Parliament Building
Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker. The foundation stone was laid on February 12, 1921 and the building was formally inaugurated by the then governor-general Lord Irwin on January 18, 1927. The total cost of construction: Rs 83 lakh.
Inside parliament are the Central Hall, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. There is also a four-storeyed circular building that houses committee rooms, parliamentary offices and rooms for media persons who come to cover parliamentary proceedings. The parliament library is the second largest in India. While the Central Hall is air-cooled, the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and reading rooms are air-conditioned. There are six lifts in the complex.
Central Hall
On normal parliament days, Central Hall is where MPs congregate for informal discussions. But it has a more formal role. Visiting heads of states address MPs here; the president of India gives a speech to members at the beginning of the first session after general elections as also the first session of each year.
Voting
Voting in parliament is done electronically. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have an integrated microphone management system. Every member's seat has a voting console with coloured buttons - green for "Aye", red for "No" and yellow for "Abstain".
Voting in parliament is done electronically. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have an integrated microphone management system. Every member's seat has a voting console with coloured buttons - green for "Aye", red for "No" and yellow for "Abstain".
Question Hour
Usually parliament starts work at 11 am. The first hour (ie, till 12 noon or so), MPs can ask questions regarding government activity, policy, etc.
Zero Hour
Takes place just after Question Hour. Usually around 12 noon. MPs can bring up any topic for discussion during this period. However, they have to inform the Speaker by 10 am.
Questions
During Question Hour, MPs grill the government. The most common way is by asking "starred" or "unstarred" questions:
Starred questions are those that need a verbal reply from the concerned minister. MPs have the option of asking supplementary questions. For unstarred questions, a minister can give written answers. No supplementary questions are entertained.
Privileges
Because they are people's representatives, MPs have some rights and immunities. These privileges can not be challenged in court. The Parliamentary Privileges Committee, made up of MPs, is the sole arbitrator.
Secretariats
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have separate secretariats under the Speaker and Rajya Sabha chairman. There are also two secretary generals to oversee the running of the secretariats. Parliamentary staff have the same rank as their central government counterparts. Recruitment is done by the secretariats. Parliamentary expenditure comes from the Consolidated Fund of India.
Source:-The Times of India
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