Parliamentary Procedures: Joint Sitting Of Two Houses

  • What is it?: Joint sitting is extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill.
  • Conditions for Deadlock
    • If the bill is rejected by the other House.
    • If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in the bill.
    • 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.
  • Applicability
    • The provision of joint sitting is applicable to ordinary bills or financial bills only and not to money bills or Constitutional amendment bills.
  • Speakers Role
    • The Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over a joint sitting of the two Houses and the Deputy Speaker, in his absence.
    • If both are absent, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha presides.
  • Quorum
    • The quorum to constitute a joint sitting is one-tenth of the total number of members of the two Houses.
  • Bills Passed till now through joint sitting
    • Dowry Prohibition Bill, 1960.
    • Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill, 1977.
    • Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2002.

 

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