SUMMONING OF PARLIAMENT

Subject: Polity

Context: In response to a letter from the Congress leader in Lok Sabha seeking a short session of Parliament to discuss the new farm laws, Parliamentary Affairs Minister has said that some opposition parties “have expressed concerns about the ongoing pandemic and opined of doing away with winter session”.

Concept :

• The power to convene a session of Parliament rests with the government. The decision is taken by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which currently comprises nine ministers, including those for Defence, Home, Finance, and Law.
• The decision of the Committee is formalised by the President, in whose name MPs are summoned to meet for a session.
• Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs:
• This committee draws the schedule for Parliament sessions and monitors the progress of government business in Parliament. It scrutinizes non-government business and decides which official Bills and resolutions are to be presented.
• Summoning of Parliament
• The summoning of Parliament is specified in Article 85 of the Constitution.
• Like many other articles, it is based on a provision of The Government of India Act, 1935.
• Summoning is the process of calling all members of the Parliament to meet.
• The President summons each House of the Parliament from time to time.
• The gap between two sessions of the Parliament cannot exceed 6 months, which means the Parliament meets at least two times in one year.
• However, the constitution does not prevent the legislature from being summoned more often than what has been provided.