session of the new Lok Sabha.
45. Procedure for Communicating with Ministries.The
procedure for obtaining information by members from Ministries or
Departments in connection with their parliamentary duties is as
follows:
(i) In all matters of a routine character, members should
invariably address their communications to the Secretary
of the Ministry concerned, irrespective of the fact whether
the information required is in relation to the Ministry itself
or an attached or subordinate office thereto. In no case
should letters be addressed to any other officer in the
Ministry either by designation or by name;
(ii) If the matter is important and the member feels that it
should receive consideration at a higher level, he may
address the letter direct to the Minister;
(iii) In case members want to ascertain facts about cases of
fraud, corruption, bribery, mal-administration, nepotism etc.
in administration which might have come to their notice,
such matters should be addressed to the Minister
concerned direct under copy to the Minister of
Parliamentary Affairs; and
(iv) If a member feels that his request or complaint has not
been attended to properly or in time and wishes that he
should exercise his parliamentary right to ask a question
or raise a discussion on the subject-matter of his request
or complaint, he should forward a copy of the
correspondence along with the notice in order to enable
the Speaker to come to a decision.
46. Procedure for making allegations against a Minister/
Member or an outsider.(1) A member, while speaking should not
89

make personal reference by way of making an allegation imputing

a motive to or questioning the bona fides of any other member of
the House unless it be imperatively necessary for the purpose of the
debate being itself a matter in issue or relevant thereto.
[Rule 352(ii)]
(2) No allegation of a defamatory or incriminatory nature should
be made by a member against any person unless the member has
given adequate advance notice to the Speaker and also to the
Minister concerned so that the Minister may be able to make an
investigation into the matter for the purpose of a reply.
(3) The Speaker may, however, at any time prohibit any member
from making any such allegation if she/he is of the opinion that such
allegation is derogatory to the dignity of the House or that no public
interest would be served by making such allegation.
[Rule 353]
(4) As members are not liable to any proceedings in any court
in respect of anything said by them in the House, allegations should
not be made by them against a member/Minister or any individual
or a public body unless the allegations are supported and fortified
by strong and adequate proofs to substantiate them in the event of
the member being challenged to that effect in the House.
(5) Members should not base their allegations on mere press
reports unless they have satisfied themselves about the correctness
of the matter and are prepared to take full responsibility for them.
Where, however, a member is convinced after making enquiries
that there is basis for the allegation and she/he is prepared to accept
responsibility for the same, she/he should give the details of the
allegations, in writing, sufficiently in advance to the Speaker and the
Minister concerned and in no case later than 10 A.M. on the date
on which these are sought to be made.
The details of the charges should be spelt out in precise terms
and should be duly supported by the requisite documents which
should be authenticated by the Member. Where a member sends
mere intimation of intention to make allegations without furnishing
precise details and documentary evidence, she/he may not be
allowed.
Where a member persists in making serious allegations in the
House without giving previous notice and without complying with the
well established procedure in this behalf, or without the permission
90

of the Chair, Speaker may prohibit the member from making any
such allegations and these may not form part of the proceedings of
Lok Sabha.
(6) Members should not make allegations against persons who
are not present in the House to defend themselves. Allegations may
also not be made against officials by name as the constitutional
responsibility lies with the Minister.
(7) In the light of above, it is necessary that before making
allegations in the House, the Members concerned should ensure the
following:
(i) The member should give adequate advance notice to the
Speaker and the Minister concerned;
(ii) The details of the charges sought to be levelled should be
spelt out in precise terms and should be duly supported
by the requisite documents which should be authenticated
by the member;
(iii) The member should before making the allegations in the
House, satisfy himself after making enquiries that there is
a basis for the allegations;
(iv) The member should be prepared to accept the
responsibility for the allegations; and
(v) The member should be prepared to substantiate the
allegations.

(Minutes of Meeting of Speaker with Leaders of Parties and

Groups held on 18th July, 1980 and 1st December, 1988 and
L.S. Bn. Pt. II dt. 6.12.88Para No. 2662).
47. Procedure for inviting attention of the House to incorrect
statements made by the Ministers or Members.(1) When a
member wishes to point out a mistake or inaccuracy in a statement
made in the House by any Minister or any other member in response
to a question asked by her/him or connected with her/his own
statement during a debate she/he should give notice to the SecretaryGeneral pointing out the particulars of the mistake, and seeking the
permission of the Speaker for raising the matter in the House. The
member may also furnish such evidence as she/he may have in
support of his allegation.
(2) The Speaker may, if she/he considers it necessary, bring the
matter to the notice of the Minister or the member concerned for the
91

purpose of ascertaining the factual position in regard to the allegation

made.
(3) The Speaker may then, if she/he considers it necessary,
permit the member who pointed out the mistake to make or lay a
statement in the House confining it to the specific points of inaccuracy
only.
(4) The member so permitted should before making or laying the
statement furnish an advance copy thereof to the Lok Sabha
Secretariat for information of the Speaker and the Minister or the
other member concerned. If the Speaker considers any position of
the statement to be irrelevant, superfluous or otherwise objectionable
she/he may amend the same. Words, phrases and expressions which
are not in the statement as approved by the Speaker, if spoken, do
not form part of the Debates.
(5) The Minister or the member concerned may make or lay a
statement in reply, with the permission of the Speaker and after
having informed the other member concerned. Thereafter the matter
is treated as closed.
[Direction 115]
(6) Not more than one notice under this provision is admitted for
the same sitting.
48. Rules to be observed by Members desiring to participate
in a debate.(1) Members desiring to notify the Speaker of their
intention to take part in debate or discussion may adopt any one of
the following three methods :
(i) The list of names of members who wish to participate in
a particular debate or discussion may be furnished in
advance by the parliamentary parties or groups. Such
communications should be addressed to the SecretaryGeneral and sent to the Parliamentary Notice Office or
handed over at the Table.
(ii) A member who prefers to give her/his name directly without
going through the machinery of her/his party or group
may do so in like manner.
(iii) A member who may not like to take recourse to (i) or
(ii) above but wishes to adopt the well-known parliamentary
practice of catching the Speakers eye may stand in her/
his place when she/he wishes to take part in a debate.
92

