January 22, 2026

Parliament 101 Question Hour & Zero Hour – How MPs Hold the Government Accountable

Parliament 101: Question Hour & Zero Hour – How MPs Hold the Government Accountable description: "The definitive guide to Question Hour and Zero Hour in the Indian Parliament. Learn the difference between Starred and Unstarred Questions, the significance of the '12 Noon' Zero Hour, and how to search the Lok Sabha Question Search portal." date: 2026-01-13 author: Civics Desk | Sansad Online tags: [Question Hour, Zero Hour, Starred Question, Unstarred Question, Sansad TV, Parliamentary Procedure, Lok Sabha Rules, Accountability]

🏛️ Parliament 101: Question Hour & Zero Hour

The Accountability Engine

The first two hours that determine the mood of the House.

  • Time: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (usually).
  • Key Mechanism: Rule 32 (Lok Sabha Rules).
  • Significance: This is the only time when a Minister is "in the dock," forced to answer specific data-based queries from private MPs.
  • Colors: Green (Starred), White (Unstarred), Pink (Short Notice).
🗣️ THE DRAMA vs. THE DATA: When you switch on Sansad TV at 11 AM, you often see shouting. That is usually because the Opposition is demanding the suspension of Question Hour to discuss a crisis. Why? Because Question Hour is the government's nightmare. It forces them to put "on record" uncomfortable facts like unemployment rates or inflation figures.

Introduction: The "Inquisition" of Democracy

(Why 11:00 AM Matters)

In a Parliamentary Democracy, the Executive (Ministers) comes from the Legislature (MPs). Therefore, the Executive is responsible to the Legislature.

But how does an MP check if the Education Minister is actually building schools? They can't just walk into the Minister's office.

They use Question Hour.

Every morning when the House meets (usually at 11:00 AM), the first hour is dedicated to questions.

  • An MP asks: "Will the Minister state how many schools were built in Odisha in 2024?"
  • The Minister must stand up and give a reply based on official files.
  • If the Minister lies, they can be slapped with a Privilege Motion for misleading the House.

This is followed by Zero Hour (at 12:00 Noon), an Indian innovation where MPs can raise urgent issues without prior notice (like a sudden train accident or a riot).

This comprehensive guide explains the mechanics of these two hours, the color-coding of questions, and how you—the citizen—can search these answers to fact-check your leaders.

🟢 Part 1: Question Hour (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM)

This is the most structured part of the day. Questions are filed by MPs 15 days in advance.

1. Starred Questions (The Green Ballot)

  • Symbol: Marked with an Asterisk (*).
  • Format: Oral Answer. The Minister stands up and reads the answer in the House.
  • The Catch: Because the answer is oral, MPs are allowed to ask Supplementary Questions.
    • MP: "The Minister said 50 schools were built. But in my district, the building is half-finished. Why?"
    • Minister: "Sir, I will look into it."
  • Limit: Only 20 Starred Questions are listed for a single day. Since there isn't enough time to answer all 20 orally, usually only 5-6 are covered. The rest get written answers.
  • Color: Printed on Green paper.

2. Unstarred Questions (The White Ballot)

  • Symbol: No Asterisk.
  • Format: Written Answer. The Minister lays a written statement on the Table of the House.
  • The Catch: No Supplementary Questions are allowed. It’s a data-transfer mechanism.
  • Limit: Up to 230 Unstarred Questions can be listed per day.
  • Color: Printed on White paper.
  • Use Case: If an MP wants complex data (e.g., "State-wise breakdown of GDP"), they file an Unstarred Question because you can't read a 50-row table orally.

3. Short Notice Questions (The Pink Ballot)

  • Format: Questions asked with less than 10 days' notice.
  • Condition: They relate to a matter of "Urgent Public Importance" (e.g., a sudden epidemic).
  • Acceptance: The Minister must agree to answer it. If the Minister says "I need time to collect data," the Speaker usually rejects the Short Notice.
  • Color: Printed on Light Pink paper.

4. Questions to Private Members (The Yellow Ballot)

  • Rare: Usually, questions are asked to Ministers. But under Rule 40, an MP can ask a question to another MP if the question relates to a Bill or Resolution that the MP is proposing.
  • Color: Printed on Yellow paper.

🕛 Part 2: Zero Hour (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM)

This is an Indian Innovation. It is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure. It started in the 1960s because MPs felt Question Hour was too rigid.

