Indian Parliament Structure — Study Notes
Overview
The Indian Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India, modelled on the Westminster system of the United Kingdom. It is a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses: the **Lok Sabha** (House of the People) and the **Rajya Sabha** (Council of States), along with the President of India who is an integral part of Parliament. Understanding Parliament's structure, composition, tenure, and electoral processes is critical for UPSSSC PET General Awareness because questions frequently appear on the number of seats, reservation provisions, qualifications for membership, session types, and differences between the two houses.
For PET, you must know the maximum strength of each house, the method of election or nomination, term durations, and key constitutional provisions (especially Articles 79–122). This topic also links with questions on constitutional amendments, anti-defection law, and the legislative process. Mastery of precise numbers and constitutional facts gives you easy marks in the General Awareness section.
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Key Concepts
- **Bicameral Legislature**: India's Parliament has two houses—Lok Sabha (lower house, directly elected) and Rajya Sabha (upper house, indirectly elected)—along with the President, forming a three-tier legislative structure.
- **Article 79**: Establishes the Constitution of Parliament as comprising the President, Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha; Parliament exercises legislative power under Part V of the Constitution.
- **Lok Sabha Primacy**: In money bills and confidence motions, the Lok Sabha holds superiority; the Rajya Sabha cannot reject or amend money bills, only recommend changes within 14 days.
- **Rajya Sabha Permanence**: The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body, never subject to dissolution; one-third of its members retire every two years, ensuring continuity.
- **Representation Principle**: Lok Sabha represents the people directly (population-based seats); Rajya Sabha represents the states and union territories (federal principle).
- **Reservation of Seats**: Both houses have reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha has no reservation because members are elected by state legislatures.
- **Nomination Provision**: The President nominates 12 members to Rajya Sabha with special knowledge in literature, science, art, and social service; Lok Sabha can have up to 2 Anglo-Indian members nominated (this provision lapsed in 2020).
- **Sessions of Parliament**: Parliament meets in three sessions annually—Budget Session (February–May), Monsoon Session (July–August), and Winter Session (November–December)—summoned by the President.
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Formulas / Key Facts
1. **Lok Sabha Maximum Strength**: 552 members (530 states + 20 union territories + 2 Anglo-Indians nominated by President; currently 543 elected after Anglo-Indian nomination ended).
2. **Rajya Sabha Maximum Strength**: 250 members (238 elected by state/UT legislatures + 12 nominated by President).
3. **Current Lok Sabha Strength**: 543 elected members (530 from states, 13 from UTs).
4. **Current Rajya Sabha Strength**: 245 members (233 elected + 12 nominated).
5. **Lok Sabha Term**: 5 years from the date of its first meeting, unless dissolved earlier; can be extended during a national emergency by Parliament in one-year increments.
6. **Rajya Sabha Term**: Permanent body; individual members serve 6-year terms; one-third retire every 2 years.
7. **Minimum Age for Membership**: Lok Sabha — 25 years; Rajya Sabha — 30 years.
8. **Qualifications**: Must be a citizen of India, take oath/affirmation, not hold any office of profit, not be of unsound mind, and not be insolvent or convicted.
9. **Electoral System for Lok Sabha**: Direct election by adult suffrage (FPTP system) from single-member constituencies.
10. **Electoral System for Rajya Sabha**: Indirect election by elected members of State Legislative Assemblies and UT assemblies using proportional representation with single transferable vote (STV).
11. **SC/ST Reservation in Lok Sabha**: 84 seats for SCs, 47 seats for STs (as per Delimitation Act 2008).
12. **Quorum**: One-tenth of the total membership of each house is the minimum quorum to conduct business.
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Worked Examples
**Example 1: Calculate Current Rajya Sabha Composition**
*Question*: If the maximum Rajya Sabha strength is 250, and currently 233 members are elected and 12 nominated, what is the current total?
*Solution*:
- Elected members = 233
- Nominated members = 12
- Current total = 233 + 12 = **245 members**
This matches the present strength, with 5 seats currently vacant.
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**Example 2: Retirement Schedule in Rajya Sabha**
*Question*: If 81 members of Rajya Sabha retire in April 2025, how many will retire in April 2027?
*Solution*:
- Rajya Sabha members retire in batches of approximately one-third every 2 years.
- If ~81 retire in 2025, approximately the same number (~81) will retire in 2027.
- The cycle ensures continuity: one-third retires every two years, so **approximately 81 members**.
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**Example 3: Eligibility Check**
*Question*: Can a 27-year-old citizen contest for Rajya Sabha?
*Solution*:
- Minimum age for Rajya Sabha membership = 30 years.
- The candidate is 27 years old.
- **Answer**: No, the candidate is not eligible; must wait until turning 30.
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Common Mistakes
1. **Confusing Maximum and Current Strength**: Students often cite 552 for Lok Sabha without noting that current strength is 543 (Anglo-Indian nomination ended). **Fix**: Remember 543 elected seats as the current figure; 552 was the constitutional maximum.
2. **Mixing Up Age Limits**: Writing 25 years for both houses. **Fix**: Lok Sabha = 25 years; Rajya Sabha = 30 years. Mnemonic: "Rajya is senior, so 30."
3. **Assuming Rajya Sabha Can Be Dissolved**: Thinking Rajya Sabha dissolves like Lok Sabha. **Fix**: Rajya Sabha is a permanent body; only individual members' terms end, with one-third retiring every two years.
4. **Ignoring Nomination Quotas**: Forgetting the 12 nominated members in Rajya Sabha or assuming Lok Sabha has current nominated members. **Fix**: Rajya Sabha = 12 nominated for special knowledge; Lok Sabha Anglo-Indian nomination ended in January 2020.
5. **SC/ST Reservation in Rajya Sabha**: Believing Rajya Sabha has SC/ST reserved seats. **Fix**: Only Lok Sabha has reserved seats for SC/ST (84 + 47). Rajya Sabha has no reservation.
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Quick Reference
- **Lok Sabha**: 543 seats, 5-year term, directly elected, minimum age 25, SC/ST reservation (84 + 47).
- **Rajya Sabha**: 245 seats, permanent body, 6-year terms (1/3 retire every 2 years), indirectly elected, minimum age 30, 12 nominated.
- **Money Bills**: Only Lok Sabha can originate; Rajya Sabha can recommend changes within 14 days, but Lok Sabha can reject recommendations.
- **Speaker & Chairman**: Lok Sabha elects a Speaker; Rajya Sabha is chaired by the Vice-President of India (ex-officio Chairman).
- **Quorum**: One-tenth of total members in each house.
- **Sessions**: Budget, Monsoon, Winter—summoned by President under Article 85.