(2) Unless a member rises in her/his place and catches the

Speakers eye, she/he is not called upon by the Speaker to speak,
irrespective of whether she/he has sent her/his name through her/
his party or group or directly.
(3) The Speaker is not bound by the lists or order in which
names have been given by parties or groups or individuals directly.
The lists are for her/his information only. It is always open to her/him
to make changes whenever necessary in order that the debates are
regulated in accordance with the general principles laid down by the
Speaker from time to time.
(4) If a member speaks without being called by the Speaker to
speak or continues to speak despite directions to conclude the speech
forthwith, the Speaker may direct that such speech or portions thereof,
as the case may be, shall not form part of the proceedings of the
House.
[Direction 115A]
49. Languages to be used by Members in the House.Under
Article 120 of the Constitution, the business of the House is transacted
in Hindi or English, but Members who cannot adequately express
themselves in these two languages can, with the permission of the
Speaker, address the House in any of the languages mentioned in
the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. Such a member should soon
after taking the allotted seat in the House, inform the Speaker about
it in writing. On each occasion, before speaking in the House, at
least half-an-hour in advance a member should furnish a notice to
the Officer at the Table or the Parliamentary Notice Office, mentioning
the language in which and the business during which the speech
would be made. On receipt of such notice, arrangements will be
made to interpret simultaneously the speech in English and Hindi, if
the language indicated by the member is one of the following namely:
(i) Assamese, (ii) Bengali, (iii) Kannada, (iv) Malayalam, (v) Manipuri,
(vi) Marathi, (vii) Maithili, (viii) Nepali, (ix) Odia, (x) Punjabi,
(xi) Sanskrit, (xii) Tamil, (xiii) Telugu, and (xiv) Urdu.
In such case, the recorded speech is consulted later in the
preparation of the official version of the speech for the Verbatim
Report by the Interpreter concerned and the English/Hindi version
so prepared is included in the debates with a footnote indicating the
language in which the original speech was delivered.
If the speech is to be made in any other language for which
interpretation facility is not available either because the language is
not in the VIII Schedule or because an Interpreter for that language
is not on the rolls, the member concerned should furnish in advance
to the Officer at the Table or Parliamentary Notice Office three
93

authenticated copies of the translation in Hindi/English of the speech.

Such translation furnished by the member is printed in the debates
with a footnote indicating the language in which the original speech
is delivered* besides being relayed (read out) over the mike at the
time of the speech in that language; otherwise the fact that the
member spoke in a language other than English/Hindi or any of the
languages for which interpretation facility is available in the House
and the non-furnishing of the translation thereof is mentioned in the
debates and the text of the speech does not find place therein.
50. Simultaneous Interpretation of Proceedings.(1) The
entire proceedings of the House are interpreted simultaneously from
Hindi into English and vice-versa by Parliamentary Interpreters and
can be followed by members in English or Hindi by using headphones
and by operating the language-selector-buttons installed at every
seat in the Chamber as explained in the succeeding paragraphs.
(2) Arrangements also exist for providing simultaneous interpretation
into English and Hindi of speeches made in (i) Assamese, (ii) Bengali,
(iii) Kannada, (iv) Malayalam, (v) Manipuri, (vi) Marathi, (vii) Maithili,
(viii) Nepali, (ix) Odia, (x) Punjabi, (xi) Sanskrit, (xii) Tamil,
(xiii) Telugu, and (xiv) Urdu, provided the member desirous of making
a speech in any of these languages gives at least half-an-hours
notice to that effect to the officer at the Table in order to enable the
Interpreter concerned to take position in the Interpreters Booth.
(3) In regard to the use of languages during Question Hour only,
the following procedure shall be followed:
(i) (a) The facility of simultaneous interpretation in Hindi and
English from the languages enumerated in para (2) above
is to be availed of by members in whose names the
Question appears in the Starred Question list;
(b) Other Members too on their being permitted by the
chair to raise a Supplementary Question may avail
themselves of this facility;
(c) Honble Ministers may answer the Starred Questions
and Supplementaries thereon in the languages other than
English or Hindi when their request in this regard is
acceded to. Such requests shall be made every time the
Minister wishes to speak thus furnishing advance
intimation;
* Simultaneous Interpretation in Lok Sabhaa Booklet published by Lok Sabha
Secretariat, P-25, 1985.

