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Q37 (IAS/2015) Polity & Governance › Parliament › Joint sitting Parliament Official Key

When a bill is referred to a joint sitting of both the Houses of the Parliament, it has to be passed by

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

If the bill in dispute is passed by a majority of the total number of members of both the Houses present and voting in the joint sitting, the bill is deemed to have been passed by both the Houses.[1] This means that a simple majority of members present and voting is sufficient to pass a bill in a joint sitting.

All matters at any sitting of either House or joint sitting of both the Houses are decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting, excluding the presiding officer.[2] Article 100 of the Constitution states that except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all questions at any sitting of either House or joint sitting of the Houses shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting.[3]

Therefore, unlike special majorities required for constitutional amendments or certain specific matters, bills at joint sittings require only a simple majority—more than 50% of those present and voting—making option A the correct answer.

Sources
  1. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > JOINT SITTING OF TWO HOUSES > p. 250
  2. [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > Voting in House > p. 237
  3. [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > III Simple Majority > p. 239
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Q. When a bill is referred to a joint sitting of both the Houses of the Parliament, it has to be passed by [A] a simple majority of members…
At a glance
Origin: From standard books Fairness: High fairness Books / CA: 10/10 · 0/10

This is a 'Sitter' category question. It is a direct lift from standard Polity texts (Laxmikanth/NCERT). Missing this indicates a gap in core static preparation, not a lack of advanced knowledge. It requires zero current affairs linkage.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
What majority is required to pass a bill at a joint sitting of both Houses of the Parliament of India?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > JOINT SITTING OF TWO HOUSES > p. 250
Presence: 5/5
“If the Deputy Speaker is also absent from a joint sitting, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha presides. If he/ she is also absent, such other person as may be determined by the members present at the joint sitting, presides over the meeting. The quorum to constitute a joint sitting is one-tenth of the total number of members of the two Houses. The joint sitting is governed by the Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha and not of Rajya Sabha . If the bill in dispute is passed by a majority of the total number of members of both the Houses present and voting in the joint sitting, the bill is deemed to have been passed by both the Houses.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the bill is deemed passed if approved by a majority of the total number of members of both Houses present and voting at the joint sitting.
  • Directly refers to the joint sitting context and the required majority rule for resolving disputes between Houses.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > Voting in House > p. 237
Presence: 4/5
“All matters at any sitting of either House or joint sitting of both the Houses are decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting, excluding the presiding officer. Only a few matters, which are specifically mentioned in the Constitution, require either effective majority or special majority, not simple majority. The presiding officer of a House does not vote in the first instance, but exercises a casting vote in the case of a tie. The proceedings of a House are to be valid irrespective of any unauthorized voting or participation or any vacancy in its membership. The following points can be noted with respect to the voting procedure in the Lok Sabha. • 1.”
Why this source?
  • Gives the general voting rule that matters at any sitting (including joint sittings) are decided by a majority of votes of members present and voting.
  • Clarifies that the presiding officer is excluded from the initial vote, reinforcing the 'present and voting' formulation.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > III Simple Majority > p. 239
Presence: 5/5
“Article 100 of the Constitution states that except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, all questions at any sitting of either House or joint sitting of the Houses shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting. • (a) Passing of the ordinary bills, money bills and financial bills. • (b) Passing of the Adjournment Motion, No- Confidence Motion, Confidence Motion, Censure Motion and Motion of Thanks. • (c) Removal of the Vice-President in the Lok Sabha (Article 67). • (d) Approval of the imposition of the President's Rule (Article 356). • (e) Approval of the proclamation of financial emergency (Article 360). • (f) Election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Article 93).”
Why this source?
  • Cites Article 100: questions at any sitting of either House or joint sitting are determined by majority of votes of members present and voting.
  • Specifically lists passage of ordinary bills under this simple-majority rule, linking constitutional text to practice.
Pattern takeaway: UPSC consistently tests the 'Numbers' and 'Exceptions' in Parliamentary procedure. The trap is usually confusing 'Total Membership' with 'Present and Voting'. Whenever you read a procedural rule, ask: 'Which majority?' and 'Who is excluded?'
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Absolute Sitter. Direct hit from Laxmikanth, Chapter 23 (Parliament), section 'Joint Sitting of Two Houses'.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Legislative Procedure > Resolution of Deadlocks (Article 108).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the Joint Sitting ecosystem: 1) Presiding Officer hierarchy (Speaker → Dy Speaker → Dy Chairman of RS → Member decided by sitting); 2) Chairman of RS *never* presides; 3) Rules of Procedure of Lok Sabha apply; 4) Exceptions: Money Bills and Constitutional Amendment Bills cannot undergo Joint Sitting.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not just read 'Majority'. Create a 'Majority Matrix': Map every type (Simple, Absolute, Effective, Special Types 1-4) to its specific use-cases (e.g., Removal of VP = Effective Majority; Impeachment of President = 2/3rd of Total Strength).
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Simple majority = majority of members present and voting
💡 The insight

