Polity
Parliament
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
Composition, election, duration, qualifications, presiding officers, sessions, privileges and the powers of the two Houses of Parliament, with Chhattisgarh's seats.
Prerequisites
- Preamble and Salient Features — why India chose a parliamentary system on the Westminster model.
- Union Executive — the President is a constituent part of Parliament, and the Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha.
- Administrative Structure of Chhattisgarh — the state’s 11 Lok Sabha and 5 Rajya Sabha seats.
The Hook: Eleven Voices and Five Votes
Connect
In the 2024 general election, voters in Bastar, Kanker, Surguja and eight other constituencies sent 11 members to the Lok Sabha. Nobody in Chhattisgarh, however, ever votes directly for a Rajya Sabha member. Those 5 members are chosen by the 90 MLAs sitting in the Vidhan Sabha in Nava Raipur.
Why does India have two Houses chosen in two completely different ways, and which one has the final word? This page answers that.
Why it matters: Article numbers, age limits, maximum strength, the Speaker’s powers and the “special powers of the Rajya Sabha” are among the most repeated Polity facts in Prelims. Mains asks you to evaluate bicameralism and the role of the Speaker.
Parliament at a Glance (Part V, Chapter II, Articles 79–122)
Article 79: There shall be a Parliament for the Union consisting of the President and two Houses: the Council of States (राज्य सभा, Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (लोक सभा, Lok Sabha).
The President is part of Parliament
The President is not a member of either House and does not sit in Parliament, yet is an integral part of it. A bill becomes law only with the President’s assent; the President summons and prorogues both Houses and dissolves the Lok Sabha. This follows the British model, where the Crown is part of Parliament. (The US President, by contrast, is not part of Congress.)
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| 79 | Constitution of Parliament |
| 80 | Composition of the Rajya Sabha |
| 81 | Composition of the Lok Sabha |
| 82 | Readjustment (delimitation) after each census |
| 83 | Duration of the Houses |
| 84 | Qualifications for membership |
| 85 | Sessions, prorogation, dissolution |
| 86–87 | President’s right to address; special address |
| 89–98 | Officers of Parliament (Chairman, Speaker and their deputies, secretariats) |
| 99 | Oath or affirmation |
| 100 | Voting, quorum |
| 101–104 | Vacation of seats, disqualifications, penalties |
| 105 | Powers and privileges |
| 106 | Salaries and allowances |
| 107–122 | Legislative and financial procedure (see the next topic) |
Composition
Lok Sabha (Article 81)
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum strength | 550: up to 530 from the states and up to 20 from the Union Territories |
| Present strength | 543 elected seats (as of 2026) |
| Nominated members | None now. Article 331 let the President nominate up to 2 Anglo-Indians. This ended with the 104th Amendment (2019), effective 25 January 2020 |
| Election | Direct, by adult suffrage (18 years since the 61st Amendment, 1988), from single-member territorial constituencies by the first-past-the-post system |
| Reservation | Seats for SCs and STs (Art 330), based on population. After the 2008 delimitation: 84 SC and 47 ST seats |
| Women’s reservation | 106th Amendment (2023), the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: one-third of seats (Art 330A). It takes effect only after the delimitation that follows the first census after its commencement |
Delimitation freeze and the 2026 bill (dated)
- The allocation of Lok Sabha seats among states is frozen on the 1971 Census until the first census taken after 2026 (42nd Amendment froze it till 2000; the 84th Amendment, 2001 extended the freeze). The 87th Amendment, 2003 allowed constituency boundaries within states to be redrawn on the 2001 Census without changing each state’s seat total; that delimitation came into force in 2008.
- In April 2026 the government introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposed raising the Lok Sabha’s maximum strength to 850 and linking fresh delimitation to the women’s quota. On 17 April 2026 it was defeated in the Lok Sabha: 298 votes in favour and 230 against, short of the two-thirds of members present and voting that Article 368 requires. The connected Delimitation Bill, 2026 was withdrawn. As of October 2026, the maximum strength therefore remains 550.