94

(ii) Advance notice in this regard should be given in writing

by the members concerned not later than 3 p.m. on the
working day preceding the day on which the Question is
listed for oral answer;
(iii) In English and Hindi editions of the Debates, the English
and Hindi versions respectively of the Supplementary
Questions asked in any of the languages mentioned in
para (2) would be incorporated on the same lines as in
respect of speeches delivered by members in these
languages while participating in Debates.
(4) Members who make speeches with the help of copious notes
are requested to send texts thereof to the Parliamentary Interpreters
in advance to facilitate Interpretation.
(5) If the floor language is Hindi/English, its interpretation in
English/Hindi can be heard simultaneously on the interpretation system
and if the floor language is (i) Assamese, (ii) Bengali, (iii) Kannada,
(iv) Malayalam, (v) Manipuri, (vi) Marathi, (vii) Maithili, (viii) Nepali,
(ix) Odia, (x) Punjabi, (xi) Sanskrit, (xii) Tamil, (xiii) Telugu, and
(xiv) Urdu, simultaneous interpretation can be heard in Hindi as well
as in English.
51. Simultaneous Interpretation Equipment.(1) A new
Simultaneous Interpretation Equipment has been installed in the
Lok Sabha Chamber. Each seat in the Chamber is provided with a
headphone, channel-selector-buttons, volume-control-buttons, and
a tiny display screen for showing the selected channel number.
Showing channel number 0 in the display indicates floor language,
channel number 1 indicates Hindi interpretation and channel number
2 indicates English interpretation. Volume control of the Headphone
can be adjusted by pressing the volume-buttons and at the same
time channel selection can be made by using the channel-buttons
(See Figure 1).

(Figure 1)

1.
2.
3.
4.

Headphone socketHeadphone connection.

Volume buttonsControls the volume level of the selected channel.
DisplayShows the number of the selected channel.
Channel buttonsChannel selector.
95

(2) Simultaneous Interpretation Equipment has been installed in

the Central Hall, Committee Room Nos. 53, 62 and 63 in Parliament
House and all the Committee Rooms in Parliament House Annexe
and Parliament Library Building.
(3) Each seat is provided with headphone, a language-selector
switch and a volume-control knob. Positions 1 and 4 of the languageselector knob are meant for the floor language, 2 or 5 for Hindi
interpretation, and 3 or 6 for English interpretation. Volume-control
knob has to be turned clockwise for increasing the volume and anticlockwise for decreasing the volume.
(4) Some general hints for using the equipment are mentioned
below:
(i) To disconnect the headphone the plug has to be pulled
out of the socket. Tugging at the wire should be avoided
but plug itself should be held firmly, as otherwise the plug
might become detached from the wire.
(ii) When a member has to pass the seat of another member,
the latter should pull out the plug from the socket to give
him way.
(iii) The volume-control knob should be adjusted at a suitable
position. Frequent turning spoils the knob.
(iv) The language-selector knob should be adjusted for one
language. If that language is the floor language, it can be
heard over the loudspeaker also. Frequent turning of the
knob might spoil it.
(v) The headphone may be dispensed with if a member can
follow the floor language and finds the general sound
level adequate for the purpose.
(vi) When a member is not using her/his headphone or when
she/he moves away from the seat, it should be made
sure that volume-control knob is turned off so that the
proceedings are not disturbed by the sound coming out
of the headphone not in use.
52. Official Reports of Proceedings i.e. Debates.
(1) The proceedings of Lok Sabha in Hindi and English are taken
down verbatim by the Parliamentary Reporters. A few Computerised
copies of the proceedings as taken down by the Parliamentary
Reporters marked UncorrectedNot for Publication are made
available in the Library on the following day for reference by members.
(2) As regards speeches made in languages other than Hindi or
English, procedure has been stated in Para 49 above.
96

(3) Prior to preparation of Lok Sabha Debates a computerised

copy of the transcript of every speech delivered or questions asked
by a member and answers given thereto on a day is supplied to him
early next morning at his residence for confirmation and correction
of inaccuracies, if any which might have occurred in the process of
reporting. Only minor corrections namely those in respect of
grammatical errors, mis-reporting of quotations, figures, names, etc.
are permissible. Improvement in literary form or altering substance
by additions, copious substitutions or deletions are not acceptable.
All corrections are to be made in ink, neatly and legibly. After making
the corrections, the member is required to return the transcript by
1500 hours on the following day. The transcript is sent with a slip
pasted thereon saying: You are requested to please return the
attached transcript of your speech, to the Editorial Branch by
___________ hrs. on _________. If it is not received back by the
said time and date, the Reporters copy will be taken as final and
sent to the Printers for final printing after translation where necessary.
It will not be possible to accept corrections thereafter. While returning
the transcript of his speech, the member should sign on the slip by
way of authentication.
The members are required to follow this time limit strictly as the
edited verbatim record of proceedings is uploaded on the Internet
under a time bound programme.
(4) Three versions of Lok Sabha Debates are prepared, viz.,
Original Version, Hindi Version and English Version. All these three
versions are printed.
The Original Version contains proceedings in English and Hindi
as they actually take place in the House. It also contains English/
Hindi translation of speeches made in regional languages.
The Hindi Version comprises all Questions asked and Answers
thereto given in Hindi and the speeches made in Hindi and the
verbatim translation into Hindi of all Questions asked and Answers
thereto given in English and the speeches made in English or in a
regional language. Supplementaries asked on Questions or speeches
delivered in Urdu appear in Devnagiri script in the printed Hindi
Version of Debates. Such supplementaries or speeches are
reproduced in Urdu also within square brackets immediately after
the Hindi Version.
The English Version contains Lok Sabha proceedings in English
and English translation of the proceedings which take place in Hindi
or in any regional language.
97

