BharatNotes Prorogation
nounUPSC confused pair — don't mix up with Adjournment, Dissolution
Usage in a UPSC answer
The contentious use of prorogation to suspend the legislature on the eve of a confidence vote reignited the debate over whether the executive's prerogative powers should remain subject to judicial review and the discipline of constitutional convention.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
prorogue (v), prorogued (adj), proroguing (v pres.p)
Root
Latin prōrogāre = to prolong/defer; prō- = forward; rogāre = to ask/propose; via Late Middle English
Etymology
From Late Middle English, via Latin prōrogātiō, from prōrogāre ("to prolong, defer"), a combination of prō- ("forward") + rogāre ("to ask, propose").
Memory Hook
Pro- ('forth') + rogare ('to ask') — the executive asks the House to put its business FORTH to a later date; think "PRO-ROGUE": a rogue PM ROGUES the session away, sending Parliament home without ending it.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
The termination of a session of a House by order of the President. The correction that matters most here is that prorogation does not cause pending bills to lapse: a bill pending before either House survives prorogation and is taken up in the next session, and it is dissolution of the Lok Sabha that causes bills to lapse, subject to exceptions. What does lapse on prorogation are pending notices other than those for introducing bills, so fresh notices must be given for the following session. The four terms should be kept strictly apart. Adjournment suspends a sitting and is done by the presiding officer; adjournment sine die ends a sitting without naming a day for reassembly and is likewise the presiding officer's act; prorogation ends the session and is the President's act; and dissolution ends the life of the Lok Sabha itself. The Rajya Sabha, being a permanent body, is never dissolved though it is prorogued.
Don’t Confuse It With
Adjournment suspends a sitting and adjournment sine die ends it without fixing a date, both being acts of the presiding officer, whereas prorogation terminates the session and is done by the President, and dissolution ends the life of the House. Pending bills do not lapse on prorogation but do lapse on dissolution of the Lok Sabha, subject to exceptions, and confusing these two effects is the commonest error on this topic. Pending notices, other than those for introducing bills, do lapse on prorogation. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and is never dissolved.
Hindi Meaning
सत्रावसान (satrāvasān); स्थगन (sthagan) for adjournment and विघटन (vighatan) for dissolution.
Common Questions
- Do pending bills lapse when Parliament is prorogued?
- No. Bills survive prorogation and are taken up in the next session. It is dissolution of the Lok Sabha that causes bills to lapse, subject to certain exceptions.
- What is the difference between adjournment, prorogation and dissolution?
- Adjournment suspends a sitting and is done by the presiding officer, prorogation ends the session and is done by the President, and dissolution ends the life of the Lok Sabha itself.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2024 — Parliament
- Prelims 2016 — Parliament
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Prorogation” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