Rajya Sabha (Article 80)
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum strength | 250: up to 238 representatives of the states and UTs + 12 nominated by the President |
| Present strength | 245: 233 elected + 12 nominated (as of 2026) |
| Nominated members (Art 80(3)) | Persons with special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service. (Sport is not in the list, though sportspersons have been nominated under “social service” or the general sense of these fields) |
| Seat allocation | Fourth Schedule, by population, so states are not equally represented (unlike the US Senate) |
| Election (Art 80(4)) | Indirect: by the elected members of the State Legislative Assembly, by proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV) |
| UTs | Only UTs with a legislature are represented: Delhi (3), Puducherry (1), Jammu and Kashmir (4) |
| Open ballot | The Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2003 introduced open ballot for Rajya Sabha elections and removed the domicile requirement; upheld in Kuldip Nayar v. Union of India (2006) |
Chhattisgarh in Parliament
| House | Seats | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Lok Sabha | 11 | 4 ST: Bastar, Kanker, Raigarh, Surguja. 1 SC: Janjgir-Champa. 6 unreserved |
| Rajya Sabha | 5 | Elected by the 90 MLAs of the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha |
How STV works here (worked example): When 2 Rajya Sabha seats from Chhattisgarh fall vacant together and all 90 MLAs vote, the quota needed to win is
$$\text{Quota} = \frac{\text{valid votes}}{\text{seats} + 1} + 1 = \frac{90}{2+1} + 1 = 31$$A candidate with 31 first-preference votes is elected. (In practice each vote is valued at 100 to handle fractional transfers, but the idea is the same.) Because a party needs about one-third of the House per seat, the Rajya Sabha broadly mirrors the parties’ strength in the state Assemblies.
Duration (Article 83) and Sessions (Article 85)
| House | Duration |
|---|---|
| Rajya Sabha | Permanent body, not subject to dissolution. One-third of members retire every second year. A member’s term is six years, fixed by the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (not by the Constitution) |
| Lok Sabha | Five years from the date of its first meeting, unless dissolved earlier. During a National Emergency, Parliament may extend it by law one year at a time, but not beyond six months after the emergency ends |
- The 42nd Amendment (1976) raised the Lok Sabha’s term to six years; the 44th Amendment (1978) restored five.
- Sessions: The President summons each House. The gap between two sessions must not exceed six months (Art 85(1)), so Parliament must meet at least twice a year. By convention there are three sessions: Budget (roughly February–May), Monsoon (July–September) and Winter (November–December).
| Term | Who does it | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Adjournment | Presiding officer | Suspends a sitting for hours or days |
| Adjournment sine die | Presiding officer | Ends a sitting without fixing a date to reassemble |
| Prorogation | President (on ministers’ advice) | Ends a session. Pending bills do not lapse |
| Dissolution | President | Ends the life of the Lok Sabha. Some pending bills lapse (see legislative procedure). Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved |
- President’s address (Art 87): At the start of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year, the President addresses both Houses together. The debate on it ends with the Motion of Thanks; its defeat amounts to a defeat of the government.
- Quorum (Art 100(3)): one-tenth of the total number of members of the House, including the presiding officer.
- Lame-duck session: the last session of an outgoing Lok Sabha after a new one has been elected.
Membership
Qualifications (Article 84 + RP Act, 1951)
| Requirement | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | Citizen of India | Citizen of India |
| Oath | Before the Election Commission’s authorised person, in the Third Schedule form | Same |
| Minimum age | 25 years | 30 years |
| Elector | Must be an elector for any parliamentary constituency (RP Act) | Must be an elector for a parliamentary constituency (domicile in the state not required since 2003) |
| Reserved seats | Must be a member of SC/ST to contest an SC/ST seat | No reservation in the Rajya Sabha |
Disqualifications (Article 102)
- Holds an office of profit under the Union or a state government (other than an office exempted by law).
