Ansari shifts Question Hour in RS to noon

Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has succeeded in getting the Question Hour in the Council of States shifted to noon for the smooth functioning and minimal disruptions in the House.

“The chairman has now directed that from the 233rd session onwards, the Question Hour shall be from noon to 1:00 pm,” a Parliament secretariat official said. Accordingly, the day’s proceedings in the Rajya Sabha will now begin with the Zero Hour at 11 am.

The House of Elders will also sit an extra hour every day till 6:00 pm, making the timings similar to that of the Lok Sabha.

The Question Hour, which marks the beginning of the day’s proceedings in both Houses of Parliament, is often a casualty of political one-upmanship and has led to uproarious scenes and adjournments.