The required majority at a joint sitting is framed as a simple majority of members present and voting (Article 100 and procedural texts).

High-yield for UPSC: distinguishes simple majority from other majorities (effective, special). Frequently tested in questions on bill passage, confidence motions, and types of majorities. Master by memorizing definitions, linked articles, and examples (ordinary vs special cases).

📚 Reading List :
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > Voting in House > p. 237
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > III Simple Majority > p. 239
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > JOINT SITTING OF TWO HOUSES > p. 250
🔗 Anchor: "What majority is required to pass a bill at a joint sitting of both Houses of th..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Quorum for a joint sitting: one-tenth of total membership
💡 The insight

Quorum affects whether a joint sitting can validly proceed and thus whether the majority rule can operate.

Important procedural detail often asked in polity papers and prelims; connects to legislative procedure and safeguards. Learn exact fraction and where it applies (joint sittings of both Houses).

📚 Reading List :
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > JOINT SITTING OF TWO HOUSES > p. 250
🔗 Anchor: "What majority is required to pass a bill at a joint sitting of both Houses of th..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Exception — Constitutional Amendment Bills are not subject to joint sittings
💡 The insight

Clarifies the limit of the joint-sitting majority rule: constitutional amendments must be passed separately by each House under Article 368.

Crucial distinction for UPSC as it links Articles 108 and 368; helps answer questions on amendment procedure, limits of parliamentary process, and historical examples. Prepare by contrasting ordinary legislation vs amendment procedure with article references.

📚 Reading List :
  • Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 12: The Union Legislature > INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA CHAP. 12 > p. 257
  • Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: CONSTITUTION AS A LIVING DOCUMENT > Special Majority > p. 202
🔗 Anchor: "What majority is required to pass a bill at a joint sitting of both Houses of th..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

While you know the Speaker presides, the 'Shadow Fact' is the exclusion: The Vice-President (Chairman of Rajya Sabha) *cannot* preside over a Joint Sitting because he is not a member of either House. This is a potential trap statement for future prelims.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Apply 'Functional Logic': The purpose of a Joint Sitting is to *break* a deadlock and pass a bill that is stuck. Demanding a higher threshold like 2/3rd or 3/4th (Options B and C) would make passing the bill *harder*, defeating the purpose of the sitting. The path of least resistance (Simple Majority) is the logical mechanism to resolve a stalemate.

🔗 Mains Connection

Mains GS-2 (Parliamentary Functioning): Frequent use of Joint Sittings (e.g., POTA, Dowry Prohibition) can be critiqued as bypassing the Rajya Sabha's federal check, undermining bicameralism to push majoritarian legislation.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

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A Joint Sitting of the Parliament is resorted to, for resolving the deadlock between two Houses of the Parliament for passing which of the following Bills? 1. Money Bill 2. Constitutional Amendment Bill 3. Ordinary Bill Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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