- Is of unsound mind and so declared by a competent court.
- Is an undischarged insolvent.
- Is not a citizen or has voluntarily acquired foreign citizenship.
- Is disqualified by a law of Parliament, e.g. the RP Act, 1951 (conviction with imprisonment of two years or more; corrupt practices).
- Article 102(2): defection under the Tenth Schedule.
| Question | Who decides |
|---|---|
| Disqualification under Art 102(1) | The President, whose decision is final, but who must act on the opinion of the Election Commission (Art 103) |
| Disqualification for defection (Tenth Schedule) | The Speaker (Lok Sabha) or Chairman (Rajya Sabha). Subject to judicial review (Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu, 1992) |
Anti-defection law in one box
- 52nd Amendment (1985) added the Tenth Schedule. A member is disqualified for voluntarily giving up party membership or voting/abstaining against the party whip without permission (unless condoned within 15 days). An independent who joins a party, or a nominated member who joins a party after six months, is also disqualified.
- 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the “split” exception (one-third of a legislature party) and kept only the merger exception: two-thirds of the legislature party must agree to merge. It also capped the Council of Ministers at 15% of the Lok Sabha strength (Art 75(1A)) and barred a disqualified defector from becoming a minister.
- Lily Thomas v. Union of India (2013): a sitting MP/MLA convicted and sentenced to two years or more is disqualified immediately; the protection in Section 8(4) of the RP Act was struck down.
Vacating seats (Article 101 and rules)
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| Elected to both Houses | Must choose within 10 days; otherwise the Rajya Sabha seat falls vacant |
| Elected to two Lok Sabha seats | Must resign one (in practice within 14 days of the result); otherwise both seats fall vacant |
| Elected to Parliament and a State Legislature | Must resign the state seat within 14 days of the notification; otherwise the Parliament seat falls vacant |
| Absent without permission for 60 days of meetings | The House may declare the seat vacant (Art 101(4)) |
| Sits or votes before taking the oath | Penalty of ₹500 per day (Art 104) |
Presiding Officers
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha (अध्यक्ष)
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Election (Art 93) | Elected by the Lok Sabha from among its members, “as soon as may be” after its first sitting |
| Removal (Art 94(c)) | By a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the Lok Sabha (effective majority), after 14 days’ notice |
| Resignation | Addressed to the Deputy Speaker |
| On dissolution | The Speaker does not vacate office until immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha |
| Voting (Art 100) | Only a casting vote in case of a tie |
| During own removal resolution (Art 96) | Cannot preside, but can speak and vote in the first instance (not a casting vote) |
| Pro tem Speaker | Appointed by the President (usually the senior-most member) to preside over the first sitting and administer oaths; a convention, not a constitutional office |
Powers and functions (high-yield):
- Final authority to certify a Money Bill: Art 110(3) makes the Speaker’s decision “final” (how far courts can review it is discussed in the next topic).
- Presides over a joint sitting of both Houses (Art 108; Art 118(4)).
- Decides disqualification for defection (Tenth Schedule).
- Adjourns the House or suspends a sitting for lack of quorum.
- Appoints chairpersons of all Lok Sabha committees; is ex officio chairperson of the Business Advisory Committee, Rules Committee and General Purposes Committee.
- Is the ex officio President of the Indian Parliamentary Group.
- Final interpreter of the Constitution and the Rules within the House.
| Office-holder (as of October 2026) | Name |
|---|---|
| Speaker, 18th Lok Sabha | Om Birla (elected for a second term in June 2024) |
| Deputy Speaker, 18th Lok Sabha | Vacant. The post was not filled in the entire 17th Lok Sabha (2019–24) and had not been filled in the 18th as of 2026 |
| First Speaker | G.V. Mavalankar (1952) |
Mains point: the vacant Deputy Speaker's chair
Article 93 says the House “shall, as soon as may be”, choose a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker. No time limit is written, which is why the post can stay vacant. By convention (not law) the Deputy Speaker has often come from the opposition. A long vacancy weakens continuity (the Deputy Speaker acts when the Speaker’s office is vacant, Art 95) and erodes the bipartisan character of the chair. This is a good current example for a Mains answer on parliamentary conventions.
