Delay in Lok Sabha prorogation

Why in News?

Recently congress questioned why Lok Sabha had not yet been prorogued even 10 days after adjournment sine die.

• Issue – A Constitutional Amendment Bill relating to delimitation and women's reservation had earlier been defeated in the Lok Sabha.
• The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned sine die on August 13, 2026.
• The Lok Sabha had not yet been prorogued even 10 days later.
  • It has triggered debate over the constitutional process of prorogation.
• The time gap between the adjournment of the Lok Sabha sine die and its prorogation (formal end) is generally two to four days.
  • Although there are many instances when adjournment and prorogation have taken place on the very same day.
• It is true that the gap for the Monsoon session in 2015 was 28 days and in 2021 it was 20 days.

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 85 deals with the sessions, prorogation and dissolution of Parliament.
• Under Article 85(2), the President prorogues either House. The President normally acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
• The Prime Minister may consult the Cabinet before the advice is submitted to the President.
• Prorogation can occur even while the House is sitting, though normally it follows adjournment sine die.

The period between prorogation and reassembly in a new session is called the inter-session period.

• A Constitutional Amendment under Article 368 generally requires a special majority –
  • Majority of the total membership of the House; and
  • Two-thirds of members present and voting.
• The required special majority has not been achieved in the parliament.
• Congress demands –
  • Freezing the current 543 Lok Sabha seats for another 25 years.
  • Implementing 33% reservation for women from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
  • Maintaining the existing allocation of seats among States during the proposed freeze.

Reference

The Hindu| Delay in Lok Sabha prorogation