Q. Consider the following statements:
1. The President of India can summon a session of the Parliament at such a place as he/she thinks fit.
2.The Constitution of India provides for three sessions of the Parliament in a year, but it is not mandatory to conduct all three sessions.
3.There is no minimum number of days that the Parliament is required to meet in a year.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Correct Answer : c) 1 and 3 only
Question from UPSC Prelims 2020 GS Paper
Explanation:
President’s Power to Summon Parliament
According to Article 85(1) of the Indian Constitution, the President has the authority to summon each House of Parliament to meet at such time and place as he/she deems fit. However, there must not be a gap of more than six months between the last sitting of the Parliament in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session. This ensures that Parliament meets at least twice a year, though the exact timing and location are at the President’s discretion. Therefore, statement 1 is correct.
Number of Sessions in a Year
The Constitution does not explicitly mandate the number of sessions Parliament must have in a year. The practice of having three sessions (Budget, Monsoon, and Winter) is based on convention rather than a constitutional requirement. Therefore, the statement that the Constitution provides for three sessions but it’s not mandatory to conduct all three is incorrect because the Constitution itself does not specify the number of sessions. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
Minimum Number of Meeting Days
The Constitution does not prescribe a minimum number of days for which Parliament must meet in a year. The actual number of days Parliament meets can vary significantly from year to year. Over the years, there has been a decline in the number of days Parliament is in session, with recommendations from various committees suggesting that it should meet for at least 120 days a year. However, these recommendations have not been codified into law, and as such, there is no constitutional or statutory minimum. Therefore, statement 3 is correct.
