Session of Parliament

Polity & Governance glossary

Also called: Article 85 · Topic: Parliamentary Procedure, Committees and Privileges · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 6 "The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Legislature"

Meaning

A session is the period from a House's first sitting until the President prorogues (closes) it. A sitting is a single day's meeting of about six hours. Under Article 85(1), the President summons each House, and the gap between two sessions cannot be more than six months. This means Parliament must meet at least twice a year. India usually has three sessions a year:

  • the budget session (February to April or May);
  • the monsoon session (July to August or September);
  • the winter session (November to December).

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs chooses the dates. There is no fixed calendar.

Example

In September 2023, a special session moved Parliament to the new building and passed the 106th Amendment.

Don't confuse with

  • Sitting: one day's meeting. A session is made up of many sittings.

Related concepts

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