Correct Answer - Option 3 : 60
The correct answer is 60.
-
The house of parliament can declare the seat vacant of the member in question if he absents himself for 60 days from all meetings of the house.
- When members are elected or nominated, they are expected to take their seats in the Rajya Sabha and attend its proceedings unless they are constrained to remain absent due to unavoidable reasons.
-
Constitutional provision:
- The Constitution provides that if for a period of sixty days a member of either House of Parliament is without permission of the House absent from all meetings thereof, the House may declare his seat vacant.
- In computing the said period of sixty days, however, no account is taken of any period during which the House is prorogued or is adjourned for more than four consecutive days.
- The period of sixty days referred to in the Constitution means a single unbroken period of sixty days.
- The period of absence is calculated from the day a member is absent from the sitting of the House till the day he next attends.
- The intervening days in session on which the House does not sit are counted but any period of prorogation or adjournment of the House for more than four consecutive days is excluded.
-
The constitutional provision is the only directory and not mandatory; being an enabling power, it is within the competence of the House to condone the absence of a member exceeding sixty days.
-
Procedure for granting leave of absence:
- A member wishing to obtain the permission of the House for remaining absent from meetings thereof under clause (4) of Article 101 of the Constitution is required to make an application stating the period for which he may be permitted to be absent from the meetings of the House.
- An application for leave of absence is required to be made in writing addressed to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha or speaker in case of Lok Sabha.