Article 118

Rules of Procedure in Parliament

Official heading: “Rules of procedure”

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Source edition: The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
Source locator: Part V, Article 118, printed page 55
Last human source-link check: Not yet checked
Last human legal review: Not yet reviewed

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1. In One Sentence

Article 118 empowers each House of Parliament to make rules regulating its own procedure and conduct of business, and provides for joint rules made by the President for joint sittings.

2. What It Means in Everyday Language

Article 118 secures internal procedural autonomy for both Houses of Parliament, ensuring that the legislature can organize its sessional work without executive or judicial dictation.

Clause (1) grants each House the constitutional authority to make rules for regulating its procedure and the conduct of its business, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. This is the source for the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Clause (2) provided transitional procedural rules based on constituent assembly practice until formal rules were framed.

Clause (3) empowers the President, after consultation with the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, to make rules governing the procedure for joint sittings under Article 108.

Clause (4) establishes an important protocol: at any joint sitting of the two Houses, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (or in their absence, such person determined under the rules) shall preside.

3. Practical Illustrative Example

Everyday Scenario:

A controversy arises over how time is allocated during Question Hour and Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha.

Core takeaway: Under Article 118(1), the Lok Sabha regulates its own conduct through its internal Rules Committee, and courts cannot intervene to modify internal legislative schedules.

Illustrative Notice: Parliamentary rules must comply with express constitutional mandates; an internal rule cannot violate fundamental rights or constitutional thresholds.

4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions

Article 118 guarantees parliamentary self-governance and internal rule-making.

Autonomous rule-making for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Presidential joint-sitting rules in consultation with both presiding officers.
Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over all joint sittings.
Rules subject to constitutional boundaries and basic democratic norms.

5. Operative Constitutional Text

(1) Each House of Parliament may make rules for regulating, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, its procedure and the conduct of its business. (2) Until rules are made under clause (1), the rules of procedure and standing orders in force immediately before the commencement of this Constitution with respect to the Legislature of the Dominion of India shall have effect in relation to Parliament subject to such modifications and adaptations as may be made therein by the Chairman of the Council of States or the Speaker of the House of the People, as the case may be. (3) The President, after consultation with the Chairman of the Council of States and the Speaker of the House of the People, may make rules as to the procedure with respect to joint sittings of, and communications between, the two Houses. (4) At a joint sitting of the two Houses the Speaker of the House of the People, or in his absence such person as may be determined by rules of procedure made under clause (3), shall preside.

Transcription for reference; compare with the linked official editionNot yet verified by a human legal reviewer

6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations

Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.

Sources & Citation Metadata

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Constitutional TextThe Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)Cited PDF page
Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part V, Article 118, printed page 55 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.

Human legal review is pending; compare the text with the cited editionNon-partisan educational resource