The Mechanics

  • Timing: Starts exactly at 12:00 Noon (hence "Zero" Hour).
  • The Notice: MPs must give notice to the Speaker before 10:00 AM on the same day if they want to raise an issue.
  • The Selection: The Speaker selects about 20 matters to be raised.
  • Duration: Each MP gets only 3 minutes to speak. If they exceed, the mic is cut.
  • Government Response: Unlike Question Hour, the Minister is not bound to reply immediately. They usually just listen.

Why is it Important?

Zero Hour is the "Pulse of the Nation."

  • If there was a flood in Assam yesterday, an Assam MP will raise it in Zero Hour today.
  • If there is a protest by farmers, it will echo in Zero Hour.
  • It is chaotic, noisy, and often leads to adjournments, but it ensures that the Parliament stays relevant to the day's news.

🚜 The "Ballot" System: How are Questions Picked?

There are 543 MPs. If everyone wants to ask a question, who gets priority?

  • The Lottery: A computerized ballot is held to decide the Priority List.
  • The Rotation: Ministries are divided into 5 Groups (A to E). Each group answers questions on a specific day of the week.
    • Monday: Group A (e.g., Education, Finance).
    • Tuesday: Group B (e.g., Home, Agriculture).
  • The Limit: An MP can file only 5 questions per day. Out of these, only 1 can be Starred.

🕵️ How to Search Parliamentary Questions (Citizen Guide)

For a researcher or journalist, the "Question Search" portal is a goldmine.

The Lok Sabha Portal

  • Go to: loksabha.nic.in -> "Questions" -> "Search".
  • Search By:
    • Member Name: See what your MP is asking. Is he asking about your constituency or something irrelevant?
    • Ministry: Search "Ministry of Home Affairs" to see data on cybercrime.
    • Subject: Type "Cryptocurrency" or "Electric Vehicles."
  • The Output: You get a PDF containing the exact question and the Minister's official reply.

The "Assurance" Trap

Sometimes, a Minister replies: " The information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House."

  • This is called an Assurance.
  • There is a Committee on Government Assurances (of MPs) that tracks these promises. If the Minister doesn't provide the data within 3 months, the Committee pulls them up.

⚖️ Rules of Admissibility: What Can't be Asked?

The Speaker can reject a question if it violates specific rules (Rule 41).

  1. Too Vague: "Will the Minister fix the economy?" (Rejected - too broad).
  2. Personal Character: Questions attacking the personal life of a person are not allowed.
  3. Sub-Judice: Questions about a matter pending in a court of law are generally not allowed.
  4. Secret: Questions on sensitive matters (like nuclear weapon locations) can be refused by the Minister citing "National Interest."

📜 Historical Trivia

  • The First Question: The first question in the Legislative Council (pre-independence) was asked in 1893.
  • Nehru's Era: Jawaharlal Nehru famously attended Question Hour almost every day and answered questions himself, setting a high standard for Prime Ministers.
  • Suspension: During the COVID-19 Monsoon Session (2020), the government suspended Question Hour to shorten the session length. This led to massive protests by the Opposition, arguing that it "killed accountability."

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Can a Minister refuse to answer?

Generally, No. They can ask for time, but they cannot say "I won't answer." However, they can refuse to disclose information if it affects "National Security" or "Foreign Relations." The Speaker is the final judge of whether the refusal is valid.

Q2. What is "Half-an-Hour Discussion"?

If an MP is not satisfied with the answer given during Question Hour, they can request a Half-an-Hour Discussion (usually held at 5:00 PM). It allows for a more detailed debate on that specific answer.

Q3. Does the Prime Minister answer questions?

Yes, for the Ministries they hold directly (e.g., Dept of Space, Dept of Atomic Energy, or Personnel). For other Ministries, the specific Cabinet Minister answers. However, on "Prime Minister's Day" (the day his/her ministries are listed), the PM is expected to be present.

Q4. What happens to questions if the House adjourns?

If the House adjourns for the day due to disruptions before 12:00 PM, the Question Hour is lost. The answers are just "Laid on the Table" (considered read). This is why disruptions are damaging—they let the government off the hook from facing tough oral questions.

Q5. Can I (a citizen) ask a question in Parliament?

Not directly. You must contact your local MP. If they find your issue valid, they can file the question in their name. Many questions on "Railway Stoppages" or "kv admissions" originate from constituent requests.

Bookmark this page. Question Hour is the only time the Government admits its failures in writing. Read the answers, not just the headlines.