SPECIAL
SESSION OF PARLIAMENT - POLITY
News: Govt calls special session of
Parliament later this month, keeps all guessing
What's
in the news?
●
In a surprise announcement, the government
said a special session of Parliament was being convened from September 18 to
September 22. It gave no reason for calling the session which would have five
sittings.
Key
takeaways:
●
The government has convened a special
session of Parliament from September 18 to 22.
Special
Session of Parliament:
Constitutional
Provisions:
●
The summoning of Parliament is specified in
Article 85 of the Indian
Constitution.
●
It mandates that Parliament should meet at
least twice a year, and the gap between two sessions should not exceed six
months.
Convening
of Sessions:
●
The power to call for a session of
Parliament in India lies with the government.
●
This decision
is made by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which is then
formalised by the President, who summons the MPs for a session.
Parliamentary
Calendar:
●
India does not have a fixed parliamentary
calendar. Traditionally, Parliament meets for three sessions in a year:
○
Budget Session (February-May)
○
Monsoon Session (July-August)
○
Winter Session (November-December)
Special
Session of Parliament:
●
There is no mention of the term “special session” in the Constitution.
●
The President, who summons a regular
Parliamentary session will also summon this session also according to
provisions of Article 85(1) of the Constitution.
●
According to Article 85(1), the President
shall from time to time summon each House of Parliament to meet at such time
and place as he/she thinks fit, but six months shall not intervene between its
last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the
next session.
Previous
Special sessions of Parliament:
●
1962:
The agenda included a discussion on the India-China war situation
●
1972:
To celebrate 25 years of India's independence
●
1992: To mark the 50th anniversary of the Quit
India Movement
●
1997:
Commemorating India’s 50th anniversary of independence
●
2015:
A tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar on his 125th birth anniversary
●
2017: To mark the rollout of Goods and Services Tax
(GST).