Article 108 is related to what?

Question

Vedantu Content Team · Accepted Answer

Answer: The joint sitting of the Parliament is called by the President (Article 108)

Explanation:

Article 108 of the Indian Constitution is a crucial provision that deals with the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. This article empowers the President of India to summon a joint session when there is a deadlock between the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on any bill, except for money bills and constitutional amendment bills.

The need for a joint sitting arises in specific situations. When a bill is passed by one House and is rejected by the other House, or when more than six months have elapsed since the receiving House got the bill without passing it, or when a bill is passed by both Houses with amendments that are unacceptable to the other House, the President can call for a joint session to resolve the impasse.

In a joint sitting, both Houses sit together in the same chamber, usually the Lok Sabha chamber due to its larger size. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over the joint session, and in their absence, the Deputy Speaker takes charge. The joint sitting is conducted following the rules and procedures of the Lok Sabha since it has more members and represents the will of the people directly.

The decision in a joint sitting is taken by a simple majority of the total number of members present and voting from both Houses combined. Since the Lok Sabha has 543 members compared to the Rajya Sabha's 245 members, the Lok Sabha's opinion generally prevails in joint sittings. This mechanism ensures that the will of the directly elected representatives of the people ultimately takes precedence.

Historically, joint sittings have been rare in India. Only three joint sessions have been held since independence - for the Dowry Prohibition Act in 1961, the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Act in 1978, and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in 2002. This rarity shows that most legislative disagreements are resolved through discussions and negotiations between the two Houses without requiring presidential intervention.