What is Rule 267 and 176 of Rajya Sabha?

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is Rule 267?
• What is the Significance of rule 267?
• Why has Rule 267 been a contentious issue?
• Short Duration Discussion under the Rule 176
• Manipur Violence
• What are the Reasons behind the violence in Manipur?

Why in news?

• Recently, the Opposition, in Rajya Sabha, demanded that all other business be suspended for the day to take up the Manipur issue.
• The Opposition’s demand had come under Rule 267.
  • Off late, the Rule 267 has emerged as a thorny issue in Parliament sessions recently. 
  • No notice given by the Opposition under Rule 267 has been accepted in recent times.

What is Rule 267?

• According to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), under Rule 267: 
  • 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.
• In other words, under the rule 267, Rajya Sabha MPs can give a written notice to suspend all listed business and discuss an issue of importance the country is facing.
  • Any Rajya Sabha member may notify the Chairperson of a topic for discussion.
• Only the Chairman can decide whether to propose a motion to suspend a rule. 
• However, it is up to the rest of the members in the House to vote and determine if the rule should actually be suspended or not.
• Where specific provisions already exist for suspension of a rule under a particular chapter of the Rules, this rule (rule 267) will not apply.

What is the Significance of rule 267?

• Because all other businesses would be put on hold to discuss the issue of national importance, any discussion under Rule 267 takes on great significance in Parliament. 
• There is no other type of discussion that calls for the suspension of other activities.
• Further, the government will be required to respond to the issue during the Rule 267 discussions.

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Why has Rule 267 been a contentious issue?

• The Opposition has complained that none of its notices under Rule 267 are being taken up.
• In the winter session, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha had rejected eight such notices within two days.
  • These notices conatined matters such as the border issue with China and rising prices of essential commodities.

Short Duration Discussion under the Rule 176

• Under this provision, an MP can raise a discussion on a matter of urgent public importance. 
• The time for the discussion is allocated by the Business Advisory Committee. 
• The MP will need to give notice specifying the matter to be raised and the reasons for doing so.
• The Chairman decides the admissibility of the notice, after calling for such information from the MP who has given the notice and from the Minister, as he may consider necessary. 
• The MP raises the matter and this is followed by other MPs discussing the issue. The Minister-in-charge responds at the end of the discussion.

Manipur Violence

• Deadly violence has plunged Manipur into turmoil for more than two months. Clashes between members of the majority Meitei and the Kuki tribal communities have resulted in their complete segregation. 
• At least 130 people have died and 60,000 have been displaced. 

What are the Reasons behind the violence in Manipur?

• Manipur was boiling since February 2023
  • Manipur has been restive since February when the state government launched an eviction drive seen as targeting a specific tribal group.
  • The drive led to protests but not on the scale of the one seen recently.
• High Court’s order as a trigger point
  • The recent protests were triggered by the Manipur High Court’s direction to the State to pursue a 10-year-old recommendation to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the non-tribal Meitei community.
  • The Court’s order has brought the historical tensions between the valley-dwelling Meitei community and the state’s hill tribes to a boil.
• Violence started
  • A ‘tribal solidarity march’ was organised by the All-Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) against the order of the High Court.
  • Violent clashes broke out at various places in Manipur during the course of this march.

Q1) What is the purpose of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha)??

The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States, also known as the Rajya Sabha, serve as a set of guidelines and regulations that govern the functioning of the upper house of the Parliament of India. The purpose of these rules is to ensure orderly and effective conduct of business during the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. These rules are essential for maintaining decorum, transparency, and efficiency in the legislative process. 

Q2) What is Rajya Sabha?

The Rajya Sabha or the Council of States, is the upper house of the Parliament of India. It is one of the two houses of the Indian Parliament, the other being the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The Rajya Sabha represents the federal character of India and serves as a forum to represent the interests of the states and union territories.

Source: Manipur discussion not allowed in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267: What is the rule, row over it | PRS India | India Times