TERMINATION OF A SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

The sessions of Parliament are convened at the discretion of the President. However, there should not be a gap of more than 6 months between sessions.

1.     Prorogation

1.     Done by President on the advice of the Council of Ministers

2.     Brings the session of the House to an end

3.     Unlike England, Pending Bills and other business do not lapse, they are taken up when the House meets in the next session

2.     Adjournment

1.     Short recess within a session of Parliament

2.     Called by the Presiding Officer of the House

3.     Duration may be from a few minutes to a few days

3.     Adjournment Sine Die

1.     House is adjourned by the Presiding Officer without fixing a date for the next meeting

4.     Dissolution

1.     Dissolution ends the life of a House and a new House needs to be reconstituted

2.     Only the Lok Sabha can be dissolved, the Rajya Sabha is permanent

3.     Dissolution enacted by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister

4.     Any Bill pending in the Lok Sabha lapses

5.     Any Bill pending passed by the Lok Sabha and pending the Rajya Sabha also lapses, unless the President calls a Joint Sitting of the two Houses. However, Bills pending in the Rajya Sabha but not passed by the Lok Sabha do not lapse