By convention, the Indian Parliament meets in three sessions spread across the calendar year. Each Parliament session has a specific general timeframe and distinct purpose:

Budget Session

• Time frame: Budget session is typically held from February to May each year. It usually starts with the President’s Address to a joint sitting, followed by presentation of the Union Budget in February.

• Significance: 

  • The Budget Session is the longest and most important session. 

  • Its primary focus is the presentation, discussion, and passage of the annual Union Budget, which outlines the government’s fiscal plans (revenues and expenditures) for the upcoming financial year. 

  • Parliament scrutinizes budget proposals, debates allocations, and ensures financial accountability of the government.

• Other Business: 

  • Other legislation and policy debates also occur in this session. 

  • The Budget Session has a recess mid-way (often in March) during which Departmentally Related Standing Committees examine the budget demands of various ministries in detail.

Monsoon Session

• Time frame: The Monsoon Session generally convened during the rainy season, approximately July to August/September.

• Significance: The Monsoon Session is devoted largely to general legislative work – introducing and passing bills, and discussing important national issues. It coincides with the monsoon period, hence the name.

• Highlights: 

  • Debates during Monsoon session often allow MPs to raise pressing issues (including those related to the budget’s implementation or other policies) 

  • Give the opposition a platform to question the government’s actions. Important bills that could not be taken up earlier in the year are often addressed in the monsoon session.

Winter Session

• Time frame: Held in the winter months, usually November to December.

• Significance: The winter session is the last session of the year and is generally shorter. It focuses on urgent pending legislation and critical review of government policies and performance to date.

• Highlights: 

  • Parliament uses the winter session to wrap up legislative business for the year. 

  • MPs engage in asking questions, moving motions, and participating in debates that scrutinize the effectiveness of government initiatives. 

  • Any bills or issues still unresolved from earlier sessions can be taken up in the winter session.

Special Sessions

Apart from the three regular sessions, the government can convene a Special Session of Parliament to address specific urgent issues or historic occasions. A Special Session is an extraordinary session called outside the normal calendar, often with a single-point agenda or to commemorate an event of national importance.

• The term "Special Session" is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution or parliamentary rules, but Article 352 does refer to a special sitting of the Lok Sabha when an emergency proclamation is issued. In practice, special sessions have been called for unique circumstances.

• Examples: 

  • In 1962, a special session was convened to discuss the India-China war, 

  • In 1971 another was held during the India-Pakistan conflict. 

  • More recently, special sittings have been held to celebrate milestones (like the 75th anniversary of Independence) or to discuss particular reforms.