Focus: GS-II Polity and Governance
Why in news?
The officials at the Rajya Sabha secretariat has said that quorum was essential only when the committees are taking decisions or adopting reports and not during routine deliberations.
Details
- Out of 281 meetings of the eight department-related standing committees that are headed by Rajya Sabha members, 16 per cent were held without quorum.
- Point isn’t about quorum alone, it’s also about facilitating those MPs who want to attend and are unable to because of containment zones & quarantine restrictions in their home states.
Quorum in India
- A quorum is the minimum number of members of a parliamentary assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group.
- Article 100 of the Constitution of India stipulates that at least 10% of total number of members of the House must be present to constitute the quorum to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament.
- For example, if the House has the total membership of 250, at least 25 members must be present for the House to proceedings with its business.
- If at any time during a meeting of a House there is no quorum, the Chairman/Speaker has to either adjourn the House or suspend it until there is a quorum.
-Source: The Hindu