The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (सभापति, उपसभापति)
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chairman | The Vice-President is the ex officio Chairman (Art 64, 89). He is not a member of the Rajya Sabha |
| Removal | Only by removal as Vice-President: a resolution passed by the Rajya Sabha by an effective majority and agreed to by the Lok Sabha (Art 67(b)), after 14 days’ notice |
| Voting | Casting vote only. During a resolution for his own removal he may speak but cannot vote at all (Art 92) — unlike the Speaker |
| Deputy Chairman | Elected by the Rajya Sabha from among its members (Art 89(2)) |
| Office-holders (as of October 2026) | Chairman: C.P. Radhakrishnan (sworn in as the 15th Vice-President on 12 September 2025). Deputy Chairman: Harivansh, re-elected unopposed for a third term in April 2026, reported as the first nominated member to hold the post |
| First Chairman | S. Radhakrishnan (1952) |
- Panel of Chairpersons (Lok Sabha, up to 10 members nominated by the Speaker) and Panel of Vice-Chairpersons (Rajya Sabha) preside in the absence of the presiding officer and the deputy. A panel member cannot preside when the Speaker’s or Deputy Speaker’s office is vacant; then the President appoints a member to perform the duties.
Privileges (Article 105)
Parliamentary privileges (संसदीय विशेषाधिकार) are special rights enjoyed by the Houses, their committees and members so that they can work without obstruction. They also extend to persons entitled to speak in a House, such as the Attorney General and Union ministers. The President does not enjoy parliamentary privileges.
| Individual privileges | Collective privileges |
|---|---|
| Freedom of speech in Parliament; no court proceedings for anything said or any vote given (Art 105(2)) | Right to publish or prohibit publication of its reports and proceedings |
| Freedom from arrest in civil cases during a session and 40 days before and after it (not in criminal cases or preventive detention) | Right to exclude strangers and hold secret sittings |
| Exemption from jury service; from appearing as a witness while the House is in session (without permission) | Right to make rules to regulate its procedure (Art 118) |
| Right to punish members and outsiders for breach of privilege or contempt | |
| Courts cannot inquire into the validity of proceedings on grounds of irregular procedure (Art 122) |
Not codified
Parliament has not codified its privileges by law. Under Art 105(3) they remain as defined by Parliament “from time to time” and, until so defined, as they stood before the 44th Amendment (originally: those of the British House of Commons). In Sita Soren v. Union of India (2024), a seven-judge bench held that Art 105 does not protect a legislator from prosecution for taking a bribe to vote or speak, overruling P.V. Narasimha Rao (1998).
Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha: Who Holds Which Power?
Where the Rajya Sabha is unequal (weaker)
- A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations within 14 days (Art 109).
- The Speaker alone certifies a Money Bill.
- Only the Lok Sabha votes on the Demands for Grants; the Rajya Sabha can only discuss the budget.
- The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha only (Art 75(3)); a no-confidence motion can be moved only there.
- In a joint sitting, the Lok Sabha’s larger numbers usually prevail; the Speaker presides.
- A financial bill under Art 117(1) can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha.
Where the two are equal
- Introduction and passage of ordinary bills and Constitution Amendment Bills (no joint sitting for the latter, so the Rajya Sabha has a real veto).
- Election and impeachment of the President; election of the Vice-President.
- Removal of Supreme Court and High Court judges, the CAG, and the Chief Election Commissioner.
- Approval of ordinances and of proclamations of the three kinds of emergency.
