Provisions of the Constitution

The two Houses of Parliament

The Parliament of India is comprised of two houses: the Lok Sabha, known as the House of the People, and the Rajya Sabha, referred to as the Council of States. The Lok Sabha is the lower house and is directly elected by the citizens of India. It can have a maximum of 545 members, with 543 elected from various constituencies and two members nominated by the President to represent the Anglo-Indian community. Members of the Lok Sabha serve a term of five years and play a pivotal role in lawmaking, governance, and decision-making. The Prime Minister, typically the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha, heads the government....

What is the Joint Sitting of Both Houses of Parliament?

India has a type of parliament that is Bicameral i.e. the legislature is divided into two separate assemblies. Around 40% of the world’s legislature has a Bicameral type of assembly. Any type of bill has to be approved by both houses before being passed by the President. Since there are two houses, there is a high possibility of both houses going into a deadlock. So, to avoid these kinds of circumstances, the Joint sitting of both houses is carried out....

Summoning of Joint Parliament

The President is responsible for the Joint Sitting of the Parliament. The Speaker is responsible for the smooth conduction of the Joint Parliament. In case of his absence, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha will preside over the meeting. If he is also absent, then the Deputy Speaker of the Rajya Sabha will preside over it. In case, all the above people are absent, any Member of Parliament can preside over the meetings with the joint consensus of both the parties....

Provisions of the Constitution

The Joint sitting can be called by the President based on Article 108. The conditions in which the Joint meeting can be called are:...

Second Joint Sitting of Parliament

The second Joint Sitting of the Parliament was held on 16 May 1978 which was related to the reappeal of the Banking Service Commission Bill. It occurred due the rejection of the bill by Rajya Sabha....

Bills referred Till Date in Joint session

If there is an impasse between the two houses or when the second house has not met for more than six months, the president will call a joint session of both houses. The speaker of the Lok Sabha sits over the joint session, and a simple majority vote is required to enact the bill. Only three times in the following situations has the President convened a joint sitting:...

Exception to Joint Sitting of Both Houses of Parliament

There are two situations in which a Joint Sitting cannot be summoned. Those are for the below-given bills:...

Summary – Joint Sitting of Both Houses of Parliament

The Joint Sitting of Both Houses of Parliament in India involves the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha coming together, usually in cases of a legislative deadlock. The President of India, as per Article 108, has the authority to call for a joint sitting. This provision helps resolve disagreements between the two houses on bills. The Speaker, or in their absence, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, presides over the meeting. Article 87 allows the President to address the joint sitting at the beginning of the first session after elections or at the commencement of each annual session. Notable instances include the second Joint Sitting in 1978 related to the Banking Service Commission Repeal Bill. However, Joint Sittings cannot be summoned for Constitutional Amendment Bills and Money Bills. The procedure involves a majority vote, with only existing amendments or those rejected by either house being discussed. The joint sitting has been exercised three times in Indian parliamentary history, emphasizing its significance in breaking legislative deadlocks....

FAQs on Joint Sitting of Both Houses of Parliament

1. What is the Joint name given to both houses of Indian Parliament?...