Page 38 - Parliament of India

in duration, provided the Speaker admits the notice on grounds of urgency and
public importance, and the Government agree to find time. A Member wishing
to raise a discussion has to give notice in writing specifying the points on which
he intends to raise discussion. If admitted, the subject is put down for discussion
and Members place before the House their points of view and the Government
give a reply. There is no formal motion before the House, nor is there any
voting.
Specific matters may be discussed also through Private Members' Resolutions
and other substantive motions. In an extreme case the Government can be
censured on a motion of no-confidence moved against it.

THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
A Bill, i.e. the draft of a legislative proposal, has to pass through the
following stages before it becomes an Act of Parliament.
Firm Reading : A Bill can be introduced either by a Minister or by a Private
Member, depending upon whether it is a Government Bill or a Private Member's
Bill. Money Bills can be introduced only in Lok Sabha.
On the day appointed for introduction of a Bill, the Minister (or Member)
in charge of the Bill moves for leave of the House to introduce the Bill. On leave
being granted by the House, the Bill is introduced. If the motion is opposed,
after a brief explanatory statement by the member-in-charge and the member
who opposes the motion, the question is put to the vote of the House.
Second Reading : The Second Reading consists of consideration of the Bill,
which is in two stages. First, a general discussion on the Bill as a whole takes
place, when the principles underlying the Bill are discussed. At this stage it is
open to the House to decide to refer the Bill to a Select Committee of the House
or a Joint Committee of the two Houses or to circulate the Bill for the purpose
of eliciting opinion thereon or straightaway take it into consideration.
When a Bill is referred to a Select or Joint Committee, the Committee gives
it a close and detailed scrutiny clause-by-clause and makes such amendments
therein as it deems necessary. Where necessary, the Committee may also take
evidence of associations and public bodies representing the affected interests or
of experts who have special knowledge of matters having a bearing on the
measure before it. Thereafter, the Committee submits its report to the House,
which considers the Bill as reported by the Committee.
The second stage of the Second Reading consists of clause-by-clause conside­
ration of the Bill as introduced, or as reported by Select/Joint Committee, as
the case may be.

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