Special powers of the Rajya Sabha (exclusive)
| Article | Power |
|---|---|
| 249 | By a resolution supported by two-thirds of members present and voting, it can authorise Parliament to make laws on a State List subject in the national interest. The resolution is valid for one year, renewable any number of times by one year each |
| 312 | By a similar two-thirds resolution, it can authorise Parliament to create new All-India Services common to the Union and the states |
| 67(b) | A resolution to remove the Vice-President can be initiated only in the Rajya Sabha |
| 352, 356, 360 | If the Lok Sabha is dissolved (or dissolves during the approval period), a proclamation of emergency stays in force if approved by the Rajya Sabha alone, until the new Lok Sabha meets |
Why have a Rajya Sabha at all? (Mains)
- Federal chamber: represents the states and guards their interests (Arts 249, 312 need its consent).
- Revising chamber: checks hasty legislation passed in the heat of the moment.
- Expertise: nominated members bring experience from outside electoral politics.
- Continuity: as a permanent House it provides continuity when the Lok Sabha is dissolved.
Criticisms: unequal representation by population weakens its federal character; the 2003 removal of domicile lets parties field non-residents; it can stall the elected House on ordinary bills. Note that the Constitution lets states create or abolish their own Legislative Councils (Art 169), but the Rajya Sabha is permanent.
New Parliament Building (dated facts)
- Inaugurated on 28 May 2023; Parliament began sitting there during the special session of September 2023.
- The new Lok Sabha chamber seats 888, the Rajya Sabha chamber 384; the Lok Sabha chamber can hold about 1,272 for a joint sitting.
- The old building (designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, opened 1927) has been renamed Samvidhan Sadan.
Memory Tricks
Numbers that travel together
- “550 / 250”: maximum strength of Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha. “543 / 245”: present strength.
- “25 sits, 30 thinks”: minimum age 25 for the Lok Sabha (the House that sits in power), 30 for the Rajya Sabha (the House of elders).
- “LASS” for the four fields of nominated Rajya Sabha members: Literature, Art, Science, Social service.
- Special powers of the Rajya Sabha: “249 laws, 312 services, 67 removes the Vice”.
- Chhattisgarh: “11 go to Delhi by your vote, 5 go by your MLAs’ vote.”
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Prorogation — President ends a session; bills survive | vs | Dissolution — President ends the Lok Sabha; some bills lapse |
| Speaker resigns to the Deputy Speaker; can vote in first instance on own removal | vs | Chairman (VP) resigns to the President; cannot vote at all on own removal |
| Art 102(1) disqualification decided by the President on the EC’s opinion | vs | Defection decided by the Speaker/Chairman, subject to judicial review |
| Art 249 — Rajya Sabha, State List, national interest, 1 year | vs | Art 250 — National Emergency; no resolution needed |
| Lok Sabha maximum 550 (after 104th Amendment) | vs | Old figure 552 (with 2 Anglo-Indians), now outdated |
| Rajya Sabha term 6 years — by the RP Act | vs | Lok Sabha term 5 years — by the Constitution (Art 83(2)) |
Common Mistakes
MCQ traps
- “The Rajya Sabha is dissolved every six years.” False. It is a permanent House; one-third of its members retire every second year.
- “The Vice-President is a member of the Rajya Sabha.” False. He is its ex officio Chairman but not a member.
- “Sports is one of the fields for nomination under Art 80(3).” False. The four fields are literature, science, art and social service.
- “The Lok Sabha can have 552 members.” Outdated. Since the 104th Amendment ended Anglo-Indian nomination (effective 25 January 2020), the maximum is 550.
- “Seats in the Rajya Sabha are equal for every state.” False. They are allocated by population in the Fourth Schedule (Uttar Pradesh 31, Chhattisgarh 5).
- “Parliament must meet at least three times a year.” False. The rule is a maximum gap of six months, so at least twice; three sessions are a convention.
