Kangaroo closure
Topic: Parliamentary Procedure, Committees and Privileges · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Kangaroo closure is one form of closure (a way of cutting a debate short so the matter can be put to vote). Only the important clauses of a bill are taken up for debate and vote. The clauses in between are skipped and treated as passed. Like a kangaroo jumping, the House leaps from one key clause to the next. It saves time, but less important clauses get no scrutiny at all.
Example
A long bill has 40 clauses. The presiding officer selects clauses 1, 8, 15 and 30 for debate. The clauses between them are passed without any discussion.
Don't confuse with
- Closure by compartments: every group of clauses still gets some debate before the vote. In kangaroo closure, the skipped clauses get none.
- Guillotine: everything left is put to vote without discussion once time runs out. Kangaroo closure decides in advance which clauses will be debated.
Related concepts
- Substantive motion
- Closure motion
- Closure by compartments
- Motion of thanks
- Adjournment motion
- Suspension of business motion
- Censure motion
- No-confidence motion
- Confidence motion
- Resolution