Understanding Sessions of State Legislature

• Governor summons from time to time.
• Max gaps: Between two sessions not more than 6 months

• Suspends the work in a sitting for a specified time (hours, days or weeks.)
• Adjournment Sine Die: Terminating a sitting for an indefinite time without naming its reassembly.
• Power to adjournment and adjournment sine die lie with the presiding officer of the house.

• After adjournment sine dies, Governor issues a notification for prorogation (completion of the current session.). 
• However, the governor can also prorogue the House which is in session.

• 10 members or one tenth of the total number of members of the house (including presiding officer) whichever is greater.
• If no quorum, the presiding officer either adjourns or suspends the meeting until there is quorum.

• Bill pending in assembly (whether originating in assembly or transmitted to it by the Council).
• Bill passed by assembly but pending in Council.

Bill Doesn’t Lapse

• Bill pending in Council but not passed by assembly.
• Bills passed by assembly (unicameral) or both the houses (bicameral) but pending assent of governor or president
• Bill returned by the president for the consideration of the house.

• Simple Majority: For all matters.
• Special Majority: Resolution for creation or abolition of Legislative Council.
• Absolute Majority: Removal of speaker or chairman.
• Casting Vote: The Speaker & chairman does not vote in the first instance.

• As per the Constitution: The language for transacting business in legislature is to be the official language of the state or Hindi or English.
• Presiding officer can permit the member to address the house in his mother tongue.
• The State Legislature is authorized to decide whether to continue or discontinue English as a floor language after the completion of 15 years from the commencement of the Constitution. 
• In case of Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura, this time limit is twenty-five years and that of Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Mizoram, it is forty years.