JOINT SITTING OF PARLIAMENT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the President of India addressed the Joint Sitting Of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in Parliament.

Joint Sitting of Parliament

• Constitutional Provision: Article 87 specifies occasions when the President addresses both Houses of Parliament.
• First Occasion: After each general election, at the commencement of the first session of the reconstituted Lok Sabha.
• Second Occasion: At the beginning of the first session of each calendar year.
• Purpose: The President's address outlines government policies and priorities for the upcoming year.
• Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951: Amendments modified the occasions and procedures for the President's addresses to Parliament.
• Article 108: Joint sitting of both Houses in certain cases

oIf after a Bill has been passed by one House and transmitted to the other House--

othe Bill is rejected by the other House; or

othe Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in the Bill; or

omore than six months elapse from the date of the reception of the Bill by the other House without the Bill being passed by it.

• Exceptions: Only certain types of bills can be referred to a joint sitting.

oMoney bills under Article 110.

oConstitution amendment bills under Article 368.

• Time of convening: The Speaker shall decide the duration and adjournment of the joint sitting.
• Quorum: A joint sitting shall require one-tenth of the total members of both Houses to constitute a quorum.