Context: Opposition parties has recently moved an adjournment in the Parliament to discuss on the alleged sexual assault of women in Manipur ethnic violence.

What is an Adjournment Motion?

• The adjournment motion is introduced in the Parliament to draw the attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance.

• The notice for this has to be given before 10 am on a given day to the Lok Sabha Secretary-General.

• The cause of such motion should be to bring the attention of the house to a more important matter than the ongoing discussion.

• This provision is not available in the Rajya Sabha.

• If the speaker is satisfied that there has been adequate debate on the matter, he/she can put up a question afterwards.

• Passage of an adjournment motion does not require the government to resign.

• However, it can be seen as a strong censure of the government.

Criteria for adjournment motion to be admitted

• A single member can present only one notice for a single sitting.

• It needs consent of the speaker and 50 other members of the parliament.

• The issue must be serious and a part of the constitutional development.

• The matter must be urgent, precise and directly related to the public welfare.

• The matter should raise only one subject and not be related to any privilege.

Types of Adjournment Motion

• Substantive Motion: It is a self-contained independent proposal that deals with very important matters like the impeachment of the President or removal of the Chief Election Commissioner.

• Substitute Motion: it is moved in substitution of an original motion and proposes an alternative to the original motion.

• Subsidiary Motion: This motion has no meaning on its own and cannot state the decision of the house without reference to the original motion or proceedings of the house.

Subsidiary motion is divided into three subcategories

• Ancillary motion: It is used as the regular way of proceeding with various kinds of business.

• Superseding Motion: It is moved in the course of the debate on another issue and seeks to supersede that issue.

• Amendment: It seeks to modify or substitute only a part of the original motion.

Various motions raised in Indian Parliament

• In both the houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, there are ways for Members of Parliament (MP) to draw the attention of the house to any relevant issue.

There are four main procedures under which there could be a discussion in the Lok Sabha

• A debate without voting under Rule 193

• A motion (with a vote) under Rule 184

• An adjournment motion

• No-confidence motion

Similar measures also exist in the Rajya Sabha except the no-confidence motion.

Rule 193- Short Duration Discussion

• Short Duration Discussion can take place in Lok Sabha under Rule 193 and in Rajya Sabha under Rule 176 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.

• In Rajya Sabha, the Chairman can take the discussion at an early date or may admit the notice.

• It should be allowed after consultation with the Leader of the Council and fix the date for discussion.

• The time for such a discussion should not exceed two and a half hours.

Rule 184-a motion with a vote

• A motion of public interest must satisfy conditions like it shall not contain arguments, inferences, ironical expressions, imputations or defamatory statements restricted to a matter of recent occurrence.

• The motions on a matter pending before any statutory authority (one established by law) or any commission or court of enquiry cannot be moved.

• However, in Lok Sabha, the Speaker can allow such a matter to be raised at his own discretion.

• It must be concerned with the procedure, subject or stage of enquiry of an issue, and not likely to prejudice the consideration of such matter by the relevant authority.

• The Speaker can allot a time period for the discussion of any such motion.

• The debate must be held on a specific question, and this is followed by a vote to determine Parliament’s position on the issue.

• Passage of a motion would require the government to follow Parliament’s decision on the issue.

• Such motions are not very common.

• Example: in 2011, opposition parties demanded a debate with voting on the issue of rising prices which did not mention specific action to be taken by government.

Rule 267

• It can be invoked when Rajya Sabha MPs give a written notice to suspend all listed business and discuss an issue of importance.