The Monsoon session of the Parliament will commence from September 14 and will end on October 1. There are several parliamentary devices available with the lawmakers to discuss important issues. One of them is Zero Hour.

It is an Indian innovation in the field of parliamentary procedures and has been in existence since 1962.

What is Zero Hour

It is where the MPs raise issues of urgent public importance. It’s an informal device not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure and is conducted between the Question Hour and the regular business of the House. 

In the Zero Hour, MPs don’t need to give a notice 10 days in advance. Thus, it’s used to raise such matters that cannot wait for 10 days.

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What is the procedure to raise a matter during Zero Hour

For raising an issue during the Zero Hour, MPs must give notice before 10:00 am to the Speaker (in case of Lok Sabha) or the Chairman (in case of Rajya Sabha). The notice must mention the subject they wish to raise. However, the Speaker or the Chairman can either allow or reject it.