Indian Polity: Parliament of India — Complete Guide

The Parliament of India is one of the most heavily tested polity topics in Kerala PSC. Questions cover composition, sessions, legislative process, types of bills, committees, and parliamentary privileges. Expect 3-5 questions per paper.

Structure of Parliament (Article 79)

Parliament consists of the President and two Houses: Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and Lok Sabha (House of the People).

Rajya Sabha (Council of States)

Feature	Details
Maximum strength	250 (238 elected + 12 nominated)
Current strength	245 (233 elected + 12 nominated)
Elected by	Members of State Legislative Assemblies (through single transferable vote, proportional representation)
Nominated by	President — 12 members with special knowledge/experience in literature, science, art, social service
Term	6 years; one-third retire every 2 years
Minimum age	30 years
Chairman	Vice President of India (ex-officio)
Deputy Chairman	Elected from among Rajya Sabha members
Not subject to dissolution	Permanent body — never dissolved
Quorum	One-tenth of total membership (25 members)

Lok Sabha (House of the People)

Feature	Details
Maximum strength	552 (530 states + 20 UTs + 2 nominated Anglo-Indians — now lapsed)
Current strength	543 (530 states + 13 UTs)
Elected by	Direct election by people on basis of universal adult suffrage
Nominated	2 Anglo-Indian members (Article 331) — this provision lapsed in 2020 (104th Amendment)
Term	5 years (can be dissolved earlier; extended during Emergency by 1 year at a time)
Minimum age	25 years
Speaker	Elected from among Lok Sabha members; presides over sessions
Deputy Speaker	Elected from among members
Quorum	One-tenth of total membership (55 members)

Speaker of Lok Sabha

Fact	Details
Elected by	Members of Lok Sabha from among themselves
Removal	By resolution passed by effective majority (majority of then members) with 14 days advance notice
Casting vote	Votes only in case of tie (does not vote in first instance)
Joint sitting	Speaker presides over joint sitting of both Houses
Resignation	Submits to Deputy Speaker
Pro-tem Speaker	Senior-most member; administers oath to new members; presides until Speaker elected
First Speaker	G.V. Mavalankar (1952-1956)
First woman Speaker	Meira Kumar (2009-2014)

Sessions of Parliament

Session	Typical Period	Details
Budget Session	February-May	Longest session; divided into two parts with recess
Monsoon Session	July-August	Second session
Winter Session	November-December	Shortest session

Key Rules	Details
Gap between sessions	Cannot exceed 6 months (Article 85)
Summoning	President summons each House
Prorogation	President prorogues the session (ends session)
Adjournment	Presiding officer (Speaker/Chairman) adjourns sitting (temporary break)
Adjournment sine die	Indefinite adjournment by presiding officer

Legislative Process — Types of Bills

Type	Details
Ordinary Bill	On any subject in Union/Concurrent list; can be introduced in either House; passed by simple majority
Money Bill (Art. 110)	Deals with taxation, borrowing, Consolidated Fund, etc.; can ONLY be introduced in Lok Sabha; Speaker certifies; Rajya Sabha can only recommend (14 days), Lok Sabha may accept or reject recommendations
Financial Bill (Art. 117)	Deals with fiscal matters but does not qualify as Money Bill; two types — Type I (introduced only in LS with President’s recommendation) and Type II (no such restriction)
Constitution Amendment Bill (Art. 368)	To amend Constitution; can be introduced in either House; needs special majority (2/3 of members present and voting + majority of total membership) in each House separately; certain amendments also need ratification by half the states
Ordinance Replacing Bill	To replace an ordinance; must be passed within 6 weeks of reassembly

How a Bill Becomes Law

Stage	Details
First Reading	Introduction of Bill; no debate; title and objectives read
Second Reading	General discussion; clause-by-clause consideration; amendments moved
Committee Stage	Bill referred to Select Committee / Standing Committee (optional)
Third Reading	Final debate; voting on the Bill as a whole
Other House	Same process in second House
President’s Assent	(a) Gives assent — Bill becomes Act; (b) Withholds assent; (c) Returns for reconsideration (not Money Bill) — if passed again, President must give assent

Joint Sitting (Article 108)

Fact	Details
Called by	President
Presided by	Speaker of Lok Sabha
When	Deadlock between two Houses on an Ordinary Bill (one House rejects / does not pass within 6 months / disagrees on amendments)
Not applicable to	Money Bills and Constitution Amendment Bills
Decided by	Simple majority of total members present and voting
Instances	Only 3 times: Dowry Prohibition Bill (1961), Banking Service Commission Bill (1978), POTA (2002)

