SIXTH SCHEDULE
PROCEDURE REGARDING DIVISIONS
1. When a debate has concluded the question before the Assembly will be put from the Chair. Those in favour of the motion will be invited to say “Aye” and those against it “No” and the Speaker will say, “I think the Ayes (or the Noes) have it”, if this statement of the Speaker goes unchallenged he will then say twice. “The Ayes (or the Noes) have it”, and the question before the Assembly shall stand decided accordingly.
2. But if the minority desires a Division, they will, challenge the opinion by exclaiming. “The Ayes (or the Noes) have it” whereupon the Person Presiding, if satisfied that the demand for the Division is not an abuse of the Rules, will order a Division to be hold by uttering the word “Division” and shall direct that the Division bells be rung for five minutes to enable members not present in the Chamber to return to their places. Immediately after the bells stop ringing, all the entrance to the “Members Lobby” will be locked and the Watch and Ward Staff posted at each gate will have standing instruction not to allow any entry or exit through these gates until the Division has concluded. Then the Person Presiding will read the terms of the motion before the Assembly and put the question for second time. If the Division is still demand, he will say “Ayes to the right, Noes to the left, divide”.
3. According as they wish to vote, members will then proceed to the Ayes or the Noes lobby and then pass in single file before the tellers appointed by the Speaker. On reaching the desk of the tellers, each member will, in turn, call out the division number which will be allotted to him for this purpose. The tellers will then mark off this number on the Division list simultaneously calling out the name of member. In order to ensure that his vote has been properly recorded the member should not move off until he has clearly heard the teller call out his name. The division number allotted to each Member will be communicated separately. The numbers will be marked on the seat-card of each member.
4. When the voting process as described above is completed in the Division Lobbies, the tellers will present their Division lists to the Secretary who will count the votes recorded thereon and then present the total of the “Ayes” and the “Noes” to the Person Presiding. The Person Presiding will then announce the result to the Assembly. The Division will not be at end until the result is so announced. If the number of “Ayes” and “Noes” are equal, the question will be decided by the casting vote of the Person Presiding.
5. In case a member’s vote has been recorded both in Ayes and Noes, the Person Presiding shall ask him which side he intended to vote and a correction shall be made accordingly.