(5) In the case of speeches made in languages other than

English/Hindi, viz., Assamese; Bengali; Kannada; Malayalam;
Manipuri; Marathi; Odia; Tamil or Telugu for which interpretation
arrangements already exist, the translated version of those speeches
in English/Hindi, as supplied by the Interpreters concerned, after
checking the text from the digital recording, is included in the Debates
with a foot-note indicating the language in which the original speech
was delivered.
If the speech is made in any other regional language, for which
interpretation arrangements do not exist, the member concerned
should furnish, in advance, to the Officer at the Table or the
Parliamentary Notice Office, three authenticated copies of the
translation in English/Hindi of the speech. Such translation furnished
by the member is printed in the Debates with a foot-note indicating
the language in which the original speech was made. In case the
member does not furnish English/Hindi translation of his speech, the
fact that he spoke in (name of the language) and that he did
not furnish a translation thereof is mentioned in the Debates and the
text of his speech does not figure therein.
(6) Arrangements obtain in the Secretariat for translation into
English/Hindi of speeches made in languages other than
English/Hindi, for which interpretation arrangements have been
provided. When a member makes a speech in any of these
languages, a copy of the English/Hindi translation of his speech is
sent to him for confirmation and return as in sub-para (3) above.
The member may correct inaccuracies in the translation within the
prescribed time-limit. Any alteration in the substance of the speech
is not permissible.
(7) When prepared speeches or statements are read out and
when speeches are delivered with the help of copious notes, the
text thereof should be given to the Parliamentary Reporters
immediately after the speeches have been made. This will facilitate
accurate transcription. Similarly, in case of quotations read out, a
copy thereof should be supplied except in cases where the page
number of some publication which is well known and readily available
has been specifically referred to. In the case of quotations in regional
languages, slokas, etc., the quotations should be written in Roman/
Devnagiri script, followed by their translation in English or Hindi and
given to the Parliamentary Reporters immediately after the speeches
have been delivered.
(8) A member desirous of having spare copies of his own speech
may get one copy free from the Distribution Branch.
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(9) One copy of either of the versions i.e. Original Version or

Hindi Version or English Version of Debates as per choice exercised
by a member is supplied to him free of cost. The members may, if
they so desire, have their copies of Debates bound by giving
instructions to that effect in writing to the Distribution Branch. Binding
charges are borne by the members themselves. Ten days printed
Debates make a volume. Each volume is bound separately.
(10) Statements or documents laid on the Table in answer to
questions or under the specific item of Business Papers Laid on the
Table, so entered in a days order paper, or in connection with any
other item of business are either printed in the body of the Debates
or placed in the Parliament Library with appropriate reference in the
printed Debates.
(11) A member desirous of viewing corrected Original Version of
Debates on Internet can view it either on Parliament of India website
www.parliamentofindia.nic.in or http:// www.loksabha.nic.in.
(12) Under Section 2(K) of the Copyright Act (No. 14, 1975) the
copyright of Lok Sabha Debates and ancillary publications vests in
the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
A member desirous of reproducing any material from Lok Sabha
Debates or even his own speeches is required to seek formal
permission from Honble Speaker giving specific details of the matter
to be reproduced. The copyright matters are examined by Editorial
Branch.
(13) Expressions declared as unparliamentary by Presiding
Officers of both Houses of Parliament, State Assemblies and some
of the Commonwealth Parliaments during a particular year are
published annually under the title Unparliamentary Expressions and
these are also published in consolidated form from time to time. This
publication can be purchased from Sales Counter.
53. Indices to Debates.To facilitate easy reference of issues
taken up in the House, members can make use of publication Index
to Lok Sabha Debates of Original Version, Hindi Version and English
Version. It is a quick retrieval and reference publication brought out
session-wise by the Secretariat for the benefit of members. One
copy of Index to Debates either of Original Version or Hindi Version
or English Version of Debates, as per the choice of version given by
the members, is supplied free of charge to each member.
54. Synopsis of Debates.Synopsis is one of the important
publications of Lok Sabha brought out by the Synopsis Branch of
the Editorial and Translation Service. It is a brief and lucid account
of the business transacted and important suggestions and points
made during the course of Debates on various issues in the House.
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It is brought out in Hindi and English separately. It is printed the

same night and the printed copies are circulated to members the
next morning alongwith other Parliamentary papers. It generally
covers items like Welcome to Foreign Parliamentary Delegations,
Felicitations, Rulings by the Chair, Obituary References, Discussion
on the Motion of Thanks on Presidents Address, Railway and General
Budget and other items like Half-an-Hour Discussion and matters
raised under Rule 193 as mentioned in the list of Business for the
day. The details of the arguments advanced, motions or amendments
moved, Papers laid on the Table and discussion on other items like
Questions and Answers, implementation of recommendations made
by various Parliamentary and Standing Committees, Status Report,
etc. are not covered in the Synopses. No words, phrases or
expressions which have been expunged or deleted or declared
unparliamentary by the Chair form part of the Synopsis.
In the event of the House sitting late/lunch-break/zero hour having
been dispensed with or laying of Matters under Rule 377 on the
Table of the House instead of getting it read or any hon. Member/
Members making speech(es) in any regional language or laying of
written speeches by hon. Members, a supplement to Synopsis of
such proceedings as are not covered in the main Synopsis is prepared
and sent for publication the next working day or thereafter, as the
case may be.
Every effort is made to make the Synopsis adequate and
accurate. However, the verbatim Debates alone are authoritative. A
copy of the Synopsis, either in English or in Hindi, depending on
individual choice of the member, is supplied to them. The Synopsis
is meant for use of members only and not for publication.
At the end of each Session, classified contents in alphabetical
order and a detailed corrigenda of all the Synopsis published during
that Session is prepared and printed. A Sessional volume comprising
all the daily Synopsis of the Session together with a title page,
preface, classified contents, etc. is compiled. Out of the copies
compiled, two copies each of Hindi and English are supplied to the
Parliament Library and the Sales Branch. A member desirous
of viewing Synopsis of Debates on internet can view its
English as well as Hindi Version on Parliament of India website
www.parliamentofindia.nic.in.
55. Attendance of Members.Article 101 (4) of the Constitution
provides that if for a period of sixty days a member of either House
of Parliament is without permission of the House absent from all
meetings thereof, the House may declare the seat vacant. In view
of the specific provision that has been made in the Constitution, it
100

