Parliament GK

By – Indo Pathshala
Contact Number – 9123206137
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Composition

• Parliament of India consists of three parts -the President, the Council of States (Rajya
sabha) and the House of the People (Lok sabha).
• Parliament must meet at least twice a year and not more than six months shall elapse
between two sessions of parliament.
• The Parliament House building was designed by both Lutyens and Baker.
• Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by Edwin Lutyens.

Features Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha

Composition • Article 81: Total membership to • Maximum - 250 members
be not more than 550 (530 + • 238 are to be representatives
20) of states and union territories
• 530 - direct election from elected indirectly
territorial constituencies in the • Representative of each state
States are elected by the elected
• 20 chosen in such manner as members of legislative
Parliament may by law provide assembly of the state .(STV)
for the representation of Union • 12 nominated by the President.
territories.
• Note: The 104th Constitutional
Amendment Act removed the
reservation of 2 seats for the
Anglo-Indian community in the
Lok Sabha.
• 84 seats are reserved for
Scheduled Castes and 47 seats
for the Scheduled Tribes .

Duration and • Article 83(2): The Lok Sabha • The Rajya Sabha did not
dissolution shall continue for five years . dissolve, but 1/3 of the
• Period can be extended during members shall retire on the
national emergency by expiration of every second year.
Parliament for one year at a • The power to adjourn daily
time for any length of time and sitting lies in the hands of
not extending in any case chairman .
beyond a period of six months • Bill pending in the Rajya
after the proclamation has Sabha which has not yet been
ceased to operate. passed by the Lok Sabha shall
• President on the advice of the not lapse on dissolution
Prime Minister dissolve it
before the expiry of five years.
• On dissolution of Lok Sabha, all
matters pending before the
house lapse if these matters
have to be pursued they must
 be re-introduced in the next
house after the fresh session.

Qualifications • A citizen of India. • A citizen of India.

of members • Should be not less than 25 • Should not be less than 30
(Article 84) years of age. years of age.

Vacation of seat Disqualification: If subject to any disqualification specified in the

constitution or representation of peoples act or on the grounds of
defection under the tenth schedule.

• Resignation: A member may resign by writing to the presiding officer

of the house.
• Absence: If absent for all the meetings for 60 days without permission
the seat falls vacant.
• Other cases:
o If election is declared void by the court.
o If expelled by the house.
o If elected to the office of President.
o If appointed to the office of Governor.

Presiding • Article 93: Lok Sabha shall • Article 89(2): Rajya Sabha shall
officers choose the Speaker and Deputy choose a member of the council
Speaker. to be Deputy Chairman and, so
• often as the office becomes
vacant, the council shall choose
another member to be Deputy
Chairman.
• The Chairman can only be
removed from his office by a
resolution passed by a majority
of all the then members of
Rajya Sabha and agreed to by
the Lok Sabha.
• The Deputy Chairman can be
removed by a majority of all the
then members of Rajya Sabha.

Speaker and Deputy speaker of Lok Sabha

• Speaker: The presiding officer of Lok Sabha is the Speaker.

o He remains in office even after Lok Sabha is dissolved till the next House elects
a new Speaker.
• The salary and allowances of the speaker are charged to the consolidated fund of India.
• The resolution to remove the speaker cannot be moved unless at least 14 days notice
has been given of the intention to move the resolution
 • Speaker cannot put in the first instance but can exercise a casting vote in case of
equality of votes
• The speaker presides over a joint sitting of the two houses of parliament (Article 118
(4))
• When a money bill is transmitted from Lok Sabha to Rajya Sabha the speaker certifies
that it is a money bill. (Article 110 (4))
• Deputy speaker: In the absence of the speaker, a Deputy Speaker presides over the
meetings.
• Speaker and the Deputy Speaker can be removed from office by a resolution of Lok
Sabha passed by a majority of all the then members of the House.

Lok Sabha Speakers:

Tenure Speakers

1952-1956 Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar

1956-1962 M Ananthasayanam Ayyangar

1962-1967 Hukam Singh

1967-1969 Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (Resigned)

1969-1975 Gurdial Singh Dhillon

1976-1977 Bali Ram Bhagat

1977-1977 Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (Resigned)

1977-1980 KS Hegde

1980-1989 Bairam Jakhar

1989-1991 Rabi Ray

1991-1996 Shivraj V Patil

1996-1998 PA Sangma

1998-2002 GMC Balayogi (Died)

2002-2004 Manohar Gajanan Joshi

2004-2009 Somnath Chatterjee

2009-2014 Ms Meira Kumar

 2014-2019 Ms Sumitra Mahajan

2019-Till Date Om Birla (As of June, 2023)

• First Lok Sabha elections were held from 25th October 1951 to 21st February 1952
the elections were conducted for 489 seats
• The first meeting of Lok Sabha took place on 13th May 1952.
• JV Mavlankar became the first speaker of Lok Sabha.
In 1954 no-confidence motion was brought against the first speaker of Lok Sabha
which was rejected by Lok Sabha.
• Madabhushi Ananthasayanam Ayyangar (4 February 1891 – 19 March 1978) was the
first Deputy Speaker and then Speaker of the Lok Sabha in the Indian Parliament.
• The first woman speaker of Lok Sabha was Meira Kumar.
• Speaker of the present Lok Sabha is Om Birla.