Parliamentary Committees

Standing Committees

Committee	Members	Function
Public Accounts Committee (PAC)	22 (15 LS + 7 RS)	Examines CAG reports on government expenditure; Chairman is from Opposition
Estimates Committee	30 (all from Lok Sabha)	Examines budget estimates; suggests economies; Chairman from ruling party
Committee on Public Undertakings	22 (15 LS + 7 RS)	Examines reports of public sector enterprises
Departmentally Related Standing Committees	24 committees (31 members each: 21 LS + 10 RS)	Examine demands for grants, bills, policies of ministries
Business Advisory Committee	LS: 15 members; RS: 11 members	Regulates programme and time-table of House
Committee on Privileges	LS: 15; RS: 10	Examines breach of privilege cases
Rules Committee	LS: 15; RS: 16	Considers procedural rules

Key Facts About Committees

Fact	Detail
PAC Chairman	Always from Opposition (convention since 1967)
PAC established	1921 (under Government of India Act, 1919)
Estimates Committee	Largest parliamentary committee; all from Lok Sabha; called “continuous economy committee”
No minister	Ministers cannot be members of parliamentary committees

Parliamentary Privileges (Articles 105, 194)

Privilege	Details
Freedom of speech	Members cannot be sued in court for anything said in Parliament (Article 105(2))
Freedom from arrest	Civil cases only (not criminal); during session + 40 days before and after
Right to publish proceedings	Reports, papers, votes published under authority of House cannot be questioned in court
Right to exclude strangers	House can hold secret sitting
Right to punish for contempt/breach	Can reprimand, suspend, imprison for breach of privilege
Collective privileges	Right to publish reports, exclude strangers, punish members/outsiders, regulate internal affairs

Budget (Annual Financial Statement — Article 112)

Stage	Details
Presentation	Finance Minister presents in Lok Sabha (1 February since 2017; earlier last working day of February)
General Discussion	Discussion on budget as whole; no voting
Departmental Committees	Examine demands for grants of ministries
Voting on Demands	Only in Lok Sabha; cut motions moved here
Appropriation Bill	Authorises government to withdraw money from Consolidated Fund
Finance Bill	Contains taxation proposals; must be passed within 75 days of introduction

Types of Cut Motions

Cut Motion	Purpose	Amount Left
Disapproval of Policy Cut	Demand reduced to Re. 1 — disapproves entire policy	Re. 1
Economy Cut	Demand reduced by specified amount — economy in expenditure	Reduced amount
Token Cut	Demand reduced by Rs. 100 — raises specific grievance	Amount minus Rs. 100

Types of Motions in Parliament

Motion	Details
No-Confidence Motion	Against Council of Ministers; only in Lok Sabha; needs 50 members to admit; if passed, government must resign
Censure Motion	Against individual minister or group; only in Lok Sabha; specific charges needed; even if passed, government need not resign
Adjournment Motion	To discuss urgent public matter; only in Lok Sabha; needs 50 members support
Calling Attention Motion	Indian innovation (1954); to draw minister’s attention to urgent matter
Short Duration Discussion	Half-an-hour discussion; no voting
Privilege Motion	Against breach of privilege of House/member

Important Articles Related to Parliament

Article	Subject
79	Constitution of Parliament
80	Composition of Rajya Sabha
81	Composition of Lok Sabha
83	Duration of Houses
85	Sessions, prorogation, dissolution
100	Quorum and voting
105	Privileges of Parliament
108	Joint sitting
110	Definition of Money Bill
112	Annual Financial Statement (Budget)
123	Ordinance-making power of President

Quick Recall — PSC Favourites

Question	Answer
Maximum strength of Lok Sabha?	552
Maximum strength of Rajya Sabha?	250
Minimum age for Lok Sabha?	25 years
Minimum age for Rajya Sabha?	30 years
Who presides over Rajya Sabha?	Vice President (as Chairman)
Joint sitting presided by?	Speaker of Lok Sabha
Money Bill introduced in?	Lok Sabha only
Who certifies Money Bill?	Speaker
PAC Chairman from?	Opposition party
Quorum of each House?	One-tenth of total membership
Gap between sessions cannot exceed?	6 months
First Lok Sabha Speaker?	G.V. Mavalankar
Joint sitting held how many times?	3 times
Budget presented on?	1 February (since 2017)
No-confidence motion in?	Lok Sabha only
Anglo-Indian nomination lapsed in?	2020 (104th Amendment Act, 2019)

Related Notes

Hub: Indian Polity — Complete Guide for Kerala PSC

More on Parliament — The Legislature:

• Anti Defection Law

Practice this topic: Parliament & Judiciary Quiz