• Protests by opposition members pressing for a discussion on the use of Israeli-made, military-grade Pegasus spyware, and farmers’ agitation against farm reform laws have repeatedly disrupted proceedings in Rajya Sabha.

• Some members said they have given notices under Rule 267 seeking suspension of the listed business of the day to take up a discussion on the issues they were raising.

• Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said he has not accepted the notices given by various opposition party members under Rule 267 for suspension of the business to allow discussion on their issues.

• During a discussion, Naidu said that rule 267 was rarely used in the past.

• Sukhendu Sekhar Ray of the Trinamool Congress said in Rajya Sabha that no notice under rule 267 has been accepted since November 2016.

• Earlier, in March, Naidu noted that Rule 267, often cited by opposition members, should be used on rare occasions as a “Brahmastra” for emergent or extraordinary situations.

• “If you start seeking recourse to Rule 267, you cannot run the House. It is very rarely used. It is like ‘Brahmastra’, which is used when other ‘astras’ weapons do not succeed,” he said.

What is Rule 267?

• At times, there may arise situations when MPs seek to raise issues beyond the available tools depending upon the urgency of the matter. Envisaging such eventuality, Rule 267 has been provided in the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to raise urgent issues of public importance by suspending normal operation of Rules. 

• Rule 267 calls for setting aside business of the day to take up a discussion on the issue pressed.

It states that: 

“Any member, may, with the consent of the Chairman, move that any rule may be suspended in its application to a motion related to the business listed before the Council of that day and if the motion is carried, the rule in question shall be suspended for the time being:

Provided further that this rule shall not apply where specific provision already exists for suspension of a rule under a particular chapter of the Rules.”

• According to Rule 267, a Member may, with the consent of the Chairman, move a Motion that any Rule may be suspended in its application related to the business listed before the House for that day. 

• The Chairman alone has the power to give consent for moving of a motion for suspension of a rule and it is for the House to decide whether a particular rule should be suspended or not. 

• A Member can give notice under above-mentioned Rule 267 addressed to the Secretary-General for the suspension of Rules for raising an issue of urgent public importance. 

• The notice should contain the text of the proposed Motion to be moved with specific reference to Rule 267 and should be given after the adjournment of the last sitting day and before 10am on the day on which suspension is sought. 

• The primary objective of such a Motion is to draw the attention of the government to a matter of urgent public importance in regard to which a motion or a resolution with proper notice will be too late.

• The Member whose Motion is admitted by the Chairman moves the Motion when called upon. He may make a brief statement in favour of the Motion. Thereafter, the Motion is put to vote. The House may reject or adopt the Motion by voice vote or by division.

• Adoption of the Motion results in the suspension of the listed business and commencement of the discussion on the subject of the motion.  

• The Lok Sabha has a similar provision — the Adjournment Motion.

What is an Adjournment Motion?

• Adjournment Motion is the procedure for adjournment of the business of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance, which can be moved with the consent of the Speaker. 

• It needs the support of 50 members to be admitted. 

• The primary objective of an Adjournment Motion is to draw the attention of the House to a recent matter of urgent public importance having serious consequences and with regard to which a motion or a resolution with proper notice will be too late. 

• The Adjournment Motion, if admitted, leads to setting aside of the normal business of the House for discussing the matter mentioned in the motion.  

• The discussion on an Adjournment Motion should last for not less than two hours and thirty minutes.

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