- Under Article 79, Parliament consists of the President, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
- The Lok Sabha (House of the People) is directly elected; the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is elected indirectly by state legislatures.
- Money Bills, no-confidence motions and the Council of Ministers' collective responsibility (Article 75(3)) all centre on the Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha
| Feature | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
| Article | 81 | 80 |
| Maximum strength | 550 elected (530 states + 20 UTs) | 250 (238 elected + 12 nominated) |
| Present strength | 543 | 245 (233 + 12) |
| Term | 5 years (can be dissolved) | Permanent; one-third retire every two years; members serve 6 years |
| Minimum age | 25 years | 30 years |
| Presiding officer | Speaker (elected by members) | Vice-President (ex-officio Chairman) |
The two nominated Anglo-Indian seats in the Lok Sabha were discontinued by the 104th Amendment (2019). The 12 nominated Rajya Sabha members have special knowledge of literature, science, art and social service.
Types of Bills
- Ordinary Bill — can start in either House; a deadlock can be resolved by a joint sitting.
- Money Bill (Article 110) — introduced only in the Lok Sabha with the President's recommendation; the Speaker certifies it; the Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations within 14 days.
- Financial Bill (Article 117) — deals with finance but is not purely a Money Bill.
- Constitutional Amendment Bill (Article 368) — needs a special majority in each House; no joint sitting is allowed.
ParliamentArt 79
Money BillArt 110
Joint sittingArt 108
Max gap between sessions6 months (Art 85)
Lok Sabha seats543
Joint sittings held3
Joint Sitting (Article 108)
The President summons a joint sitting when the Houses disagree on an ordinary or financial bill. The Speaker presides. It is not available for Money Bills or Constitutional Amendment Bills. Joint sittings have been held only three times: the Dowry Prohibition Bill (1961), the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill (1978) and the Prevention of Terrorism Bill (2002).
Sessions & Devices
- Article 85: the gap between two sessions cannot exceed six months. By convention there are three sessions — Budget, Monsoon and Winter.
- Question Hour — usually the first hour of a sitting.
- Zero Hour — an Indian innovation (from 1962), not mentioned in the rules of procedure.
- No-Confidence Motion — moved only in the Lok Sabha; needs the support of 50 members to be admitted.
- Adjournment Motion — draws attention to an urgent matter; only in the Lok Sabha.
Financial Committees
| Committee | Members | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Public Accounts Committee | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS) | Examines CAG reports; chaired by an opposition member by convention since 1967 |
| Estimates Committee | 30 (all Lok Sabha) | Suggests economies in expenditure; called a "continuous economy committee" |
| Committee on Public Undertakings | 22 (15 LS + 7 RS) | Examines reports and accounts of public sector undertakings |
Anti-Defection (Tenth Schedule)
Added by the 52nd Amendment (1985). The presiding officer decides disqualification, subject to judicial review (Kihoto Hollohan, 1992). The 91st Amendment (2003) removed the one-third "split" exception (a merger needs two-thirds of members) and capped the Council of Ministers at 15% of the House.
Q1. Who decides whether a bill is a Money Bill?
✅ Answer: (b) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
💡 Explanation: Under Article 110(3), the Speaker's decision on whether a bill is a Money Bill is final.
Q2. A joint sitting of Parliament is presided over by:
✅ Answer: (c) The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
💡 Explanation: The Speaker presides over joint sittings under Article 108.
Q3. How many members of the Rajya Sabha are nominated by the President?
✅ Answer: (a) 12
💡 Explanation: Twelve members are nominated for their knowledge of literature, science, art and social service.
Q4. Within how many days must the Rajya Sabha return a Money Bill?
✅ Answer: (d) 14 days
💡 Explanation: The Rajya Sabha must return a Money Bill within 14 days, with or without recommendations.
Q5. Which Amendment discontinued the nomination of Anglo-Indian members to the Lok Sabha?
✅ Answer: (b) 104th Amendment
💡 Explanation: The 104th Amendment (2019) ended Anglo-Indian nominations from January 2020.
🔁 Revise in 60 Seconds
- Art 79 Parliament; Art 80 Rajya Sabha; Art 81 Lok Sabha.
- Money Bill Art 110 — Speaker certifies, RS has 14 days.
- Joint sitting Art 108 — Speaker presides; held 1961, 1978, 2002.
- PAC 22 members, Estimates Committee 30 (all LS).
📌 Prelims Traps to Avoid
- ✘ No joint sitting for Money Bills or Constitutional Amendment Bills.
- ✘ The Rajya Sabha is a permanent house; it cannot be dissolved.
- ✘ The Vice-President chairs the Rajya Sabha but is not a member of it.
What is the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha?
Under Article 81, the Lok Sabha can have up to 550 elected members — 530 from states and 20 from Union Territories. Its present strength is 543.
How many joint sittings of Parliament have been held?
Three: on the Dowry Prohibition Bill (1961), the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill (1978) and the Prevention of Terrorism Bill (2002).