Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to the ‘Motion of Thanks’ on the President’s address delivered on January 31, 2024 the first day of the budget session in the Parliament.
- 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 together 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 has to 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 happended in 1977, when during the dissolution of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha had its session on 28 February 1977 without the President’s Address.
