Joint Session of Parliament

Recently, the President of India addressed the newly elected 18th Lok Sabha. 

Key Highlights

• Indian Parliament is bicameral (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). 
• Concurrence of both houses is required to pass any bill. 
• As per Article 108, the President of India calls the joint sitting of the Parliament, in the following case,

(i)  the other House rejects the Bill; or

(ii) The Houses disagree on the amendments made to the bill, or

(iii) More than six months elapsed with the bill being received by the other House without it being passed.

• The Joint Session is presided over by the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
• In the absence of the Speaker (Loksabha), by the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, or in their absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
• The quorum to constitute a joint sitting: one-tenth of the total members of the House.
• Money bills and constitutional amendment bills cannot be referred to as a joint sitting. 
• Types of Joint Session

(i) Presidential Address under Article 87- (At the start of the first session after a general election and at the start of the first session every year.)

(ii) Resolution of legislative deadlocks under Article 108.