is necessary to maintain an accurate Register of Attendance of

Members. Members are, therefore, requested to sign the Attendance
Register when they attend a meeting of Lok Sabha.
For the convenience of members, the Attendance Register has
been split up into four parts containing the following Division Numbers,
namely:
(1) Division Nos. 1 to 140; (2) Division Nos. 141 to 280;
(3) Division Nos. 281 to 420; and (4) Division Nos. 421 to 550.
Each part is kept on a separate rostrum in the inner Lobby of
the House.
Members attention is also drawn to Section 3 of the Salary,
Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, (as
amended by Act No. 40 of 2006) which provides that members shall
be entitled to daily allowances only when the member sign the
attendance register when they attend a meeting of Lok Sabha.
56. Leave of Absence from the Sittings of the House.
(1) Article 101(4) of the Constitution provides that if for a period of
sixty days a member of either House of Parliament is without
permission of the House absent from all meetings thereof, the House
may declare the seat vacant.
(2) A member desiring permission of the House to remain absent
from the sittings thereof should make an application, in writing, to
the Speaker.
[Rule 242]
(3) The application for leave of absence should specify the definite
period, indicating the date of commencement and termination of
leave and the reason for which such leave is required.
[Rule 242]
(4) In December, 1974 Lok Sabha agreed to the recommendation
contained in Seventeenth Report of the Committee on Absence of
Members from the Sittings of the House that the grounds on which
leave could be granted to members might be as follows:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)

illness of self, including medical check up;

illness, accident or mishap in the family;
death in the family;
marriage of self or marriage in family;
detention in jail;
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(vi) pilgrimage or participation in religious celebrations;

(vii) visits abroad for
(a) participation in conferences and delegations,
(b) study tour,
(c) lecturing,
(d) participation in Games and Sports;
(viii) relief work in natural calamities like floods, drought, fire or
earthquake in the constituency or any part of the country;
(ix) work connected with delimitation of constituencies or
preparation of electoral rolls;
(x) work connected with some Commission of Inquiry or
appearance in court;
(xi) inauguration of a new project in the constituency or in the
State;
(xii) elections or bye-elections in the constituency;
(xiii) participation in Party session or Party meetings;
(xiv) agitations or disturbances in the constituency;
(xv) breakdown of communications;
(xvi) judgement by any court that she/he shall not leave the
usual place of residence;
(xvii) national or local festival.
Some of the grounds mentioned above would not merit grant of
leave for long durations and while granting leave not only the ground
but also duration of leave would also be a vital factor.
It was also agreed that leave of absence would not ordinarily be
granted on grounds like
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

work in constituency other than those mentioned above;

professional or business engagements;
private work;
domestic trouble other than those mentioned above.

(5) Leave of absence should be applied for in the first instance

for a period not exceeding 60 days.
[Rule 242]
(6) All applications for leave of absence stand referred to a
Committee, namely the Committee on Absence of Members from
the Sittings of the House. However, in practice, applications for leave
of absence for a period of less than 15 days are not placed before
the Committee.
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The functions of the Committee are:

(i) to consider all applications from members for leave of
absence from the sittings of the House;
(ii) to examine every case where a member has been absent
for a period of sixty days or more, without permission
from the sitting of the House and to report whether the
absence should be condoned or circumstances of the case
justify that the House should declare the seat of the
member vacant; and
(iii) to perform such other functions in respect of attendance
of members in the House as may be assigned to it by the
Speaker from time-to-time.
[Rules 243, 325 and 326]
(7) The Committee considers each application on its merits and
makes recommendations to the House in regard thereto in the form
of a Report. One or two days after the presentation of the Report to
the House, the Speaker takes the pleasure of the House regarding
grant of leave of absence or for condonation of the period of absence
of members. Members desirous of raising any point on the Report
should give intimation thereof, in writing, to the Parliamentary Notice
Office by 15.15 hours on the day following the day on which the
Report is presented. After the House has agreed to leave being
granted to members, the members concerned are informed through
letters to them.
(8) Where for a period of sixty days a member is without
permission of the House absent from all its sittings and the House
does not grant leave of absence to her/him or does not condone
her/his absence from the sittings of the House, the seat of the
member is declared vacant on a motion carried by the House to the
effect.
[Rule 241]
(9) The minutes of the sittings of the Committee held during a
session are laid on the Table towards the end of each session.
57. Parliamentary Notice Office.(1) Parliamentary Notice
Office located in Room No. 23 right in front of Gate No. 1 (main
entrance) of Parliament House receives all notices and
communications from members; supplies forms therefor; issues
Members Identity Cards, Spouse Railway Passes; attends to various
queries of members and renders general assistance to members
with regard to parliamentary work.
103

With a view to enable members to write their notices and study

answers to starred questions etc. without disturbance, it is desirable
that persons who are not members are not taken by members inside
the Parliamentary Notice Office.
(2) For information on matters concerning their membership and
parliamentary business, members may contact Parliamentary Notice
Office which will arrange to collect the information from concerned
officers.
58. Stenographers & Typists Pool for Members.
Stenographers and Typists Pool for members is located in Room
No. 20-B, Ground Floor and also in Room No. 129-A, Third Floor,
Parliament House which is easily approachable by Lift No. 1. It
renders stenographic and typing assistance to members both in
English and Hindi, in respect of urgent business of the House such
as urgent notices and short communications to the Speaker, the
Secretary-General, or the Ministers.

