With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following stat

With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements:

  • Prerogation of a House by the President of India does not require the advice of the Council of Ministers.
  • Prerogation of a House is generally done after the House is adjourned sine die but there is no bar to the President of India prorogating the House which is in session.
  • Dissolution of the Lok Sabha is done by the President of India who, save in exceptional circumstances, does so on the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1 only
1 and 2
2 and 3
3 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2024
Statement 1 is incorrect: The President exercises the power of prorogation (and summoning a session) on the advice of the Council of Ministers, specifically the Government’s recommendation conveyed by the Prime Minister. Statement 2 is correct: Prorogation brings a session of the House to an end. While it is usually done after the House has been adjourned sine die (indefinitely), the President has the power to prorogue the House even while it is in session. Statement 3 is correct: Dissolution of the Lok Sabha is done by the President. While the President typically acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers (especially after a government loses confidence or completes its term), there can be exceptional circumstances (like a hung Parliament where no viable government can be formed) where the President might exercise some discretion, though the primary convention is to act on advice.
– Prorogation is the termination of a Parliament session by the President.
– Dissolution is the termination of the life of the Lok Sabha, requiring fresh elections.
– Both powers are generally exercised by the President on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
– Prorogation can occur while the House is sitting, not just after sine die adjournment.
The powers of summoning, prorogation, and dissolution are constitutional prerogatives of the President but are exercised subject to the principles of parliamentary democracy, where the executive (Council of Ministers) is accountable to the legislature (Lok Sabha). The advice of the CoM is binding on the President in normal circumstances.