• The Budget Session of Parliament begins on January 31.

• The Session will commence with the maiden address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. The address essentially highlights the government’s achievements and policy priorities.

• The Economic Survey will be also tabled after the President’s address.

• The Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs brings out the Economic Survey annually, which is laid before both the Houses of Parliament one day before the presentation of the Union Budget.

• The Economic Survey provides a comprehensive overview of important developments in the economy in the past one year. It also analyses recent economic trends and provides an in-depth appraisal of policies. 

• Over the years, the Economic Survey has acquired the status of an authentic source and a useful compendium of the annual performance of the Indian economy.

• On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the last full-fledged Union Budget of the Modi government before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

• The Budget Session will have 27 sittings.

• The first part of the Session will conclude on February 14. Parliament will reconvene on March 12 for the second part of the Session and continue till April 6.

• During the first part of the Budget Session, the two Houses have a detailed discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address followed by a discussion on the Union Budget.

• While the Prime Minister will reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, the finance minister will reply to the debate on the Union Budget.

• During the second part of the Budget Session, the major focus is on the discussion on the demands for grants for various ministries apart from the government’s legislative agenda. 

• The Union Budget, a money bill, is passed during this part of the Session.

What are the Sessions of Parliament?

• A Session is the period of time between the meeting of a Parliament and its prorogation. During the course of a Session, either House may adjourn to such date as it pleases. 

Normally three Sessions are held in a year: 

(1) Budget Session -  January & February and March & April.

The Budget Session is divided into two parts. It has a break to enable department-related committees to consider and report on demands for grants of the various ministries.

(2) Monsoon Session - July, August and September.

(3) Winter Session -  November and December.

• The period between the prorogation of Parliament and its reassembly in a new Session is termed as a ‘recess’.

• ‘Adjournment’ is a short break of a few hours or days and then the House resumes its sitting. 

• If the adjournment is done without any time scale, it is known as ‘adjournment sine die’.

How is a Parliament Session convened?

• The Constitution provides that the President shall from time to time summon each House of Parliament to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit. There should not be a gap of more than six months between two Sessions of the Parliament. 

• The fixation of dates of summoning and prorogation of the two Houses of Parliament is one of the functions assigned to the ministry of parliamentary affairs under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules made by the President.

• After assessing the time likely to be required for transaction of government business and for discussion on topics of public interest as may be demanded from time to time by members of Parliament, the ministry of parliamentary affairs places a note before the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs for making a recommendation as to the date of the commencement of a Session of Parliament and its likely duration. 

• The recommendation, if approved by the Prime Minister, is submitted by the ministry to the President for approval of the commencement of a Session.

• The President summons the House exercising the powers conferred upon him by Article 85(1) of the Constitution.

• It states that: “The President shall from time to time summon each House of Parliament to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit, but six months shall not intervene between its last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session.”

• Following this, the Secretary-General issues a summons to each member of the House.

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