The Staff in the Stenographers Pool have instructions not to

undertake work of non-parliamentary nature. Members should
therefore give only parliamentary work not exceeding three or four
pages of dictation and/or typing at a time in the Stenographers
Pool.
59. Admission to Visitors Gallery.(1) Visitors Cards (Public
Gallery) are issued for the guests of members for the Visitors Gallery
of Lok Sabha on previous day on applications from members in
yellow application forms available in the Centralised Pass Issue
Cell. Issue of Visitors Cards is regulated as follows:
(i) application for Visitors Card should contain the name of
not more than four guests of a member;
(ii) application should reach the Centralised Pass Issue Cell
not later than 16.00 hours on the working day previous to
the date for which the Visitors Card is required;
(iii) not more than four Visitors Cards will be issued to a
member for a particular day for fixed hour(s); and
(iv) complete particulars of the visitors may be furnished in
the application forms for issue of Visitors Cards failing
which the Visitors Cards may not be issued.
(2) Visitors Cards (Public Gallery) on same-day applications
from members in red application forms available in the Centralised
104

Pass Issue Cell are issued subject to observance of the following

conditions:
(i) applications for same-day Visitors Cards should be made
to the Secretary-General as early as possible on the date
for which the Visitors Cards are required and such
applications should be delivered at the Centralised Pass
Issue Cell;
(ii) for getting same-day passes issued, the Deputy Leader
or the Whip of the Party, whosoever is authorised by the
Party, should recommend the issue of same-day passes
on the application form. The member is also required to
take the visitor to the concerned Joint Secretary/Additional
Secretary for the purpose;
When a member requires a same-day visitors pass he
may have his guests seated in the Reception Office or in
the MP Waiting Room Centralised Pass Issue Cell. Subject
to other conditions being fulfilled, such passes are made
available for use not earlier than two hours after the time
of receipt of application in the Centralised Pass Issue
Cell;
(iii) same-day Visitors Cards are delivered to the member
himself who is required to sign the register maintained for
this purpose. If the member desires that the Visitors Cards
may be delivered by the C.P.I.C. to his guest, the member
may attest the signature of the visitor concerned on the
application form. The Visitors Card will then be prepared
and delivered to the person authorised by the Member;
(iv) the cards applied for should be ordinarily for a person
who is a spouse or child or close relative of the member
and who has arrived in Delhi on the same-day or the
previous night and is not likely to stay in Delhi overnight,
and in whose case it has not been possible to comply
with the prescribed time limit. In the same-day application
form against the space provided for this purpose, the
special reasons why the application could not be made
within the prescribed time limit should be stated briefly;
(v) not more than two same-day Visitors Cards may be issued
to a member at a time for a particular day on application
made on the form. Such request should be made very
sparingly; and
(vi) issue of these cards will also be subject to a limit of not
more than 25 cards per hour.
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(3) Applications for Visitors Cards for groups of persons should

reach the Centralised Pass Issue Cell at least one day in advance
and full particulars of each of the persons in the group viz. full name
of the visitor, fathers/husbands name in full, age, nationality and
passport number (for foreigners only), details of occupation, details
of occupation of the husband (in case of housewives only), full Delhi
and permanent addresses should be given. Visitors Cards for the
groups are issued for specified hours for the afternoon session. For
issue of same day Visitors Cards for groups of persons coming from
outside Delhi, members should get their applications countersigned
by the Leader/Deputy LeaderWhip of their Party or Group,
whosoever is authorised by the party.
(4) Special attention of members is invited to the following
certificate on the application form for Visitors Card:
The above named visitor is my relation/personal friend/known
to me personally and I take full responsibility for her/him.
(5) Members should fill in all the particulars required in the
application forms as follows:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)

Visitors name in full (in block letters);

Age;
Fathers/Husbands name in full;
Nationality and Passport number (for foreigner only);
Details of Occupation;
Details of Occupation of the husband (in the case of
housewives only);
(vii) Full Permanent Address and State;
(viii) Full Delhi Address.
(6) Visitors Cards issued on previous day applications are sent
to the applicant members at their residences alongwith Parliamentary
papers.
(7) Visitors may be asked to carefully read the instructions on
the Cards and abide by them.
(8) As members are responsible for any untoward or undesirable
thing happening in the Visitors Galleries at the hands of a holder of
a Card granted at their request, they should fully satisfy themselves
about the person for whom such a Card is required by them.
(9) Children below ten years of age are not admitted to the
Visitors Galleries.
(10) Members should not detach visitors holding Visitors Gallery
Cards from queues and bring them out of their turn into the Parliament
House. That would avoid complaints from other members and visitors.
106

60. Admission to Speakers Gallery.(1) The following

categories of persons are eligible for Visitors Cards for the Speakers
Gallery:
(i) Presiding Officers of State Legislatures and their wives;
(ii) Ministers of State Governments and their wives; and
(iii) Presidents of recognised All-India political parties, in case
they cannot be accommodated in the Distinguished Visitors
Gallery.
Members are requested not to apply for Speakers Gallery Cards
in respect of other categories of persons.
(2) Applications for Speakers Gallery Cards should be made in
lemon yellow application forms available in the Centralised Pass
Issue Cell.
(3) In other respects instructions contained in para 58

mutatis mutandis apply.

