Motions

No discussion on a matter of general public importance can take place except on a motion made with the consent of the presiding officer. The House expresses its decisions or opinions on various issues through the adoption or rejection of motions moved by either ministers or private members.

The motions moved by the members to raise discussions on various matters fall into three principal categories:14

1. Substantive Motion: It is a self-contained independent proposal dealing with a very important matter like impeachment of the President or removal of Chief Election Commissioner.

2. Substitute Motion: It is a motion that is moved in substitution of an original motion and proposes an alternative to it. If adopted by the House, it supersedes the original motion.

3. Subsidiary Motion: It is a motion that, by itself, has no meaning and cannot state the decision of the House without reference to the original motion or proceedings of the House. It is divided into three sub-categories:

(a) Ancillary Motion: It is used as the regular way of proceeding with various kinds of business.

(b) Superseding Motion: It is moved in the course of debate on another issue and seeks to supersede that issue.

(c) Amendment: It seeks to modify or substitute only a part of the original motion.