The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha is a comprehensive set of formal parliamentary rules that govern the functioning of India's lower house of Parliament, making it a foundational procedural concept. Its origin lies in the Constituent Assembly (Legislative) Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business that were in force before the Constitution's commencement. The rules were modified and adopted by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, exercising the power conferred by Article 118(2) of the Constitution, and were first published on April 17, 1952, to establish a structured mechanism for legislative and deliberative work.
The mechanism of the Rules covers every aspect of the House's business, from the arrangement of the agenda to disciplinary action. Key provisions include the regulation of the Question Hour and the unique Indian parliamentary innovation, Zero Hour, for raising urgent issues. The Rules also provide the procedure for a No-Confidence Motion under Rule 198, which operationalizes the principle of collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the Lok Sabha, as mandated by Article 75(3) of the Constitution. Furthermore, Rule 377 allows members to raise matters of public importance that are not points of order.
The Rules are directly connected to the Constitution of India, particularly Article 118, which empowers each House of Parliament to make its own rules. Amendments are recommended by the Rules Committee and agreed to by the House. A significant change was the creation of the Departmentally Related Standing Committees during the Tenth Lok Sabha, which were incorporated into the Rules. More recently, Rule 374A, concerning the automatic suspension of a member for grave disorder, was incorporated during the Thirteenth Lok Sabha.