Topic 03 of 6 · Chapter 08 · Indian Polity
Sessions, Quorum & Parliamentary Procedures
Budget, Monsoon and Winter sessions; Question Hour, Zero Hour, motions, and key procedural concepts for Parliament.
📋 In This Article
1. Parliamentary Sessions
Parliament meets in three sessions each year. The President summons each House of Parliament (Art 85). The gap between two sessions cannot exceed 6 months.
| Session | Period | Key Business |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Session | February – May (longest session) | Union Budget, Finance Bill, Demands for Grants, Annual Financial Statement |
| Monsoon Session | July – August | General legislative business, discussion on important issues |
| Winter Session | November – December | Legislative business, private member bills, important resolutions |
⭐ Exam Tip: The Budget Session is the longest session of Parliament. The Constitution does not mention the names of sessions — these are conventions. The President summons Parliament; the gap between two sessions must not exceed 6 months (Art 85).
Summoning, Prorogation & Dissolution (Art 85)
- Summoning: President summons each House to meet — done on advice of PM/Cabinet
- Prorogation: President prorogues Parliament — terminates a session; bills pending do not lapse (except those in Lok Sabha)
- Adjournment: Presiding officer (Speaker/Chairman) adjourns the House — suspends work for a specified time
- Dissolution: Only Lok Sabha can be dissolved (by President on advice of PM); Rajya Sabha is never dissolved
2. Quorum
Quorum is the minimum number of members required to be present for the House to transact business (Art 100).
💡 Key Concept: Quorum = 1/10th of the total membership of each House. For Lok Sabha (543 members): quorum = 55 members. For Rajya Sabha (245 members): quorum = 25 members. If quorum is not present, the presiding officer adjourns the House.
3. Question Hour & Zero Hour
Question Hour
The first hour of every parliamentary sitting is called Question Hour. Members ask questions to ministers about government policies and administration.
| Type of Question | Description |
|---|---|
| Starred Question (★) | Requires oral answer; supplementary questions can be asked; printed in green |
| Unstarred Question | Requires written answer; no supplementary questions; printed in white |
| Short Notice Question | Asked with less than 10 days notice; on urgent public importance |
| Question to Private Member | Addressed to a private member (not a minister) on a bill introduced by that member |
Zero Hour
Zero Hour starts at 12 noon (immediately after Question Hour). It is not mentioned in the Rules of Procedure — it is an informal device. Members can raise matters of urgent public importance without prior notice.
✅ Remember: Question Hour = first hour of sitting (formal, in Rules). Zero Hour = 12 noon onwards (informal, not in Rules). Zero Hour is an Indian innovation — not found in British Parliament.
4. Parliamentary Motions
No-Confidence Motion
- Can be moved only in Lok Sabha
- Requires support of at least 50 members to be admitted
- If passed by simple majority, the Council of Ministers must resign
- No time limit for discussion
Censure Motion
- Can be moved against an individual minister or a group of ministers
- Can be moved in both Houses
- If passed, it is a strong expression of disapproval but does not require resignation
- Difference from No-Confidence: Censure is against specific ministers; No-Confidence is against the entire government
Adjournment Motion
- Moved to draw attention to a definite matter of urgent public importance
- Can be moved only in Lok Sabha (not Rajya Sabha)
- Requires support of at least 50 members
- Involves an element of censure against the government
- Admitted at the discretion of the Speaker
Cut Motions
Cut motions are moved to reduce the amount of a demand for grant. Three types:
| Type | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Disapproval of Policy Cut | Disapproves the policy underlying the demand | Reduce demand to ₹1 |
| Economy Cut | Suggests economy in expenditure | Reduce by a specified amount |
| Token Cut | Ventilates a specific grievance | Reduce by ₹100 |
Calling Attention Motion
- A member calls the attention of a minister to a matter of urgent public importance
- The minister makes a statement; the member may ask a clarificatory question
- An Indian innovation — not found in British Parliament
📌 Note: Adjournment Motion can only be moved in Lok Sabha. Calling Attention Motion can be moved in both Houses. No-Confidence Motion only in Lok Sabha. Censure Motion in both Houses.
5. Adjournment & Prorogation
| Term | Who Does It | Effect on Bills |
|---|---|---|
| Adjournment | Presiding Officer (Speaker/Chairman) | No effect on pending bills |
| Adjournment sine die | Presiding Officer | Terminates sitting indefinitely; no effect on bills |
| Prorogation | President | Terminates session; bills in Rajya Sabha don’t lapse; bills in Lok Sabha lapse |
| Dissolution | President (on PM’s advice) | All pending bills in Lok Sabha lapse; bills in RS don’t lapse |
6. Whip & Party Discipline
A Whip is an official of a political party in Parliament who is responsible for ensuring party discipline and attendance during voting. Whips issue directions to party members on how to vote.
- Three-line Whip: Most stringent — members must vote as directed; violation can lead to disqualification under Anti-Defection Law
- Two-line Whip: Members should be present but may vote as they wish
- One-line Whip: Informational — members may be absent with permission
⭐ Exam Tip: Voting against a three-line Whip (party whip) is a ground for disqualification under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law). This is a very important connection between parliamentary procedure and the Anti-Defection Law.
7. Key Points for Exam
🔑 Must-Remember Facts
- Three sessions: Budget (Feb-May), Monsoon (Jul-Aug), Winter (Nov-Dec)
- Gap between two sessions cannot exceed 6 months (Art 85)
- Quorum = 1/10th of total membership (Art 100)
- Question Hour = first hour of every sitting
- Zero Hour = 12 noon (informal, not in Rules of Procedure)
- Starred Question = oral answer; Unstarred = written answer
- No-Confidence Motion — only in Lok Sabha; needs 50 members to admit
- Adjournment Motion — only in Lok Sabha; needs 50 members
- Censure Motion — in both Houses; against specific minister(s)
- Cut Motions: Disapproval (₹1), Economy (specified amount), Token (₹100)
- Prorogation by President; Adjournment by Presiding Officer
- Zero Hour is an Indian innovation — not in British Parliament
- Calling Attention Motion — also an Indian innovation
- Three-line Whip violation = ground for disqualification under 10th Schedule