Adjournment Motion

Adjournment Motion is the procedure for adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a matter of urgent public importance, and needs the support of 50 members to be admitted. 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.

The right to move a motion for an adjournment of the business of the House is subject to the following restrictions.

♤ It should raise a matter which is definite, factual, urgent and of public importance;

♤ It should not cover more than one matter;

♤ It should be restricted to a specific matter of recent occurrence and should not be framed in general terms;

♤ It should not raise a question of privilege;

♤ It should not revive discussion on a matter that has been discussed in the same session;

♤ It should not deal with any matter that is under adjudication by the court; and

♤ It should not raise any question that can be raised on a distinct motion.

The purpose of an Adjournment Motion is to take the Government to task for a recent act of omission or commission having serious consequences. Its adoption is regarded as a sort of censure of the Government. Thus, Rajya Sabha is not permitted to make use of this device.