The Constitution of India
Article 87
Special address by the President
(1) At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.
(2) Provision shall be made by the rules regulating the procedure of either House for the allotment of time for discussion of the matters referred to in such address.
Why this exists
Borrowed from British parliamentary tradition (the King's/Queen's Speech), this Article ensures the executive formally opens the parliamentary year by outlining the government's priorities and legislative agenda. It gives Parliament, and through it the public, an official statement of what the government intends to do, and guarantees that statement isn't just symbolic — it must actually be debated.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: The President writes and decides the content of this speech personally.
Fact: The speech is prepared by the Council of Ministers (the government); the President reads it in her constitutional role, similar to the British monarch's speech. - Myth: The address is just a ceremony with no real consequence.
Fact: Article 87(2) requires Parliament to actually debate the address (the 'Motion of Thanks'), making it a occasion for real political scrutiny of government policy.