61. Admission to Distinguished Visitors Gallery.(1) The
following categories of persons are eligible for Visitors Cards for the
Distinguished Visitors Gallery:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)

Spouses of sitting Members of Parliament;

Ex-members of Parliament;
Members and Secretaries of State Legislatures;
Judges, Vice-Chancellors and high officials of the
Government of India and State Governments;
(v) Persons of standing in public-life, such as Presidents of
recognised All-India political parties; and
(vi) Distinguished visitors from foreign countries.
Members are requested not to apply for Distinguished Visitors
Gallery Cards in respect of other categories of persons.
(2) Applications for Distinguished Visitors Gallery Cards should
be made in light blue application forms available in Centralised Pass
Issue Cell.
(3) In other respects instructions contained in para 58

mutatis mutandis apply.

62. Admission to Special Gallery.(1) Only the following
relations of members are eligible for Visitors Cards for the Special
Gallery
(i) son;
(ii) daughter;
107

(iii) father; and

(iv) mother.
Members are requested not to apply for Special Gallery Cards
in respect of persons other than their relations mentioned above.
(2) Applications for Special Gallery Cards should be made in
white application forms available in Centralised Pass Issue Cell.
(3) In other respects instructions contained in para 58

mutatis mutandis apply.

63. Appointments with the Speaker.Members who wish to
see the Speaker in connection with Parliamentary business during
session periods may do so in the Parliament House in Speakers
Chamber between 10.30 hours and 10.45 hours.
64. Obituary References.(1) It is customary to make obituary
references in the House on the passing away of sitting members,
ex-members, outstanding personages and Heads of certain friendly
foreign States etc.
(2) In 1972, the Speaker agreed with the following
recommendations made by the General Purposes Committee of Fifth
Lok Sabha on the question of adjournment of the House on the
death of ministers, sitting members, national leaders etc.:
(i) In the case of the death of a sitting member of Lok Sabha,
the existing convention of adjourning the House for the
day if, the death took place in Delhi*, in order to enable
the members to participate in the funeral or sending of the
dead body from Delhi, might be continued;
(ii) In the case of the death of a Minister who, at the time of
her/his death, was not a member of Lok Sabha, the House
should be adjourned for the day, if the death took place
in Delhi, in order to enable the members to participate in
the funeral or sending of the dead body from Delhi;
(iii) In the case of the death of the head of a national political
party, the House might be adjourned for the day (a) if the
deceased was a sitting member of Rajya Sabha at the
time of her/his death, (b) her/his party was represented
in Lok Sabha and had been recognised by the Speaker
either as a Party or Group in the House, and (c) the
* In the meeting of Speaker 13th Lok Sabha with Leaders of Parties in Lok Sabha
held on 7.5.2003, it was decided that the House might be adjourned, if a sitting
member dies during the session period, whether in Delhi or outside Delhi. However,
in the case of death of the sitting member during the inter-session period, the
House might not be adjourned.

108

death took place in Delhi, in order to enable the members

to participate in the funeral or sending of the dead body
from Delhi; and
(iv) In the case of the death of an outstanding personality or
national leader or a foreign dignitary, the Speaker, in
consultation with the Leader of the House, might decide
in each case whether the House should be adjourned for
the day or not.
(Vide BulletinPart II dated 31.5.1972)
(3) Members are requested that whenever they come to know
about the death of an ex-member who had been a member of
Lok Sabha or Central Legislative Assembly or Constituent Assembly
or Provisional Parliament, they may immediately pass on the
information with date and place of death and address of next of kin
of the ex-member to Secretary-General.
65. Information regarding arrest, detention and/or release
etc. of Members of Lok Sabha.Communications received from
the concerned authorities regarding arrest, detention, imprisonment
or release of members of Lok Sabha are read out by the Speaker
in the House if it is sitting. If the House is not in session, the
information is published in BulletinPart II.
[Rules 229, 230 and 231]
66. Security arrangements in Parliament Estate. (1) Security
Arrangements in the Parliament HouseMembers are requested to
carry their RF tags/Identity Cards to avoid any inconvenience on
account of Identification. They are also requested to cooperate with
Parliament Security Service staff on duty in PH Complex.
To strengthen the security arrangements in PH Complex, various
security gadgets have been installed at strategic locations of entry
points, visitors accompanying the Members of Parliament and
Ex-Members of Parliament are required to pass through the Door
Frame Metal Detector and they may also be subjected to physical
search. The baggage etc. being carried by them, may also be
scanned/searched by the Security staff.
(2) Entry to Parliament House and Central Hall Entry of
outsiders in Parliament House and Central hall is regulated according
to Rules and Directions given by the Speaker from time to time. No
person without a valid pass with bar code is allowed to gain entry
109

