FOURTH EDITION . FOURTH EDITION . FOURTH EDITION .

FOURTH EDITION

TCC

RULES OF
PROCEDURE
Table of Contents

The Chair Pg 2

Quorum Pg 2

Opening Debate Pg 2

Speeches Pg 3

Caucuses Pg 5

Working Papers Pg 6

Directives, Communiqués and Portfolio Requests Pg 7

Points Pg 9

Motions Pg 10

Order of Disruptiveness Pg 13

Amendments Pg 14

Voting Pg15

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The Chair
Every committee in this edition of Model Congress has a chairperson – the person who leads the
committee and administers the rules of procedure fairly. The chair is seated at the front of the room and
also holds a gavel, the symbol of their leadership over a committee which can be used to call the
committee to order. Typically, there are multiple people at the front of the room who share the
responsibilities of being a chair. This group is called the dais, and they may pass the gavel between each
other to symbolize who is leading the committee at a particular point in the committee session. However,
since the three cabinets in TCC have only one chairperson each, these standalone chairs can also be
referred to as the dais. The role of the chair is to be a well-researched figure, who will serve as an
educator, help the students reach compromises, and explore new ideas in committee. Additionally, they
make sure that the rules are being followed.

Quorum
The Dais may declare a meeting open, simultaneously declaring that the session has started, and permit
the debate to proceed when at least one-third of the members of the cabinet are present, or, in
extraordinary situations where this number is not reached, the Dais may use their discretion in
consultation with the Academics and Backroom team, to declare the session open regardless.

Opening Debate
The debate starts with the opening speeches (only on day 1), followed by the speakers list.

Debate typically starts with a speakers list: the list of delegates in the order in which they will have the
floor to speak. The speakers list is the most democratic of the forms of debate. Each delegate is allowed to
be on the speakers list only once at any given moment, allowing everybody in the room to share their
positions equally. Speeches during the start of debate are typically expository in nature. They’ll also
explain their stance’s involvement in the issue and discuss the kinds of solutions they want to see passed.

This is also the time when delegates identify groups of other delegates who share beliefs about how to
address the problem. This is critical for getting anything passed in the cabinet, as a directive with a single
sponsor is unlikely to pass. By listening to opening speeches that advocate for similar policies, delegates
can easily identify potential supporters to take in their confidence.

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Speeches
General Speaker’s List (GSL)
General Speaker List (GSL) will be of a duration of 90 seconds by default and may be amended at the
discretion of the chair or by a “motion to amend the speaker’s time”. The GSL is useful for delegates to
explain their stance on the agenda and to express their views about how they wish for the cabinet to go
about the discussion.

No delegate may address the cabinet with a speech without having been called upon by the Dais.
Delegates will be asked to be added to the General Speakers List (GSL) by the Dais who will then follow
the order in which they signified their desire to speak. If a delegate wishes to be placed on the GSL
immediately, he/she will need to pass a note to the Dais asking them for their delegation to be added.

Representatives cannot appear more than once on the list at any one time. Hence, delegates may only ask
to be added to the list again upon completing their speech. The Dais will call a speaker to order if his
remarks are not pertinent to the subject of discussion or if he has exceeded the time allowed to him.

Yields

1.Yield back to the Speaker

After completion of the delegate’s speech, he/she may yield the remaining time to the dais: the dais will
absorb the remaining time of the speech

2. Yield to Points of Information

A delegate may yield to points of information, which implies that in the remaining time, other delegates
may ask him questions regarding his speech if the Dais permits it.

3. Yield to Another Minister

A delegate may yield his/her remaining time to another delegate who may then elaborate on the former’s
points or answer the former’s questions. Only one yield to another delegate is allowed per speech. The
delegate you yield your time to has the choice to decline.

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Provisional Speakers List (PSL)

A Provisional Speakers List (PSL) or a Secondary Speakers List is a form of formal speech-based debate
that is often raised to discuss procedural matters such as a Motion to Table Debate. Here speakers will
speak in an alternating manner with one speaker who is “for” being followed by another who is “against”.
After a motion to establish a PSL, the delegate tells the topic, and per speaker time which can be amended
upon the chair's discretion. Delegates often utilize their speeches in the PSL to help and convince other
delegates whether or not they should support or go against certain solutions, clauses etc. The Provisional
Speakers List does not have a maximum time limit and will only come to an end when the list of speakers
is exhausted. A delegate can speak in a PSL multiple times throughout all committee sessions.

