The Assembly: Asian Parliamentary Debate

RULES

1. Each debating match will consist of two teams; one to propose the motion and one to oppose it.

2. The team proposing may be known as ‘The Proposition’, ‘The Affirmative’ or ‘The Government’. The team opposing may be known as ‘The Opposition’ or ‘The Negative’.

3. Teams will be designated as the Proposition or the Opposition for each round of the competition on random basis (via chit).

4. Teams will comprise the following members

   • AFFIRMATIVE

     • Prime Minister, or First Affirmative.

     • Deputy Prime Minister, or Second Affirmative.

     • Government Whip, or Third Affirmative.

   • NEGATIVE

     • Leader of the Opposition, or First Negative

     • Deputy Leader of the Opposition, or Second Negative

     • Opposition Whip, or Third Negative

5. Debaters will speak in the following order:

   • Prime Minister

   • Leader of Opposition

   • Deputy Prime Minister

   • Deputy Leader of Opposition

   • Government Whip

   • Opposition Whip

   • Opposition reply

   • Government reply

6. Speakers not ‘holding the floor’ may not rise during a speech unless it is to offer a ‘Point of Information’.Speakers doing so, or considered to be heckling, barracking or whose behaviour is interfering with the acceptable course of a debate will be declared ‘out of order’ or will be ‘called to order’ by the Chairperson.

7. In the event of a non-ideal distribution of registered teams, one or more teams may be granted a ‘bye’ in the preliminary round, at the discretion of the Organising Committee, to ensure the smooth conduct of the tournament.

TIMING

1. The timing of each speech starts at the moment that the member begins speaking.

2. Times for speeches:

   • Substantive Speeches: 3 + 1 minutes

   • Reply Speeches: 1.5 +1 minutes in all rounds

3. Time signals will be given in the following manner:

   • End of first minute - single knock of the gavel.

   • End of third minute - single knock of the gavel.

   • End of fourth minute - double knock of the gavel.

4. Reply Speeches:

   • End of one and a half minute- single knock of the gavel.

   • End of two and a half minute- Double knock of the gavel.

5. Once the double knock of the gavel has sounded, speakers have a 20-second ‘grace period’, during which they should conclude their speech. After this grace period has elapsed, there will be a continuous knocking of the gavel, and adjudicators must disregard the rest of that particular speech.

6. If the speaker concludes his/her speech before the second single knock of the gavel, he or she should be penalized under Method and possibly also under Matter.

POINTS OF INFORMATION

1. Points of Information (POIs’) may be offered during the six substantive speeches only, after the first single knock of the gavel and up to the second single knock of the gavel. Points of Information may not be offered during the first and last minutes of substantive speeches. If a Point of Information is offered in the first or the last minute of a constructive speech, it is the duty of the speaker holding the floor to reject the same as being out of order. Only if the speaker holding the floor fails to do the same, the chair of the adjudicator panel may very briefly intervene and call the house to order.

2. A POI must be indicated by a member of an opposing team rising from his/her seat. A member offering a Point of Information may draw attention to the offer by saying “on that point Sir/Madam,” or a short word calling attention to the member of the opposing team raising the point of information. If entire questions are posed in the tag this can be marked down under method.

3. A member holding the floor must respond to an opposing member, or members offering POI’s, in one of the following ways.

   • A clear gesture or hand signal rejecting the offer.

   • A verbal rejection of the offer.

   • A verbal acceptance of the offer.

4. If a POI is accepted, the point should be phrased as a question, or clarification, or comment, and ideally made in no more than 15 seconds. Points of Information should be such that they allow the member holding the floor some chance of responding.

5. After a POI has been offered, no further clarifications may be sought either by the speaker holding the floor or by the member offering the Point of Information, except strictly in situations where the Point of Information is clearly inaudible, and therefore a repetition of the same is necessitated.

6. Once a POI is accepted the speaker holding the stage is bound to give adequate time for the completion of the question.

7. Points of Information are marked for their strategic use under Method, and for their content under Matter. Unwarranted use of points of information can be marked down under Manner.

For queries, contact:-
Harsh - 7870674126
Sourav - 8929908551

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