Quorum
Also called: Article 100(3) · Topic: Parliamentary Procedure, Committees and Privileges · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 6 "Democracy"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Legislature"
Meaning
Quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present before a House can do business. Under Article 100(3), it is one-tenth of the total members of the House, and the presiding officer counts towards it. If there is no quorum, the presiding officer must adjourn or suspend the sitting until enough members arrive (Article 100(4)). Quorum makes sure that a handful of members cannot make decisions for the whole House.
Example
The Lok Sabha has 543 members, so about 55 must be present for it to work. The Class 11 textbook lists "absence of quorum" as one of Parliament's problems.
Don't confuse with
- Majority: quorum only decides whether the House can sit. A majority of the members voting is what decides the outcome of a vote.
Related concepts
- Session of Parliament
- Summoning of Parliament
- President's special address
- Adjournment
- Adjournment sine die
- Prorogation
- Dissolution of the Lok Sabha
- Lame-duck session
- Lapse of bills