New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Wednesday said due procedure was followed in obtaining the prorogation order of the President of India for the last session of the House.

The ruling by the Chair comes in the backdrop of Congress Rajya Sabha member Anand Sharma objecting to the suspension of 12 opposition MPs in the current (255th) session for their conduct in the previous session that concluded on August 11.

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On December 2, Sharma had raised a point of order for clarification from the Chair whether the prorogation of the 254th session of the House was in order. He had also asked if the ongoing session is a separate one or a continuation of the 254th session.

Twelve opposition MPs were suspended from the Rajya Sabha on November 29 for the entire Winter Session of Parliament for their "unruly" conduct in the previous session in August. The opposition has termed the suspension "undemocratic and in violation of all the Rules of Procedure" of the Upper House.

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Without referring to the suspension, Harivansh said the term 'session' is not defined in either Constitution or in the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the Council of States -- Rajya Sabha.

"However, in parliament parlance, a session of the Rajya Sabha commences on the date and time mentioned in the summoning order of the President and ends with the day on which he prorogues the House. Therefore, there is no question of any doubt on the point raised by Anand Sharma whether this session is a separate one or a continuation of the previous session of the Rajya Sabha," he said.

The Rajya Sabha deputy chairman further said "the chair is not mandated" to decide whether the prorogation of the session by the President is in order or not.

"All I can say is that due procedure was followed in obtaining prorogation orders of the President," he said.

Harivansh noted that under Article 83 of the Constitution, Rajya Sabha is not subject to dissolution, unlike the Lok Sabha which may be dissolved or which may continue for five years from the date appointed, whichever is earlier.

The previous session or the monsoon session was adjourned sine die on August 11 and prorogued on August 31.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)