PARLIAMENT
The Parliament is the legislative organ of the Union government. It
occupies a pre-eminent and central position in the Indian democratic
political system due to adoption of the parliamentary form of
government .
Articles 79 to 122 in Part V of the Constitution deal with the
organisation, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges,
powers and so on of the Parliament.
ORGANISATION OF PARLIAMENT
Under the Constitution, the Parliament of India consists of three parts
viz, the President, the Council of States and the House of the People.
In 1954, the Hindi names ‘Rajya Sabha’ and ‘Lok Sabha’ were
adopted by the Council of States and the House of People
respectively. The Rajya Sabha is the Upper House (Second Chamber
or House of Elders) and the Lok Sabha is the Lower House (First
Chamber or Popular House). The former represents the states and
union territories of the Indian Union, while the latter represents the
people of India as a whole .
Though the President of India is not a member of either House of
Parliament and does not sit in the Parliament to attend its meetings,
he is an integral part of the Parliament. This is because a bill passed
by both the Houses of Parliament cannot become law without the
President’s assent. He also performs certain functions relating to the
proceedings of the Parliament, for example, he summons and
prorogues both the Houses, dissolves the Lok Sabha, addresses both
the Houses, issues ordinances when they are not in session.
Composition of Rajya Sabha -The maximum strength of the
Rajya Sabha is fixed at 250, out of which, 238 are to be the
, representatives of the states and union territories (elected indirectly)
and 12 are nominated by the president.At present, the Rajya Sabha
has 245 members. Of these, 229 members represent the states, 4
members represent the union territories and 12 members are
nominated by the president.
Composition of Lok Sabha - The maximum strength of the Lok
Sabha is fixed at 552. Out of this, 530 members are to be the
representatives of the states, 20 members are to be the
representatives of the union territories and 2 members are to be
nominated by the president from the Anglo- Indian community3 .
At present, the Lok Sabha has 545 members. Of these, 530 members
represent the states, 13 members represent the union territories and 2
Anglo-Indian members are nominated by the President .
Reservation of Seats for SCs and ST
Though the Constitution has abandoned the system of communal
representation, it provides for the reservation of seats for scheduled
castes and scheduled tribes in the Lok Sabha on the basis of
population ratios5 .
Originally, this reservation was to operate for ten years (ie, up to
1960), but it has been extended continuously since then by 10 years
each time. Now, under the 95th Amendment Act of 2009, this
reservation is to last until 2020.
Duration of Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha (first constituted in 1952) is a continuing chamber,
that is, it is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution. However,
one-third of its members retire every second year. Their seats are
filled up by fresh elections and presidential nominations at the
The Parliament is the legislative organ of the Union government. It
occupies a pre-eminent and central position in the Indian democratic
political system due to adoption of the parliamentary form of
government .
Articles 79 to 122 in Part V of the Constitution deal with the
organisation, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges,
powers and so on of the Parliament.
ORGANISATION OF PARLIAMENT
Under the Constitution, the Parliament of India consists of three parts
viz, the President, the Council of States and the House of the People.
In 1954, the Hindi names ‘Rajya Sabha’ and ‘Lok Sabha’ were
adopted by the Council of States and the House of People
respectively. The Rajya Sabha is the Upper House (Second Chamber
or House of Elders) and the Lok Sabha is the Lower House (First
Chamber or Popular House). The former represents the states and
union territories of the Indian Union, while the latter represents the
people of India as a whole .
Though the President of India is not a member of either House of
Parliament and does not sit in the Parliament to attend its meetings,
he is an integral part of the Parliament. This is because a bill passed
by both the Houses of Parliament cannot become law without the
President’s assent. He also performs certain functions relating to the
proceedings of the Parliament, for example, he summons and
prorogues both the Houses, dissolves the Lok Sabha, addresses both
the Houses, issues ordinances when they are not in session.
Composition of Rajya Sabha -The maximum strength of the
Rajya Sabha is fixed at 250, out of which, 238 are to be the
, representatives of the states and union territories (elected indirectly)
and 12 are nominated by the president.At present, the Rajya Sabha
has 245 members. Of these, 229 members represent the states, 4
members represent the union territories and 12 members are
nominated by the president.
Composition of Lok Sabha - The maximum strength of the Lok
Sabha is fixed at 552. Out of this, 530 members are to be the
representatives of the states, 20 members are to be the
representatives of the union territories and 2 members are to be
nominated by the president from the Anglo- Indian community3 .
At present, the Lok Sabha has 545 members. Of these, 530 members
represent the states, 13 members represent the union territories and 2
Anglo-Indian members are nominated by the President .
Reservation of Seats for SCs and ST
Though the Constitution has abandoned the system of communal
representation, it provides for the reservation of seats for scheduled
castes and scheduled tribes in the Lok Sabha on the basis of
population ratios5 .
Originally, this reservation was to operate for ten years (ie, up to
1960), but it has been extended continuously since then by 10 years
each time. Now, under the 95th Amendment Act of 2009, this
reservation is to last until 2020.
Duration of Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha (first constituted in 1952) is a continuing chamber,
that is, it is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution. However,
one-third of its members retire every second year. Their seats are
filled up by fresh elections and presidential nominations at the
