A condensed summary of this chapter for last-minute revision: the two Houses side by side, Parliament’s eight functions, key numbers, and every definition in one place. The full notes are available separately for detailed reading.
1 Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha, at a Glance
| Basis | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
| Other name | House of the People | Council of States |
| Election | direct, by the people | indirect, by MLAs |
| Term | 5 years, can dissolve earlier | members serve 6 years, House never dissolved |
| Seats | 543 constituencies | varies by State (Fourth Schedule) |
| Nominated members | none | 12, by the President |
| Money bill | can be introduced only here | can neither introduce nor reject |
| Council of Ministers responsible to | the Lok Sabha | not responsible to it |
1.1 Every Number Worth Remembering
543Lok Sabha constituencies, unchanged since the 1971 census
6States with a bicameral legislature
12Rajya Sabha nominated members
14days for Rajya Sabha to act on a money bill
20+standing committees, since 1983
198552nd Amendment, the anti-defection law
2 Parliament’s Eight Functions
All Eight, One Line Each
Legislativeenacts law, though the bureaucracy drafts and the Cabinet decides substance and timing
Control of Executiveperhaps the most vital function, keeping the government accountable
Financialapproves taxation, budget, annual financial statements
Representationvoices divergent regional, social, economic, religious groups
Debatingthe highest forum of debate, no limit on discussion
Constituentamends the Constitution, needs a special majority of both Houses
Electoralelects the President and Vice President
Judicialconsiders proposals to remove the President, VP, and Judges
3 Rajya Sabha’s Special Power, and What Only the Lok Sabha Can Do
3.1 One Power Each House Alone Holds
Rajya Sabha alone
- Approval needed to move a State List subject to the Union/Concurrent List
- Can alone initiate the removal of the Vice President
Lok Sabha alone
- A money bill can be introduced only here, and the Lok Sabha has the final say on it (the Rajya Sabha can only suggest changes, not reject it)
- Passes the no-confidence motion that removes a government
In everything else, non-money bills, constitutional amendments, impeaching the President, removing the Vice President, the two Houses are co-equal.
4 Definitions, Exactly as They Should Be Written
All Definitions in One Place
Legislatureorgan of elected representatives that makes laws and holds the executive accountable
Bicameral / unicamerala legislature with two Houses / with only one House
Permanent Housenever fully dissolved, because members do not all retire together (the Rajya Sabha)
Constituencya territorial part of roughly equal population from which one representative is elected
Special majoritymajority of total membership + at least two-thirds of those present and voting
Union / State / Concurrent Listonly Parliament / only State legislature / both can legislate
ImpeachmentParliament’s procedure to remove the President for violating the Constitution
Billa draft of a proposed law, not yet law
Parliamentary privilegeno legal action for anything said in the legislature; presiding officer’s decision on breach is final
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)examines all government expenditure and reports to Parliament
No-confidence motionLok Sabha motion; if passed, the entire Council of Ministers resigns
Defectionstaying absent against party orders, voting against party instructions, or voluntarily leaving party membership
5 Named Facts Worth Remembering
5.1 Quotes
Who Said What
Purnima BanerjiUpper House as a revising body, “its views may count but not its votes” (CAD, Vol. IX, p. 33, 30 July 1949)
N.V. Gadgilrestrictions only on procedure, none on the substance or sovereignty of the legislature (CAD, Vol. XI, p. 659, 18 November 1949)
5.2 Case Examples the Book Itself Gives
Government Forced to Give Way
2002 fertilizer prices28 Feb budget hike rolled back by 11 March under opposition pressure
1998 urea/petroleum hikeLok Sabha walkout forced Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha to roll it back
1983 Assam debateLok Sabha unanimously suspended business to debate Assam
1977 and 2000Janata Party and NDA had Lok Sabha majority, not Rajya Sabha majority
Lok Pal Bill / POTA 2002Lok Pal Bill failed enactment; POTA rejected by the Rajya Sabha
5.3 Germany’s Bicameral System
Bundestag (Federal Assembly, 4-year term) and Bundesrat (Federal Council, 69 seats across 16 federal states). Bundesrat members are appointed by state governments, not elected, vote as a state bloc, and can veto concurrent-power legislation.
Final Recap
- The legislature makes laws and holds the executive accountable, this second function is what representative democracy is really built on
- India’s Parliament is bicameral, but only 6 States currently have two Houses
- The Rajya Sabha is the States’ indirectly elected permanent House; the Lok Sabha is the people’s directly elected House with a 5-year term
- Only the Lok Sabha controls money bills and can remove the government, everything else is shared equally
- A bill passes through introduction, committee, voting, a possible Joint Session, and the President’s assent
- Four instruments of control: debate, approval of laws, financial control, no-confidence motion
- Over twenty standing committees since 1983 do the real scrutiny, hence “miniature legislatures”
- The 1985 anti-defection law did not stop defections, but it did increase party leaders’ power over members
More for this chapter