Consider the following statements about the occasions on which the President of India addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together: 1. The President addresses a joint sitting of both Houses at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the Lok Sabha. 2. The President addresses a joint sitting of both Houses at the commencement of the first session of Parliament each year. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Introduction / Context:
The President of India plays an important ceremonial and constitutional role in relation to Parliament. One of the key functions is to address both Houses of Parliament assembled together on specified occasions, outlining the policies and programmes of the government. This question asks you to evaluate two statements that describe when such presidential addresses take place under Article 87 of the Constitution.

Given Data / Assumptions:

Statement 1 says that the President addresses both Houses at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the Lok Sabha.
Statement 2 says that the President addresses both Houses at the commencement of the first session of Parliament each year.
You are asked to determine which of these statements correctly reflects constitutional provisions and parliamentary practice.

Concept / Approach:
Article 87 of the Constitution provides that the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the Lok Sabha and at the commencement of the first session of each year. The Address informs Parliament about the government policies and is followed by a Motion of Thanks. Therefore, both statements in the question accurately describe the two occasions when the President gives such an address. The correct approach is to recognise that both are correct and pick the option that reflects this.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine Statement 1. After a general election to the Lok Sabha, a new House is constituted. Article 87 states that the President shall address both Houses at the commencement of the first session after such a general election. Thus, Statement 1 is correct. Step 2: Examine Statement 2. Article 87 also specifies that the President shall address both Houses at the commencement of the first session of each year, which ensures an annual policy statement and review of government activities. Thus, Statement 2 is also correct. Step 3: Since both statements mirror the language and meaning of Article 87, they are both correct. Step 4: Among the options, the one that matches this evaluation is "Both 1 and 2".

Verification / Alternative check:
Polity guides and civics textbooks typically describe two key occasions for the President Address: after each general election and at the beginning of each year's first session. They also highlight that the Address is followed by a Motion of Thanks, which, if defeated, can be seen as an expression of lack of confidence. These standard explanations confirm that both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct representations of the constitutional requirement.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1 only: This would ignore the equally important requirement for an Address at the first session of each year, which clearly exists in Article 87. 2 only: This would neglect the special occasion following a general election, which is explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. Neither 1 nor 2: This would be correct only if both statements were wrong, which is not the case, as both accurately reflect constitutional provisions.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates remember only one of the two occasions, often focusing on the post election Address and overlooking the annual Address, or vice versa. Others mistakenly think that the President addresses Parliament at every session, which was true before an early amendment but is not the current rule. To avoid confusion, remember the simple formula: after each general election to the Lok Sabha and at the commencement of the first session each year, the President addresses both Houses assembled together.

Final Answer:
Both statements correctly describe the occasions when the President of India addresses both Houses of Parliament, so the correct option is Both 1 and 2.