Parliamentary Terms

Basic Definitions

DefinitionTerm
The draft of a legislative proposalBill
Bill passed by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the PresidentAct
A member of the House of the People (Lok Sabha)Member
A member other than a MinisterPrivate Member
Termination of a sitting of a House without any definite date being fixed for the next sittingAdjournment sine die
The termination of a session of the House by an order made by the President under article 85(2) (a) of the Constitution.Prorogation
The first hour of a sitting of the House normally allotted for asking and answering of questionsQuestion Hour
The minimum number of members required to be present at a sitting of the House or the Committee for valid transaction of its business. The quorum to constitute a sitting of the House is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House and in respect of a Committee it is one-third of the total number of members of the CommitteeQuorum
A self-contained independent proposal submitted for the approval of the House and drafted in such a way as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House.Resolution
The vote cast by the Speaker or the Chairman in the case of an equality of votes on a matterCasting vote
Deletion of words, phrases of expression for the proceedings or records of the House (for being defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified)Expunction