Chairman and deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha

• The Vice President of India shall be ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States Article
89(1).
• The chairman may be removed from his office only if he is removed from the office of
vice president
• A money bill cannot be introduced in the Rajya Sabha and Rajya Sabha has no power
to reject or amend a money bill.
• The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha and not to the Rajya Sabha

Terminology associated with Parliament

 • Whip: Each political party, whether in power or in opposition, designates its whip to
serve as an assistant floor leader. Members of parties are anticipated to adhere to the
instructions provided by the whip
▪ Question Hour: Typically, the first hour of a Lok Sabha sitting, dedicated to questions,
is known as the Question Hour. Members exercise their right to ask questions on
various administrative and governmental aspects. There are three types of questions:
▪ Starred Question: Requires an oral answer in the House, marked by an asterisk. Allows
for supplementary questions, limited to 20 per day.
▪ Unstarred Question: This does not demand an oral answer, and no supplementary
questions can follow. Answered in writing and deemed laid on the table after the
Question Hour.
▪ Short Notice Question: Pertains to urgent public matters and can be asked with less
than one day’s notice, receiving an oral answer and supplementary questions.
▪ Short Duration Discussion: Established in 1953, this convention, later incorporated
into procedural rules, allows members to discuss urgent public matters.

Types of Bills in Parliament

Money Bill:
▪ Introduced only in Lok Sabha.
▪ Can’t be amended by the Rajya Sabha, but recommendations are allowed.
▪ If Lok Sabha accepts Rajya Sabha’s recommendations, it’s considered passed by
both.
▪ If not returned within 14 days, it’s deemed passed by both Houses.
▪ Needs the President’s prior permission.
▪ Speaker’s certification is required.
 ▪ Sent to the President after passing both Houses. The president can call a joint meeting
if there’s disagreement.
▪ Can be stopped by Rajya Sabha for a maximum of 14 days.
▪ The president cannot return it for reconsideration.
Ordinary Bill:
▪ Can be introduced in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.
▪ Introduced by a minister or private member with prior notice.
▪ Can be replaced only by a minister.
▪ Covers matters outside Money Bill criteria.
▪ The decision of whether it’s a Money Bill rests with the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Financial Bill:
▪ Not exclusive to matters listed in Article 110(1) (a) to (g) of the Constitution.
▪ Divided into two categories based on provisions.
▪ First category contains provisions under Article 110(1) (a) to (f) and categorized as
Financial Bills under Article 117(1).

Constitution Amendment Bills

▪ Can be introduced in either House.
▪ Those affecting vital issues outlined in Article 365(2) require ratification by not less
than one-half of the State Legislatures after passing both Houses.While the motion for
introduction needs a simple majority, effective clauses and motions for consideration
and passing demand a majority of the total membership and not less than two-thirds of
members present and voting.
▪ Upon passage in both Houses, bills are presented to the President for assent.
▪ The President may give or withhold assent to a Money Bill, and once assented, it
cannot be returned for reconsideration.
▪ For Constitution Amendment Bills passed by the prescribed special majority and
ratified by the required number of State Legislatures, the President is obligated to give
assent.

New Parliament Building

• The New Parliament Building was
constructed by Tata Projects Ltd.
• As part of India’s ambitious Central
Vista Redevelopment Project, a brand-
new parliament building has been
meticulously constructed in New Delhi.
• It is popularly believed that the
circular shape of the Chausath Yogini
temple at Mitawli village in Madhya
Pradesh’s Morena inspired the Council
House design.
 • This momentous structure was officially inaugurated on May 28, 2023, in a ceremony led
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The new building includes a larger Lok Sabha Hall with a capacity of up to 888 seats and
a larger Rajya Sabha Hall with up to 384 seats.
• Joint sessions of Parliament can now accommodate up to 1,272 seats, facilitating
inclusive and robust democratic proceedings.
• The credit for designing the New Parliament House goes to Ahmedabad-based HCP
Design, Planning, and Management, under the leadership of architect Bimal Patel.
• It will boast six entrances

1. Gaja (Elephant): Symbolizing knowledge, riches, intellect, and memory, it guards the
ceremonial north entrance, associated with greater intellect according to vaastu shastra.
2. Ashva (Horse): A symbol of endurance, strength, power, and governance caliber, it stands
sentinel at the southern gate.
3. Garuda (Eagle): Representing the people’s aspirations, it soars above the eastern
entrance, aligning with the rising sun symbolizing victory.
4. Swans: Situated at the northeastern entrance, swans signify judgment and wisdom.
5. Makara: A mythical aquatic creature embodying unity in diversity.
6. Shardula: A mythical creature symbolizing the strength of the nation’s people,
considered the most powerful living being.

• The historical sceptre known as sengol from Tamil Nadu, which symbolized the transfer
of power from the British and was once displayed in a museum in Allahabad, found its
new home in the New Parliament Building.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally installed ‘Sengol’ on May 28, 2023.

Practise Questions

Q1 What is the minimum age for a person to seek elections to Lok Sabha? 25 years
Q2 What is the minimum age for a member of the parliament? 25 years
Q3 state-wise seat allocation in Lok Sabha is based on? Population
Q4 Presently the number of seats of each state in Lok Sabha is allotted based on? 1971
census
Q5 The strength of seats in Lok Sabha was increased from 525 to 545 through which
amendment ?31st
Q6 Maximum number of members in Lok Sabha can be? 550
Q7 how many seats are reserved for SC in Lok Sabha? 84
Q8 Which state has the largest representation in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha? Uttar Pradesh
Q9 Speaker of Lok Sabha addresses his letter of resignation to? Deputy speaker of Lok Sabha
Q10 Who was the first speaker of Lok Sabha? Mavlankar
Q11 What is the fixed strength of the Rajya Sabha? 250
Q12 Which bill cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha? Money Bill
Q13 Who is the ex-officio chairman of Rajya Sabha? Vice President
Q14 In which year was Rajya Sabha constituted for the first time? 1952
Q15 Who presides over the joint sitting of both houses? Speaker