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Caucuses
Moderated Caucus

This caucus is raised when the cabinet wants to focus on a specific subtopic. The delegates would be
added to the list upon being recognised by the dais, and they would have to give a speech ONLY
pertaining to the subtopic. The delegate would have to specify the Total Speaking Time, and the
Individual Speaking Time while raising this motion.

While raising a moderated caucus the delegate needs to mention the total time for the caucus, speaking
time for each delegate/minster and the topic for discussion. The maximum total duration for a moderated
caucus is 20 minutes, while the maximum individual speaking time would be 2 minutes, which means that
no caucus of length longer than these durations would be entertained.

Example Motion: “ I would like to raise a motion for a five-minute moderated caucus with thirty-seconds
speaking time on the topic of “Discussing state expenses on the rebuilding of the Jama Masjid”.

Upon being passed, the proposer of the motion has the liberty to choose whether they wish to speak first,
or last. However, delegates need to be mindful that the individual speaking time of the caucus must
perfectly divide the total duration so that the number of speakers remains exact.

Unmoderated Caucus

An unmoderated caucus is where all delegates are invited to get out of their seats and move about the
room. This is extremely useful when it comes time to draft working papers, as it allows blocs to speak
freely with each other and debate ideas as they commit them to paper. It’s much easier to write together in
a group than scattered across the room!

While raising an unmoderated caucus the delegate only needs to mention the total time for the caucus.
The maximum total duration for an unmoderated caucus is 25 minutes, which means that no caucus of
length longer than this time mechanism would be entertained.

Example Motion: “I would like to raise a motion for a ten-minute unmoderated caucus to discuss the
crisis.”

After an unmoderated caucus is passed and elapsed, the proposer of the motion is called upon to deliver a
one-minute summary speech on the events that took place during the course of the caucus.

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Working Papers
A Working Paper may be introduced on the floor at any point in time after sufficient debate on solutions
has taken place. This is a documentation of the solutions that the cabinet wishes to propose for the
agenda in question which has no format. Multiple Working Papers can be written and debated upon in a
cabinet. This form of documentation only requires signatories and no sponsors. The end result of all the
Working Papers is usually a merged directive, which incorporates all the solutions of the different
presenters. However, this probably would not take place if there were conflicting ideologies or
standpoints.

Example: “I would like to raise a motion to introduce the working paper titled ‘The Rise of Terrorism in
the Middle East’.”

When preparing working papers, the following guidelines need to be adhered to:

1. Working Papers should not contain any citations. Doing so will result in it being rejected by the Dais.

2. Working Papers can be presented to the cabinet only after being vetted by the Dais. To get a working
paper approved, the delegate needs to email a copy of it to the Dais at least 5 minutes prior to presenting,
and intimate the Dais with a note. If the paper has been approved, the Dais will send a note back to the
delegate to inform them.

3. The appropriate method to present a Working Paper is raising a ‘Motion to Present A Working Paper’
at the beginning of the delegate’s speech. It cannot be called before or midway through the speech.

4. Care must be taken by delegates to ensure that the working papers actually serve to improve the
efficacy of their speech and do not merely distract the cabinet or appear attractive without useful content.
Such Papers will not be approved by the Dais. Delegates should also make sure the content of the Papers
is pertinent to the topic under discussion.

5. Working Papers can be in any appropriate file format to allow the delegates the freedom to express
arguments in an engaging manner. Images, text documents, presentation slides and charts/graphs are
permissible while gifs, videos and animations are strictly prohibited.

6. Working Papers should be drafted keeping in mind the formal cabinet setting. As such, profanity,
informal language, explicit images, hate speech or propaganda are not in order and will be reported to the
Academics team immediately. The delegate will be barred from the committee session.

