40 Days On, Parliament’s Monsoon Session Yet to Be Formally Prorogued

Parliament’s Monsoon session has remained formally open for 40 days after both Houses were adjourned sine die, setting a new record and fuelling speculation that the government may seek to bring back key legislation without formally ending the session.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for an indefinite period on August 13, but the President has not yet issued a prorogation notification. Normally, a session is formally prorogued within three to four days after adjournment. Former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achari told PTI that the 40-day gap is unprecedented. The previous record was 28 days in 2015, when the government was seeking consensus on the GST legislation.

The unusual delay has gained attention amid reports that the government is considering bringing legislation related to women’s reservation and delimitation. The option of a special session has also been kept open, according to reports, although the government has not officially announced such a session.

During the Monsoon session, the government introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, along with the Delimitation Bill and a related Union Territories amendment Bill. The Constitution amendment could not secure the required majority for consideration, and the dependent Bills were not taken forward.

The reported proposal seeks to operationalise women’s reservation before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, while addressing concerns, particularly in southern states, over a possible reduction in their parliamentary representation following population-based delimitation. One proposal under discussion is a 50 per cent increase in Lok Sabha seats across states and Union territories.

Under the Constitution, the President prorogues Parliament on the recommendation of the government. The Budget session ended on April 18 and was prorogued on April 20.

The government has not officially stated that the delay is intended to facilitate any particular legislation. The continued absence of prorogation therefore remains a matter of speculation, while the Winter session is normally expected to begin in late November.