Guwahati: Parliament’s Monsoon session has remained unprorogued for 88 days since both Houses were adjourned indefinitely on August 13, surpassing the previous record of 87 days set in 2008.

As of Monday morning, neither the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha had been formally prorogued. This leaves open the possibility of the existing session being reconvened at short notice.

The government’s decision to keep the session open has triggered speculation about a possible special sitting to consider a proposed constitutional amendment linked to the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

The proposed amendment seeks to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from the existing 543 seats to a maximum of 850 through delimitation.

An extended sitting within an existing parliamentary session can be convened with at least two days’ notice. However, calling a fresh session requires a minimum notice period of 14 days.

Possible special sitting of Parliament

The possibility of reconvening Parliament has gained significance following the failure of a similar Constitution Amendment Bill to secure the required support in the Lok Sabha during a special sitting of the Budget session on April 17.

The continued unprorogued status of the Monsoon session could provide the government with an opportunity to convene the Houses without following the longer notice period required for a fresh session.

However, the Constitution does not prescribe a specific timeframe within which a House must be prorogued after being adjourned sine die, or indefinitely.

Therefore, keeping a parliamentary session unprorogued for an extended period does not, by itself, amount to any constitutional or procedural irregularity.

Previous record set in 2008

Before the current 88-day period, Parliament’s longest unprorogued interval was 87 days in 2008.

Other extended periods included 76 days in 1987, 54 days in 1989, 49 days each in 2006 and 2013, and 41 days in 1963.

In 2008, the Lok Sabha reconvened on July 21 and 22 to discuss a no-confidence motion against the then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

The session was subsequently kept unprorogued, with the House meeting again on October 17. It was adjourned on October 24 and scheduled to reconvene on December 10.

The current 88-day interval has now exceeded that record, marking the longest period Parliament has remained unprorogued after an indefinite adjournment.