Adjournment Sine Die

Why in news?

• The Lok Sabha was ‘Adjourned Sine Die’ two days ahead of its scheduled date of August 13, as the opposition protested over the Pegasus snooping controversy, farm laws and other issues.

About Adjourned Sine Die:

• A sitting of Parliament can be terminated by adjournment or adjournment sine die or prorogation or dissolution (in the case of the Lok Sabha).
• An adjournment suspends the work in a sitting for a specified time, which may be hours, days or weeks.
• ‘Adjournment sine die’ means terminating a sitting of Parliament for an indefinite period.
• When the House is adjourned without naming a day for reassembly, it is called adjournment sine die.
• The power of adjournment as well as adjournment sine die lies with the presiding officer of the House.
• However presiding officer can also call a sitting of the House at any time after the House has been adjourned sine die.

About Prorogation

• The presiding officer (Speaker or Chairman) declares the House adjourned sine die, when the business of a session is completed.
• Within the next few days, the President issues a notification for prorogation of the session.
• However, the President can also prorogue the House while in session.

Dissolution

• Rajya Sabha, being a permanent House, is not subject to dissolution. Only the Lok Sabha is subject to dissolution.
• Unlike a prorogation, a dissolution ends the very life of the existing House, and a new House is constituted after general elections are held.
• The dissolution of the Lok Sabha may take place in either of two ways:
  • Automatic dissolution, that is, on the expiry of its tenure of five years or the terms as extended during a national emergency
  • Whenever the President decides to dissolve the House, which he is authorised to do. Once the Lok Sabha is dissolved before the completion of its normal tenure, the dissolution is irrevocable.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statement:

1. The power to adjourn the Lok Sabha lies with the presiding officer of the House

2. Rajya Sabha, being a permanent House, is not subject to dissolution

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer