Parliament is the supreme law-making body of India and the heart of our democracy. Described in Part V (Articles 79−122) of the Constitution, it has three parts — the President, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. For NDA Polity this chapter is a goldmine of fixed facts: seat numbers, terms, quorum and money-bill rules that repeat year after year.
Why Parliament Matters for NDA
Almost every NDA Polity paper carries 2 to 4 questions on Parliament. They are usually factual — an Article number, a seat count, the term of a House, or who presides over which chamber. Because these facts never change, this is one of the most scoring chapters in the whole syllabus.
Parliament is the body that makes the laws every Indian must follow. It is also the place where the government is held accountable — ministers answer questions, budgets are passed, and a Council of Ministers stays in power only as long as it keeps the confidence of the Lok Sabha. India follows the parliamentary system borrowed from Britain, where the real executive (the Prime Minister and the Cabinet) is drawn from and answerable to the legislature.
For a future officer, understanding Parliament means understanding how the nation is governed: how the defence budget is sanctioned, how laws affecting the armed forces are passed, and how civilian control over the military is maintained.
Parliament is dealt with in Part V of the Constitution, from Article 79 to Article 122. It has three parts: President + Rajya Sabha + Lok Sabha.
The Three Parts of Parliament
Students often forget that the President is a part of Parliament, even though the President never sits inside either House. This is because no bill can become a law without the President’s assent, and Parliament cannot even be summoned without the President.
- President — not a member of either House, but an integral part of Parliament (Article 79).
- Rajya Sabha — the Council of States, the Upper House, a permanent body.
- Lok Sabha — the House of the People, the Lower House, directly elected.
This British-style design, where the head of state is woven into the legislature, is different from the American system where the President is completely separate from Congress. NDA examiners love to test this difference.
If a question asks ‘Which of these is NOT a part of the Indian Parliament?’ and lists the Prime Minister or the Vice President, the answer is the Prime Minister — the President, not the PM, is part of Parliament.
Lok Sabha - The House of the People
The Lok Sabha is the directly elected Lower House. Its members are chosen by the people through universal adult franchise (every citizen aged 18 and above can vote).
- Maximum strength: 552 — up to 530 from states, up to 20 from Union Territories, and earlier 2 nominated Anglo-Indians.
- Present strength: 543 elected members.
- Term: 5 years, but can be dissolved earlier.
- Minimum age to become a member: 25 years.
The 104th Amendment Act (2019) ended the nomination of Anglo-Indian members from January 2020, so today the Lok Sabha has no nominated members. The term can be extended by one year at a time during a National Emergency, but the extension must end within six months after the emergency ends.
The Lok Sabha is the more powerful House in money matters and in deciding the fate of the government, because the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to it alone.
Rajya Sabha - The Council of States
The Rajya Sabha represents the states and Union Territories of India. Its members are indirectly elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies using the system of proportional representation by single transferable vote.
- Maximum strength: 250 — up to 238 representing states and UTs, plus 12 nominated by the President.
- Present strength: 245 members.
- Nominated members: 12, chosen for expertise in literature, science, art and social service.
- Term of a member: 6 years; one-third retire every 2 years.
- Minimum age to become a member: 30 years.
The Rajya Sabha is a permanent House — it is never fully dissolved. This is why it is also called a ‘continuing chamber’. Because one-third of its members retire every second year, fresh members keep flowing in while the House itself lives on.
Do not mix up the numbers. Lok Sabha member term = 5 years (the House’s life), while a Rajya Sabha member term = 6 years. The Rajya Sabha as a body is permanent and is never dissolved.
Presiding Officers - Speaker and Chairman
Each House has officers who run its proceedings, keep order, and decide points of procedure.
Lok Sabha
- The Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha. The Speaker is elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from among themselves.
- The Deputy Speaker assists and takes over when the Speaker is absent.
- The Speaker decides whether a bill is a Money Bill, and this decision is final.
- In a joint sitting of both Houses, it is the Speaker who presides.
Rajya Sabha
- The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
- The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha from among its members.
The Speaker has a casting vote — a vote used only to break a tie. The Speaker does not vote in the first instance, ensuring impartiality.
When a resolution to remove the Speaker is being considered, the Speaker can speak and take part but cannot vote, and does not preside over that particular sitting.
Sessions, Sittings and Quorum
Parliament does not sit all year. It meets in sessions summoned by the President.
The three sessions
- Budget Session — February to May (the longest session).
- Monsoon Session — July to September.
- Winter Session — November to December.
The Constitution says the gap between two sessions must not exceed six months. So Parliament must meet at least twice a year.
Quorum is the minimum number of members needed for the House to do business. It is one-tenth of the total strength of the House, including the presiding officer.
Some terms worth knowing: Prorogation ends a session; Adjournment suspends a sitting for a short time; Adjournment sine die ends a sitting without naming a day to reassemble; and Dissolution ends the very life of the Lok Sabha, forcing fresh elections.
Question Hour, Zero Hour and Motions
Parliament holds the government accountable through several special devices. The NDA exam frequently asks the meaning of these terms.
- Question Hour — the first hour of a sitting, when members ask ministers questions. Answers may be starred (oral) or unstarred (written).
- Zero Hour — an informal device, starting at noon right after Question Hour, where urgent matters are raised without notice. It is an Indian innovation, not mentioned in the rules.
- Adjournment Motion — raised to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance; it involves an element of censure of the government.
- No-Confidence Motion — if passed by the Lok Sabha, the entire Council of Ministers must resign.
- Cut Motion — used to reduce the amount of a demand for grants during budget discussion.
Zero Hour is NOT mentioned in the Constitution or the rules of procedure. Many students wrongly think it is a constitutional device — it is only a parliamentary convention.
How a Bill Becomes Law
A bill is a draft law. It becomes an Act only after passing through both Houses and receiving the President’s assent.
The five stages
- First Reading — the bill is introduced and its title is read.
- Second Reading — the most detailed stage, with general discussion and clause-by-clause examination.
- Committee Stage — the bill may be sent to a committee for close study.
- Third Reading — the House votes to accept or reject the bill as a whole.
- Other House and President — the same process is repeated in the second House, then the bill goes to the President for assent.
Bills are of two main types: an Ordinary Bill (any matter other than financial) and a Money Bill (taxes, borrowing, government spending). If the two Houses disagree on an ordinary bill, the President can call a joint sitting of both Houses, presided over by the Speaker, to break the deadlock.
A joint sitting is provided under Article 108. It is held only for ordinary bills, never for money bills or constitutional amendment bills.
Money Bills and the Special Power of Lok Sabha
Money matters are where the two Houses are most unequal. A Money Bill (Article 110) deals only with taxes, government borrowing, and the Consolidated Fund of India.
- A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, and only on the President’s recommendation.
- The Speaker certifies whether a bill is a Money Bill, and the decision is final.
- The Rajya Sabha can keep a Money Bill for a maximum of 14 days and can only suggest changes; it cannot reject or amend it.
- The Lok Sabha may accept or reject the Rajya Sabha’s suggestions.
This is why people say the Lok Sabha is supreme in financial matters. The Rajya Sabha has only a delaying, advisory role.
Number to memorise: the Rajya Sabha can delay a Money Bill by only 14 days, whereas it can delay an ordinary bill by up to 6 months.
Worked Example - Matching Houses and Numbers
A candidate is asked: ‘The present strength of the Lok Sabha is 543 and that of the Rajya Sabha is 245. What is the quorum needed for each House to transact business?’
So roughly 55 members must be present in the Lok Sabha and about 25 in the Rajya Sabha for valid business. Notice the rule is the same one-tenth for both Houses; only the totals differ. In the exam you usually only need to recall that the quorum is one-tenth — but knowing how to apply it makes you fast and confident.
Common Mistakes and a Previous-Year Question
This chapter is easy to score in, but small slips cost marks. Watch out for these traps.
- Thinking the Prime Minister is part of Parliament — it is the President who is a part of Parliament.
- Confusing the member term (Rajya Sabha = 6 years) with the House term (Lok Sabha = 5 years).
- Believing the Rajya Sabha can reject a Money Bill — it can only delay it 14 days and suggest changes.
- Saying the Vice President presides over a joint sitting — it is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- Assuming Zero Hour is in the Constitution — it is only a convention.
The Vice President is the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, but he is not a member of it. He presides but does not vote except in a tie.
Q. Consider the following statements about the Rajya Sabha: (1) It is a permanent House and is not subject to dissolution. (2) One-third of its members retire every two years. (3) A money bill can be introduced in it with the President’s recommendation. Which of the statements is/are correct?
Answer: Statements (1) and (2) are correct. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and one-third of its members retire every two years. Statement (3) is wrong — a Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, never in the Rajya Sabha. So the correct option is ‘(1) and (2) only’.
Notice how the examiner mixes one true-sounding wrong statement with two correct ones. Always test each statement separately against the rule before choosing.
Quick Revision
- Parliament = President + Rajya Sabha + Lok Sabha (Part V, Articles 79−122).
- Lok Sabha: max 552, present 543, term 5 years, min age 25, directly elected.
- Rajya Sabha: max 250, present 245, member term 6 years, min age 30, permanent House, 12 nominated.
- Speaker presides over Lok Sabha and over joint sittings; Vice President is Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
- Quorum = one-tenth of the House; gap between sessions ≤ 6 months.
- Money Bill: only in Lok Sabha, Speaker certifies, Rajya Sabha can delay only 14 days.
- Zero Hour is an Indian convention, not in the Constitution.
Revise these seven points the night before your exam and you will rarely lose a Parliament question.
Frequently asked questions
Which Articles of the Constitution deal with Parliament?
Parliament is covered in Part V of the Constitution, from Article 79 to Article 122. Article 79 defines its three parts: the President, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
Why is the President considered a part of Parliament?
Although the President never sits in either House, no bill can become law without the President's assent, and Parliament cannot be summoned without the President. Hence the President is an integral part of Parliament under Article 79.
What is the difference between the term of the Lok Sabha and a Rajya Sabha member?
The Lok Sabha (the House itself) has a term of 5 years and can be dissolved. A Rajya Sabha member serves a 6-year term, and the Rajya Sabha as a body is permanent and never dissolved, with one-third of members retiring every two years.
Can the Rajya Sabha reject a Money Bill?
No. A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha can hold it for a maximum of 14 days and may only suggest changes, which the Lok Sabha is free to accept or reject.
Who presides over a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament?
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over a joint sitting, which is held under Article 108 to resolve a deadlock over an ordinary bill. Joint sittings are not used for money bills or constitutional amendment bills.
What is the quorum required for a House of Parliament?
The quorum is one-tenth of the total strength of that House, including the presiding officer. If the quorum is not met, the presiding officer must adjourn the House or suspend the sitting.
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