7. Working Papers should not be prepared prior to the conference.

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Directives, Communiqués and Portfolio Requests
Directives

Directives provide a certain direction to the decisions made by the committee. It has 2 broad types:

Joint Personal Directives

They are private directives that allow you and collaborating delegates to pool personal resources to
advance backroom objectives. JPDs can either be one-time collaborations or the bases for an entire joint
arc with another delegate. Identify shared goals with other delegates, then determine how the resources
you have already amassed can be best used, collaboratively, to advance mutual or separate-but-
interrelated interests. While JPDs are structured like any other directive, they do not need to be voted on
by the whole cabinet. Instead, those parties to each JPD sign it and send it to the crisis directors as though
it were a note. The crisis directors will respond to JPDs like notes—it may be approved or pushed back
depending on their nuance and feasibility.

Committee Directives
This is the directive that is sent to the crisis directors by the entire cabinet. All delegates in the cabinet
work together in order to solve the issue by giving necessary finances, equipment, resources, etc. This is
the most common type of directive used and is generally used when delegates are trying to create solutions
together and think of a quick but effective way of dealing with the crisis at hand.

There are 2 subtypes of JPDs and Committee Directives - Military and Intelligence Directives:

Military Directives
Military Directives are typically passed by a cabinet when it wishes to employ its armed forces for some
specific military operations, and particular objectives such as reconnaissance or rescue.

Intelligence Directives
Intelligence Directives are generally used when a cabinet wishes to direct its intelligence towards the
extraction of certain information from the enemy, or to sabotage their work. This type of directive can
also be used to do surveillance of enemy areas, and as counter-intelligence too.

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Communiqués

Communiqués are formal correspondences made to actors outside of the cabinet setup, in order to
influence them to take a particular action even when they are not in direct control of you. This, too, can
be written either as a delegate (individually), or collectively as a cabinet. The goal, of course, is to garner
the support of external parties in helping you with the crisis. The structure is:

Header (Communiqué instead of Directive)

Addressee (person on the receiving end)
Specifics of the action they need to take
What they will get (if the obey or if they disobey)
Your signature/s

Press Releases
Press Releases are used by individuals to inform the outside public os the developments in the ongoing
crisis, either factual or pure misinformation. Additionally, these can be used to convey information which
was never revealed before, thus getting a response from the international community. The structure of a
press release is as follows:

Header (Press Release)

Headline (Descriptive in nature)
Information (Body content) of the release
Signature(s)

Portfolio Requests

Portfolio Requests are made by delegates when they wish to exercise the powers their portfolio is entitled
to. It is done so using a note to the chairs and backroom. Following are some examples:
Launching a military attack deploying personal resources
Leaking false intelligence to an enemy organization

Make sure you specify ‘Portfolio Request’ in the header for easy distinction from other notes. Every crisis
has crisis notes, which are used to pose questions to the crisis directors regarding the crisis, your
portfolio’s powers, making a press release or other miscellaneous tasks and actions.

Crisis Notes
Crisis Notes must follow the following format and skeleton at all times, for every note written:
Delegation
Committee and Cabinet
Title: Crisis Note
The content itself

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Points
Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
Used when a delegate is unsure of or wants a clarification of a rule or cabinet procedure; it can also be if a
delegate has a non-substantive question.
Example: “Would it be in order to start handing in working papers at this time?”

Point of Information
Used when a delegate has a substantive question for a speaker during a formal debate. These are the
questions asked by a delegate at the end of another delegate’s speech. The delegate may only raise one
question.

This point can be used any time when the speaker yields his/her time to point(s) of information and the
chair says that the yield is in order.

NOTE: If a delegate feels that his/her question has not been satisfactorily answered, he/she may raise a
plea to follow up, which is subject to the Dais’ discretion.

Point of Personal Privilege

Point of personal privilege is a point concerning the comfort of a delegate. It is the only point which can
interrupt another delegate's speech.
Example: “ May this delegate use the washroom?”

Point of Order
During the discussion of any matter, in the case of an error of procedure by the Dais, delegates may rise
to a Point of Order to appeal against any incorrect ruling made by the Dais. The debate will continue and
the Dais’ ruling shall stand unless overruled (after discussion with the Core Team or the Academics
Team).

