Adjournment Sine Die

Adjournment Sine Die

Subject: Polity

Context: Recently, the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned sine die

Concept:

• The phenomenon of Adjournment Sine Die means terminating a sitting of Parliament for an indefinite period.
• It implies that when the House is adjourned without naming a day for reassembly, it is called adjournment sine die.
• The power of adjournment as well as adjournment sine die lies with the presiding officer of the House.
• The presiding officer can also call a sitting of the House before the date or time to which it has been adjourned or at any time after the House has been adjourned sine die.
• The presiding officer (Speaker or Chairman) declares the House adjourned sine die, when the business of a session is completed.

Adjournment

• t is introduced in the Parliament to draw attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance, and needs the support of 50 members to be admitted.
• As it interrupts the normal business of the House, it is regarded as an extraordinary device. It involves an element of censure against the government and hence Rajya Sabha is not permitted to make use of this
• The discussion on an adjournment motion should last for not less than two hours and thirty minutes.
• The right to move a motion for an adjournment of the business of the House is subject to the following restrictions:

1. It should raise a matter which is definite, factual, urgent and of public importance;
2. It should not cover more than one matter;
3. It should be restricted to a specific matter of recent occurrence and should not be framed in general terms;
4. It should not raise a question of privilege;
5. It should not revive discussion on a matter that has been discussed in the same session;
6. It should not deal with any matter that is under adjudication by court; and
7. It should not raise any question that can be raised on a distinct motion.