Question 4 from UPSC CSE 2020 - POLITY & GOVERNANC E

Question

Consider the following statements:
1. The President of India can summon a session of the Parliament at such 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?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. 1 and 3 only

Strategy: - Focus on identifying correct statements based on constitutional provisions.
- **Statement 1:** Correct. Article 85(1) authorizes the President to summon Parliament at any suitable time and place.
- **Statement 2:** Incorrect. The Constitution does not prescribe a fixed number of annual sessions; three are conventional but not constitutionally mandated.
- **Statement 3:** Correct. There is no explicit constitutional mention of a minimum number of sitting days per year.
- **Conclusion:** Select statements 1 and 3 as correct.

Key Info: ## Constitutional Provisions for Parliament Sessions
- Article 85 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to summon each House of Parliament to meet at a time and place considered appropriate.

### Sessions Frequency
- Conventionally, Parliament holds three annual sessions: Budget (Feb-May), Monsoon (July-August), and Winter (Nov-Dec).
- There is no constitutional obligation for a specific number of sessions.
- Article 85(1) mandates that the gap between two sessions must not exceed six months, effectively ensuring at least two sessions per year.

### Sitting Days
- The Constitution does not stipulate a minimum number of sitting days per year.
- The government determines the number of sitting days based on legislative needs, historically ranging from 60 to 100 days annually.

### Session Venues
- While sessions have traditionally been held in New Delhi, the constitutional language grants the President flexibility regarding the venue.
- No legal requirement exists for minimum sitting days or a specific count of sessions, provided the six-month interval is observed.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 2 and 3 only