Parliament stays unprorogued for a record 88 days after monsoon session

Parliament’s monsoon session has gone 88 days without being formally closed, a record, The Hindu reported on 9 November. Both Houses were adjourned indefinitely on 13 August, but neither has been prorogued.

The previous record was 87 days, in 2008. Other long gaps came in 1987 (76 days), 1989 (54 days), 2006 and 2013 (49 days each) and 1963 (41 days).

Why it matters

Proroguing formally ends a session. While a session stays open, the government can call the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha back for an extra sitting at two days’ notice. A new session needs at least 14 days’ notice.

That has kept alive talk that Parliament could be called at short notice to take up a constitutional amendment linked to women’s reservation. The amendment would allow the Lok Sabha to grow from 543 seats to as many as 850 after the redrawing of constituencies. A similar Constitution Amendment Bill failed to win the votes it needed in the Lok Sabha at a special sitting on 17 April, during the Budget session. Constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.

Is it allowed?

Yes. The Constitution sets no deadline for proroguing a House after it has been adjourned indefinitely. A long gap is not, on its own, improper.

There is a precedent for using an open session. In 2008, the Lok Sabha met on 21 and 22 July for a no-confidence motion against the government of the time. It was then left open, met again on 17 October, and was adjourned on 24 October to meet again on 10 December.

The government has not said when, or whether, it will recall the Houses before the winter session.