Points of order (Rules 32 and 33 of the Rules of Procedure)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 24 January 1977 (20th Sitting) (see Doc. 3891, report of the Committee on Rules of Procedure). Text adopted by the Assembly on 24 January 1977 (20th Sitting).
- Thesaurus
The Assembly,
1. Whereas paragraph 5 of Rule 33 (procedural motions) provides that "a Representative shall have a prior right to speak if he asks leave to call the attention of the Chair to a breach of order or an abuse of the Rules of the Assembly" (in French : "pour rappeler au Reglement") and paragraph 3 of Rule 32 (right to speak) that a speaker may not be interrupted except "on a point of order" (in French : "pour un rappel au Reglement") ;
2. Noting that a "point of order" is defined neither in the Assembly's Rules of Procedure, nor in any interpretative memorandum, and that the Rules do not lay down the procedure to be followed ;
3. Considering it advisable to restrict points of order to their proper purpose, avoid their abuse, and specify the functions and prerogatives of the President of the Assembly in this respect ;
4. Considering that the provisions of Rule 33, relating to procedural motions, including points of order, also apply to procedure in committee (Rule 45, paragraph 4),
5. Decides :
a in paragraph 3 of Rule 32 of the Rules of Procedure, to accompany the words "point of order" by a footnote to read "See below, paragraph 5 of Rule 33" ;
b in paragraph 5 of Rule 33, in the English version only, to replace the words "to call the attention of the Chair to a breach of order or an abuse of the Rules of the Assembly" by "to raise a point of order" ;
c to accompany paragraph 5 of Rule 33 by a footnote to read : "A point of order must be confined to raising questions of procedure for a ruling from the Chair".
