PPT: Joint Sitting of Two Houses | Indian Polity for UPSC CSE PDF Download

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JOINT MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
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JOINT MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
Joint Sitting of Two Houses 
ARTICLE 108
? Joint sitting is an extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution 
to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill. A 
deadlock is deemed to have taken place under any one of the following 
three situations after a bill has been passed by one House and transmitted 
to the other House:
1. If the bill is rejected by the other House;
2. If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in 
the bill; or 
3. If more than six months have elapsed from the date of the receipt of the 
bill by the other House without the bill being passed by it.
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JOINT MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
Joint Sitting of Two Houses 
ARTICLE 108
? Joint sitting is an extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution 
to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill. A 
deadlock is deemed to have taken place under any one of the following 
three situations after a bill has been passed by one House and transmitted 
to the other House:
1. If the bill is rejected by the other House;
2. If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in 
the bill; or 
3. If more than six months have elapsed from the date of the receipt of the 
bill by the other House without the bill being passed by it.
Joint Sitting of Two Houses
? In these three situations, the President can summon both the 
Houses to meet in a joint sitting for the purpose of deliberating 
and voting on the bill. 
It must be noted here that the provision of joint sitting is 
applicable to ordinary bills or financial bills only and not to money 
bills or Constitutional amendment bills. 
In the case of a money bill, the Lok Sabha has overriding powers, 
while a Constitutional amendment bill must be passed by each 
House separately.
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JOINT MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
Joint Sitting of Two Houses 
ARTICLE 108
? Joint sitting is an extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution 
to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill. A 
deadlock is deemed to have taken place under any one of the following 
three situations after a bill has been passed by one House and transmitted 
to the other House:
1. If the bill is rejected by the other House;
2. If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in 
the bill; or 
3. If more than six months have elapsed from the date of the receipt of the 
bill by the other House without the bill being passed by it.
Joint Sitting of Two Houses
? In these three situations, the President can summon both the 
Houses to meet in a joint sitting for the purpose of deliberating 
and voting on the bill. 
It must be noted here that the provision of joint sitting is 
applicable to ordinary bills or financial bills only and not to money 
bills or Constitutional amendment bills. 
In the case of a money bill, the Lok Sabha has overriding powers, 
while a Constitutional amendment bill must be passed by each 
House separately.
Joint Sitting of Two Houses
• In reckoning the period of six months, no account can be taken of any 
period during which the other House (to which the bill has been sent) is 
prorogued or adjourned for more than four consecutive days.
• If the bill (under dispute) has already lapsed due to the dissolution of the 
Lok Sabha, no joint sitting can be summoned. 
• But, the joint sitting can be held if the Lok Sabha is dissolved after the 
President has notified his intention to summon such a sitting (as the bill 
does not lapse in this case). 
• After the President notifies his intention to summon a joint sitting of the 
two Houses, none of the Houses can proceed further with the bill.
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JOINT MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
Joint Sitting of Two Houses 
ARTICLE 108
? Joint sitting is an extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution 
to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill. A 
deadlock is deemed to have taken place under any one of the following 
three situations after a bill has been passed by one House and transmitted 
to the other House:
1. If the bill is rejected by the other House;
2. If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in 
the bill; or 
3. If more than six months have elapsed from the date of the receipt of the 
bill by the other House without the bill being passed by it.
Joint Sitting of Two Houses
? In these three situations, the President can summon both the 
Houses to meet in a joint sitting for the purpose of deliberating 
and voting on the bill. 
It must be noted here that the provision of joint sitting is 
applicable to ordinary bills or financial bills only and not to money 
bills or Constitutional amendment bills. 
In the case of a money bill, the Lok Sabha has overriding powers, 
while a Constitutional amendment bill must be passed by each 
House separately.
Joint Sitting of Two Houses
• In reckoning the period of six months, no account can be taken of any 
period during which the other House (to which the bill has been sent) is 
prorogued or adjourned for more than four consecutive days.
• If the bill (under dispute) has already lapsed due to the dissolution of the 
Lok Sabha, no joint sitting can be summoned. 
• But, the joint sitting can be held if the Lok Sabha is dissolved after the 
President has notified his intention to summon such a sitting (as the bill 
does not lapse in this case). 
• After the President notifies his intention to summon a joint sitting of the 
two Houses, none of the Houses can proceed further with the bill.
Joint Sitting of Two Houses
• The Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over a joint sitting of 
the two Houses and the Deputy Speaker, in his absence. 
• If the Deputy Speaker is also absent from a joint sitting, 
the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha presides.
• If Deputy Chairman is also absent, such other person as 
may be determined by the members present at the joint 
sitting, presides over the meeting. 
• It is clear that the Chairman of Rajya Sabha does not 
preside over a joint sitting as he is not a member of either 
House of Parliament.