How many times does the President convene the sessions of Parliament in a year? What are the names of the sessions? (Gather this information through books on Indian Constitution, or through Internet, or by consulting your teachers, classmates and friends.)
Answers
Answer:
Article 87(1) of the Constitution provides:- "At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons."
In the case of the first session after each general election to Lok Sabha, the President addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together after the Members have made and subscribed the oath or affirmation and the Speaker has been elected. It takes generally two days to complete these preliminaries. No other business is transacted till the President has addressed both Houses of Parliament assembled together and informed Parliament of the causes of its summons. In the case of the first session of each year, the President addresses both Houses of Parliament at the time and date notified for the commencement of the session of both the Houses of Parliament. Half-an-hour after the conclusion of the Address, both the Houses meet separately in their respective Chambers when a copy of the President's Address is laid on the Table and brought on the record of each House.
No separate summons for the President's Address are issued to members. They are informed of the date, time and place fixed for the President's Address through a Parliamentary Bulletin. At the time fixed for the President's Address, Members of both Houses of Parliament assemble together in the Central Hall of the Parliament House where the President delivers his Address. New members who have not already made and subscribed the oath or affirmation are admitted to the Central Hall on the occasion of the President's Address on production of either the certificate of election granted to them by the Returning Officer or the summons for the session issued to them. In the Central Hall, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha and Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha are allotted seats in the first row. Other Ministers are also allotted a block of seats. The Leaders of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and in Rajya Sabha are allotted seats in the first row. Leaders of other Parties/Groups in both the Houses are also allotted suitable seats. Members of Panel of Chairmen and Chairmen of Parliamentary Committees are allotted seats in the second row. The Members are free to occupy other seats which are not allotted/earmarked.
The President's Address to both the Houses of Parliament assembled together is a solemn and formal act under the Constitution. Utmost dignity and decorum befitting the occasion are maintained. Any action on the part of a Member which mars the occasion or creates disturbance is punishable by the House to which that Member belongs. Members are expected to take their seats five minutes before the President arrives in the Central Hall.
The visitors, who are issued passes for this occasion, are also requested to be in their seats half-an-hour before the time fixed for the President's Address. It is a convention that no Member leaves the Central Hall while the President is addressing. The President arrives at the Parliament House (North West portico) in the State Coach or in the car and is received at the Gate by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, Lok Sabha, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Secretaries-General of the two Houses. The President is conducted to the Central Hall in a procession. On the passage from the Gate to the Central Hall from where the procession passes, red baize cloth is spread.
Just when the procession enters the gangway of the Central Hall, the Marshal who has taken his position at the dais, announces the arrival of the President by saying [Hon'ble Members, Hon'ble the President] Almost simultaneously two trumpeters positioned in the Gallery above the dais sound the fanfare till the President arrives at the dais. Thereupon, Members rise in their places and remain standing until the President has taken his seat on the dais.