Points of Order may only be called to appeal against procedural mistakes and may not speak on the
substance of the matter under discussion. An argument for or against the pending question shall not be
recognized as a valid point of order.
There is no voting or debate procedure on this action.

Example: “Point of Order, A delegate cannot be listed in the GSL twice,”

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Right to Reply
A right to reply can be raised by a delegate when they feel personally offended by another delegate’s
speech or statements directed towards them.

Example: “ I feel attacked by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan on the comment about us handling our budget as
‘incompetent fools’.”

Motions
Motion to establish General Speakers List
Once the roll call is done, the cabinet would have to raise the motion to establish a general speakers list.
This motion requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Amend the Speaker Time

This motion is raised by the delegates if they wish to amend the speaker time for the General Speakers
List (GSL). This motion can be used to either increase or decrease the total speaker time and requires a
simple majority to pass. It is usually prompted by the Dais.

Motion to Raise an Unmoderated Caucus

This motion is used to raise an unmoderated caucus. This motion requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Raise a Moderated Caucus

This motion is used to raise a moderated caucus. This motion requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Extend a Moderated/Unmoderated Caucus

This motion is used to extend a moderated or unmoderated caucus. This motion requires a simple
majority to pass. The maximum total extension that is granted is half the original duration of the caucus.

Motion to Introduce a Working Paper

This motion is used to introduce a working paper to the cabinet. This motion requires the chair’s consent
to pass.

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Motion to Introduce a Directive
This motion is used to introduce a directive to the cabinet. This motion requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Discuss a Directive

This motion is used to move into a discussion in the form of a Question and Answer session on the
directive. The submitter and co-submitters will answer questions regarding the clauses of the directive,
while the rest of the cabinet is allowed to raise questions upon being recognised by the Dais. This motion
requires the chair’s consent to pass.

Motion to Move into Direct Voting Procedure on a Directive

This motion is used to move into DVP (Direct Voting Procedure) on a certain directive. This motion
requires a simple majority to pass.

An Example of this can be “Motion to move into direct voting procedure on directive ‘Directive 1.0’.”

Motion to Move into a Provisional Speakers List

This motion is used to move into a Secondary Speakers List/Provisional Speakers List (PSL). This motion
requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Close Debate

A delegate may at any time move for the closure of debate on the item under discussion. Permission to
speak on the motion shall be accorded only to two representatives opposing the closure, after which the
motion shall be put to a vote immediately.

This motion requires a two-thirds majority to pass. If the cabinet favors the closure of the debate, it shall
immediately move to vote on all proposals introduced under that agenda item.

Motion to Table Debate

During the discussion of any matter, the cabinet may consider a motion to table debate on the item under
discussion at the recommendation of the Chair or any Delegate. If the motion is seconded, two
representatives may speak in favor of, and two against the motion. Then, the motion shall immediately be
put to a vote. A two-thirds majority (substantive majority) is required for passage.

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Motion to Suspend the Debate
This motion leads to a short recess for a given time, according to the schedule for the event.
The Dais alone has the authority to call upon this motion or prompt the delegates to call for this motion
in order to prevent abuse of the motion. To pass, a simple majority is needed.

Motion to Adjourn the Debate

A delegate may move the adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion to end the cabinet
meeting. This motion is only made on the last day of the final committee session to bring the meeting to
an end for the conference. This motion will be put to vote and a simple majority will be required for it to
pass.

Withdrawal of a Motion
A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on it has commenced. A motion
thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any member.

Motion to Divide the House

This is a motion to remove the right to abstain from all members of the Committee. This motion involves
a procedural vote and requires a simple majority to pass.

