Consider the following statements in respect of questions asked by the Members in the Parliament of India : 1. Unstarred questions are those to which a Member desires an oral answer in the House. 2. Starred questions are those to which a Member desires a written answer. 3. No supplementary question can be asked on an unstarred question. Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct ?

The correct answer is Option C, as only one statement (Statement 3) is correct.

The 'Question Hour' is a crucial mechanism in the Parliament of India, governed by the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in both Houses, enabling members to hold the executive accountable. Questions are classified into different categories based on the nature of the required response.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: Unstarred questions are those to which a written answer is desired by the Member. They are not called for oral answers on the floor of the House.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Starred questions are the ones that require an oral answer in the House. They are distinguished by an asterisk mark (*). Because the Minister-in-charge answers these orally, they are better suited for inquiring about the government's views and policy inclinations.
• Statement 3 is correct: Since an unstarred question receives a written reply that is deemed to be laid on the Table of the House, no supplementary (follow-up) questions can be asked on it. Supplementary questions are exclusively permitted for Starred questions and Short Notice questions (which are also answered orally).

Concluding Takeaway: To easily remember the distinction, use the mnemonic SOW: Starred = Oral (supplementary questions allowed), Unstarred = Written (no supplementary questions allowed). Additionally, the official list of Starred questions is printed in green, while Unstarred questions are printed in white.