even when accompanied by a Member of Parliament. A visitor can

be rendered unfit for the entry in the premises even after acquiring
pass if he/she does not follow security norms or if any incorrect
information is found about him/her. This is deemed essential in the
interest of security.
(3) Entry of Visitors Accompanying Members of Parliament into
Parliament HouseFor security reasons the Parliament Security
Service Personnel have been given strict instructions not to allow
anyone including guests of Members inside Parliament House without
a proper pass with bar code. Members are also advised not to bring
their guests/visitors inside Parliament House through Building Gate
Nos. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Visitors having valid passes with bar code
may be taken inside Parliament House through any of the other
gates where Door Frame Metal Detectors have been installed.
(4) M.P. Car LabelsFor facilitating entry of cars owned by
Members into the Parliament House Estate (including Parliament
House Annexe), and Parliament Library special car labels marked
MP and vehicle R.F. tags are also issued to the Members of
Parliament by the Centralised Pass Issue Cell on filling up the
requisite form.
Entry into Parliament House Complex is strictly regulated as per
security norms laid in this regards, the vehicles displaying car labels
issued by Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariats are only permitted
entry into Parliament Estate. Members are requested to ensure that
these car labels are prominently displayed on left hand top of the
wind screen of their vehicles.
Whenever a Member travels in any other private vehicle (without
label) or a hired vehicle like taxi/three wheeler etc. he/she should
alight at Iron Gate No. 1, 2 TKR I & II and make use of Ferry Car
Services upto the Building Gates.
(5) Entry of Private/Commercial Vehicles into Parliament House
ComplexPrivate vehicles without parking labels are not allowed to
enter Parliament House Estate. Members owning Private vehicles
are required to obtain parking labels for their vehicles from the
Centralised Pass Issue Cell.
The members may also use vehicles of Lok Sabha Secretariat
and DTC marked Members of Parliament under operation of
MS Branch from Parliament House Complex to their residence and
vice versa.
The Members coming in their private vehicles (Self-Driven) with
car labels are requested to park their vehicles in the earmarked
parking area just behind the wall opposite Building Gate No. 1. The

Chauffeur driven cars of Members will however be parked in M.P.

parking area behind Rail Bhawan.
110

Iron Gate Nos. 5, 6 & 7 (Rajya Sabha Marg) remain closed.

Check barriers have been installed inside Iron Gate Nos. 1 and
2 in order to prevent the entry of any unauthorised vehicles and to
ensure proper security checking. Visitors/Guests accompanying
members and not having valid passes for entry into Parliament House
may get down outside Iron Gate Nos. 1 and 2 and obtain passes
from the Reception Office before entering the Parliament House
Estate.
(6) Presence of Members within the precincts of the House
Members can remain within the Precincts of the House when the
House or any Committee of which she/he is a member, is sitting and
for a reasonable time before or after that. If a Member wants to
remain there beyond an hour after the House or Committee has
adjourned to meet on a subsequent day, she/he has to seek the
specific permission of the Speaker for the purpose. Permission given
to a member to remain within precincts of the House can be withdrawn
by the Speaker at any time.
(7) Carrying or Display of Fire Arms in Parliament House
ComplexThe carrying or display of arms and ammunition in any
part of the Parliament House Complex is strictly prohibited. Only
security personnel specifically deployed in Parliament House Complex
are permitted to carry arms and ammunition.
(8) Carrying of Material that could Prove to be Hazardous
Carrying of material that could prove to be hazardous to human life
or the building is not permitted in the premises.
(9) Distribution of Literature, Pamphlets, Press Notes and Leaflets
within the precincts of the HouseMembers should not distribute
within the precincts of the House any literature, questionnaire,
pamphlets, press notes, leaflets or any matter printed or otherwise
without the prior permission of the Speaker in writing.
(10) Demonstration, Dharna, Strike, Fast etc. within the precincts
of the HouseMembers cannot use the precincts of the House for
any demonstration, dharna, strike, fast or for the purpose of
performing any religious ceremony.
(11) Arrangements for Members to meet persons coming to see
themWhen any person comes to the Reception Office adjoining
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Parliament House to see a Member, an interview slip is prepared by

the Receptionist and sent to the Member concerned in the House,
Lobby or the Central Hall. The Member may, if she/he desires to
meet the visitor, indicate on the interview slip the time at which
she/he would meet the visitors at the Reception Office or an entry
pass with bar code is issued on the basis of requisition letter signed
by MPs to the visitors wishing to meet them. Visitors are not allowed
to enter the areas other than permissible in the premises mentioned
on the bar code pass.
(12) Car Calling ArrangementsCar calling arrangements are
available at Building Gate No. 1, Parliament House VIP Gate
Parliament House Annexe only.
(13) Use and carrying of Cellular Telephones and Pagers inside
Parliament House and Annexe(A) The following categories of
persons would be permitted to carry their cellular phones, inside the
inner precincts of Parliament House Annexe and Parliament Library:
(i) Staff of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariat;
(ii) Staff of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs;
(iii) Staff of Allied Service/Security agencies;
(iv) Print and Visual Media persons accredited to Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha Sectt. and in possession of access
control passes issued by Parliament Security;
(v) Officials of Government of India in possession of Sessional/
Intersessional passes.
(B) Cellular Phones would be subjected to elaborate security
checks at Building Gates of PH/PLB/PHA.
(C) Media persons and officials entering the Galleries should
deposit their cell phones at the Mobile deposition counters made
available at Room No. 54 and near official Gallery respectively. The
instruments are to be switched off before deposition at the counters.
(D) In order to ensure smooth and unhindered proceeding of
Lok Sabha and as a mark of respect to the Honble Members are
requested to switch off their mobiles and deactivate alarm bells
before entering the Lok Sabha Chamber.
(E) Casual visitors and temporary pass holders are not allowed
to bring their cellular phones inside the Parliament House Complex.
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