even if you as the Chairperson can rule, you cannot rule without the Rules of the House. Rule 63 says: When a question to be decided by the votes of individual members has been fully put, the officer presiding on request may allow each political party in a speech not exceeding three minutes by a Council member belonging to that party to state the reasons why the party is in favour or against the question. We have to declare before the vote, because you have to say why are you are voting the way you are voting.