Practice
All questions below are original practice questions written in CGPSC style. They are not previous-year questions.
Level 1: Foundation
- Under Article 80(3), nominated members of the Rajya Sabha must have special knowledge of literature, science, art and ______.
- A resolution to remove the Speaker needs ______ days’ notice.
- The minimum age to become a member of the Rajya Sabha is ______ years.
- Chhattisgarh’s only Lok Sabha seat reserved for Scheduled Castes is ______.
Answers
- Social service.
- 14 days.
- 30 years.
- Janjgir-Champa.
Level 2: Prelims MCQs
Q1. Consider the following statements about the Rajya Sabha:
- It is not subject to dissolution, and one-third of its members retire every second year.
- The six-year term of its members is fixed by Article 83 of the Constitution.
- Its members are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies by proportional representation through the single transferable vote.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 1 and 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
(b) 1 and 3 only. Article 83(1) makes the Rajya Sabha permanent with one-third retiring every second year, and Article 80(4) prescribes election by elected MLAs through STV. Statement 2 is the trap: the Constitution does not fix the six-year term; the Representation of the People Act, 1951 does.
Q2. Match List I (Article) with List II (Subject):
| List I | List II |
|---|---|
| A. Article 85 | 1. Powers and privileges of Houses of Parliament |
| B. Article 93 | 2. Sessions, prorogation and dissolution |
| C. Article 105 | 3. Rajya Sabha resolution for laws on State List matters |
| D. Article 249 | 4. Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the People |
- (a) A-2, B-1, C-4, D-3
- (b) A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
- (c) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- (d) A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
Answer and explanation
(c) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3. Art 85 deals with sessions (gap of no more than six months); Art 93 with the Speaker and Deputy Speaker; Art 105 with privileges; Art 249 with the Rajya Sabha’s power to let Parliament legislate on a State List subject in the national interest.
Q3. Which one of the following is an exclusive power of the Rajya Sabha?
- (a) Introducing a Money Bill
- (b) Passing a no-confidence motion against the Council of Ministers
- (c) Authorising Parliament to create a new All-India Service
- (d) Approving a proclamation of National Emergency
Answer and explanation
(c). Under Article 312, a Rajya Sabha resolution supported by two-thirds of members present and voting is needed before Parliament can create a new All-India Service. Money Bills and no-confidence motions belong to the Lok Sabha. Emergency proclamations are approved by both Houses; the Rajya Sabha alone suffices only when the Lok Sabha stands dissolved.
Q4. A member of the Lok Sabha is alleged to have accepted an office of profit under the state government. Who decides whether the member is disqualified?
- (a) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
- (b) The Election Commission, whose decision is final
- (c) The President, acting on the opinion of the Election Commission
- (d) The Supreme Court under Article 32
Answer and explanation
(c). Under Article 103, questions of disqualification under Art 102(1), including office of profit, are decided by the President, whose decision is final, but who must obtain and act on the Election Commission’s opinion. The Speaker decides only defection cases under the Tenth Schedule.
Q5. Consider the following statements:
- The Speaker of the Lok Sabha vacates office as soon as the Lok Sabha is dissolved.
- The Vice-President, as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, cannot vote at all on a resolution for his own removal.
- A pro tem Speaker is a constitutional office created by Article 95.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- (a) 2 only
- (b) 1 and 2 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1 and 3 only
Answer and explanation
(a) 2 only. The Speaker continues until immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha, so statement 1 is wrong. Article 92 bars the Chairman from voting at all on his own removal, so statement 2 is right. The pro tem Speaker is a convention; Article 95 deals with the Deputy Speaker acting when the Speaker’s office is vacant.
Level 3: Mains Answer Writing
Q1. (150–200 words) “The Rajya Sabha is a federal chamber only in name.” Critically examine.