Motion to Divide the Question

This is a motion to vote on the directive by parts. This motion involves a procedural vote which requires a
simple majority to pass. Once it passes, a substantive vote is held on each article of the directive, which
requires a two-thirds majority to pass. If an article fails, then a substantive vote will be held for each
clause within the said article. Once all clauses of the directive have been voted upon, the articles and
clauses passed will be organized into a new directive. A substantive vote will then be held on the new
directive, which requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

Motion for Roll Call Vote

This is a motion to mandate each delegate to verbally announce their vote to the Committee. This motion
involves a procedural vote and a simple majority to pass. There will be two rounds of voting and delegates
will be called in alphabetical order. In the first round, delegates are allowed to vote “for”, “against”, or
“abstain”, or they may “pass” to the second round of voting. In the second round, delegates must choose
to vote “for”, “against”, or “abstain” (passing is not in order).

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Order of Disruptiveness
1. Point of Personal Privilege
2. Point of Order
3. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
4. Right to Reply
5. Motion to Establish GSL/Amend Speaker Time
6. Motion to Adjourn Debate
7. Motion to Suspend Debate
8. Motion for an Unmoderated Caucus
9. Motion for a Moderated Caucus
10. Motion to Extend a Mod/Unmod
11. Motion to Introduce Directive
12. Motion to Discuss a Directive
13. Motion to Introduce Amendment (FA/UA)
14. Motion to Table Directive/Amendment
15. Motion to Close Debate and Move into Direct Voting Procedure
16. Motion to Table the Question
17. Motion to Change the Speaking Time
18. Motion to Divide the Question
19. Motion to Divide the House
20. Motion for Roll Call Vote

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Amendments
After the closure of the debate and once the cabinet has moved into discussion of directives, amendments
to the directive being discussed can be made.
An amendment seeks to modify the contents of a directive to make it more acceptable to all the members
of a cabinet. An amendment may add, delete, or modify clauses of a directive. No amendments are
allowed in plenary debate.

Friendly Amendment
A friendly amendment is an amendment to a directive that is amenable to all the submitters of the
directive. It is passed with the consent of the submitters and does not require a formal voting procedure,
however, it will be formally introduced to the cabinet.

Unfriendly Amendment
An unfriendly amendment is an amendment that is not welcomed by all the submitters of a directive and
is put to a vote in the entire cabinet. It will be introduced to the cabinet after the motion to introduce it
has been passed through a procedural vote. The amendment in itself requires a two-thirds majority to
pass and be added to a directive.

Non-Substantial Amendment

A Non-Substantial amendment is an amendment that seeks to correct the grammar or formatting of a

directive, and does not contribute any substantive points to the directive. It is simply added to the
directive at the Chair’s discretion.

Format for Submitting Amendments

Amendment Type: Addition/Deletion/Modification
Original Clause:
Clause 9, Sub-clause b, Sub-sub clause i,
states “the Indian Government will not be providing aid in terms of financial, medical and economic
support,”
Add “, and technological support”.
Modified Clause:
“the Indian Government will not be providing aid in terms of financial, medical, economic support and
technological support,”
Submitted By: Nirmala Sitaraman - Minister of Finance

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Voting
Voting Rights
The phrase "present and voting" (indicated during roll call) means delegates must vote on all substantive
and procedural matters, whereas delegates, who indicate their presence by saying “present”, can abstain
from voting on substantive matters.

NOTE: Delegates cannot abstain from procedural matters regardless of whether they are ‘present’ or
‘present and voting’.

Voting takes place by a show of placards. In voting procedures, each delegate shall have only one vote.

Roll Call Vote

This takes place through a roll call vote over three rounds. This is used for substantive matters. The Dais
will call each and every representative, where each delegate will indicate their vote for, against or abstain
for a substantive matter.

Two-Thirds Majority
Decisions of the cabinet on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members
present and voting.
This substantive voting procedure applies to:
1. Passing a directive
2. Passing an unfriendly amendment

Simple Majority
Most decisions made by the cabinet need a simple majority to pass: 50% + 1 delegates in the cabinet.
This procedure is applied to:
1. All moderated/unmoderated caucuses
2. Introduction of directives
3. Introduction of unfriendly amendments
4. To table the directive

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Conduct during Voting
After the Dais has announced the beginning of voting, no delegates shall interrupt the voting except on a
point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. The Dais may permit members to
explain their votes, either before or after the voting.

Equally Divided Votes

If a vote is equally divided, motions requiring a simple majority shall be regarded as rejected.

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