Parliament Monsoon Session: Both the House of Parliament adjourned Sine Die on 9th of August 2022, four days ahead of the schedule.

Key Points:

• The Monsoon Session of Parliament, which commenced on the 18th of last month, was scheduled to end on the 12th of this month.
• This was the seventh time when parliament was adjourned ahead of its due date.

Rajya Sabha Session:

• Rajya Sabha sessions was chaired by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.
• In the Rajya Sabha, the House conducted business for 38 hours while it lost 47 hours due to disruptions during the session.
• Question Hour could not be taken up on seven days.
• Only five Bills were considered and passed.

The Rajya Sabha passed the following Bills: -

1. Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022,
2. Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022,
3. National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021,
4. Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and
5. Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

Lok Sabha Session:

• Lok Sabha sessions was chaired by Speaker Om Birla.
• 16 sittings were held and the House conducted business for more than 44 hours. 
• In the Lok Sabha, six bills were introduced and seven bills were passed during the session.

The Lok Sabha passed the

1. Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022,
2. Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022,
3. National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021, the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021,
4. Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2022,
5. Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and
6. New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022

• The House also held two short-duration discussions on the price rise and steps to promote sports in the country.

What was reason for the Parliament being adjourned sine die?

• No clear reason has been stated for the sine die adjournment of the Monsoon Session 2022.
• However, it comes in the backdrop of multiple disruptions including the 50-hour dharna against price rise, over 24 MPs suspended from the Parliament, and Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations on key leaders.
• This also comes soon after the ‘Rashtrapatni’ remark row, when Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called newly-elected President Droupadi Murmu the Rashtrapatni of the nation.

What is A Session of Indian Parliament?

• A session of the Indian Parliament is the time period during which a House meets almost every day continuously to transact business.
• There are usually three sessions in a year.

They are

1. Budget Session (February to May);
2. Monsoon Session (July to September); and
3. Winter Session (November to December).
4. A session contains many meetings.

Each meeting has two sittings –

1. Morning sitting from 11 am to 1 pm and
2. Post-lunch sitting from 2 pm to 6 pm.

A sitting of Parliament can be terminated by adjournment, adjournment sine die, prorogation or dissolution.

What is sine die adjournment of Parliament?

• Adjournment sine die in Latin means “without day” which means “without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing”.
• To adjourn an assembly sine die is terminating a sitting of Parliament for an indefinite period.
• In other words, when a legislative body adjourns without setting a date for its next appearance or meeting, it is called adjournment sine die.
• The power of adjournment sine die lies with the presiding officer of the House.

Note: The presiding officer of a House can call a sitting of the House before the date or time to which it has been adjourned or at any time after the House has been adjourned sine die.

Other terms related to the sessions of Parliament:

Adjournment – terminates a sitting.

Prorogation – terminates a session.

Dissolution – terminates the life of a House.