Model answer outline
- Intro: Article 80 creates the Council of States to represent the states in Parliament; it is a permanent House elected indirectly by MLAs.
- Federal features: election by state Assemblies through STV; exclusive powers under Arts 249 and 312; equal say on Constitution Amendment Bills, including those needing ratification by states; continuity when the Lok Sabha is dissolved.
- Why critics call it nominal: representation by population, not equality (UP 31, Chhattisgarh 5); 2003 removal of the domicile requirement and open ballot make members answerable to parties rather than states; members vote on party lines, not state lines; weak role on Money Bills and the budget.
- Chhattisgarh angle: the state’s 5 members are chosen by its 90 MLAs; whether they raise state issues such as mineral royalty or Fifth Schedule concerns depends more on party than on state.
- Way forward: more weightage to smaller states, restoring a residence link, a stronger role for the Inter-State Council alongside the House.
- Conclusion: it is a revising and continuity chamber with limited but real federal powers, not a mere copy of the Lok Sabha.
Q2. (60–80 words) Why is the impartiality of the Speaker vital to parliamentary democracy?
Model answer outline
- The Speaker certifies Money Bills, decides defection cases and controls debate, so a partisan Speaker can bypass the Rajya Sabha or protect defectors.
- Impartiality protects the opposition’s voice and the legitimacy of laws.
- Courts review Tenth Schedule decisions (Kihoto Hollohan, 1992) because the office has sometimes been seen as partisan.
- Conclusion: like the British Speaker, the office should rise above party.
Quick Revision Table
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Art 79 | Parliament = President + Rajya Sabha + Lok Sabha |
| Lok Sabha maximum / present | 550 (530 + 20) / 543 (as of 2026) |
| Rajya Sabha maximum / present | 250 (238 + 12) / 245 (233 + 12) |
| Anglo-Indian nomination | Ended by 104th Amendment (2019; effective 25 Jan 2020) |
| Delimitation freeze | 1971 Census till first census after 2026 (84th Amendment, 2001) |
| 131st Amendment Bill, 2026 | Sought Lok Sabha of 850; defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 (298–230) |
| Women’s reservation | 106th Amendment (2023); one-third; after post-census delimitation |
| Minimum age | Lok Sabha 25; Rajya Sabha 30 |
| Sessions | Gap not more than six months (Art 85) |
| Quorum | One-tenth of total members (Art 100) |
| Absence | 60 days without permission (Art 101(4)) |
| Speaker removal | Effective majority, 14 days’ notice (Art 94) |
| Speaker / Deputy Speaker (Oct 2026) | Om Birla / vacant |
| Chairman / Deputy Chairman (Oct 2026) | C.P. Radhakrishnan / Harivansh |
| Anti-defection | 52nd (1985); 91st (2003) removed split, merger needs 2/3 |
| Rajya Sabha exclusive powers | Arts 249, 312, 67(b) |
| Chhattisgarh | 11 Lok Sabha (4 ST, 1 SC), 5 Rajya Sabha |
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Parliament = President + two Houses (Art 79). The Lok Sabha is directly elected (maximum 550, present 543); the Rajya Sabha is indirectly elected by MLAs through STV (maximum 250, present 245).
- The Rajya Sabha is permanent; the Lok Sabha lasts five years unless dissolved.
- The Speaker’s three decisive powers: certifying Money Bills, presiding over joint sittings, deciding defection cases.
- The Rajya Sabha is weaker on money and confidence but equal on constitutional amendments, and has exclusive powers under Arts 249, 312 and 67(b).
- Date your current facts: the Deputy Speaker’s post vacant and the 131st Amendment Bill defeated (both as of 2026).
What’s Next
- Legislative Procedure — how a bill becomes law, Money Bills and joint sittings
- Budget and Parliamentary Devices — how Parliament controls money and the executive
- State Government — the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha mirrors many of these rules
- Centre–State Relations — Art 249 and the legislative lists in full
Advertisement