Current Affair 1:

So, learn about President’s address:

Article 86(1) of the Constitution provides that the President may address either House of Parliament or both Houses assembled, and for that purpose require the attendance of members.

However, since the commencement of the Constitution, there has not been any occasion when the President has addressed either House or both Houses assembled, under the provision of this article.

Now,

Article 87 provides for the special address by the President.

Clause (1) of that article provides that at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.

Such an Address is called 'special address'; and it is also an annual feature. No other business is transacted till the President has addressed both Houses of Parliament assembled together.

This Address must be to both Houses of Parliament assembled together.

If at the time of commencement of the first session of the year, Lok Sabha is not in existence and has been dissolved, and Rajya Sabha has to meet, Rajya Sabha can have its session without the President's Address. This happened in 1977, when during the dissolution of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha had its session on 28 February 1977 without the President's Address.

In the case of the first session after each general election to Lok Sabha, the President addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together after the members have made and subscribed the oath or affirmation and the Speaker has been elected.

Discussion on the Address by Motion of Thanks

Clause (2) of article 87 of the Constitution requires that provision shall be made by the rules regulating the procedure of either House for the allotment of time for discussion of the matters referred to in the President's Address.

So, Houses have framed rules. For example, rules 14 to 21 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha make provisions for the discussion of the Address.

Under rule 15, discussion on the matters referred to in the President's Address takes place on a Motion of Thanks moved by a member and seconded by another member. Members who are to move and second the Motion are selected by the Prime Minister and the notice of such a motion is received through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

Finally,

A day has been allotted for discussion on the President's Address. The time allotted by the House for discussion on the Motion of Thanks is distributed amongst various parties and groups in proportion to their strength in the House.

At the end of the discussion, the Prime Minister replies to the debate. Thereafter, the amendments are disposed, and then the Motion of Thanks is put to vote in both the Houses. If any of the amendments is accepted then the Motion of Thanks is adopted in the amended form.

There have been only three instances so far, when the Motion of Thanks was adopted by Rajya Sabha with amendments. The Motion of Thanks with an amendment was adopted for the first time on 30 January 1980. On 29 December 1989, the Motion of Thanks was adopted with six amendments. Again, on 12 March 2001, the Motion of Thanks was adopted with an amendment.

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