Polity gave a lot of questions in my papers, and Parliament is the chapter where students lose marks by mixing up two sets of numbers. The fix is simple: never learn Parliament and the State Legislature separately. Learn them side by side in one table, the way they are laid out below.
What this topic covers
Composition
- Parliament (Article 79): the President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha.
- State Legislature (Article 168): the Governor + Legislative Assembly (+ Legislative Council where it exists).
Side by side
| Point | Parliament | State Legislature |
|---|---|---|
| Lower house | Lok Sabha | Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) |
| Upper house | Rajya Sabha | Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council), only in some states |
| Max. strength, lower house | 550 (543 at present) | 500, min. 60 (Article 170) |
| Max. strength, upper house | 250 (238 elected + 12 nominated) | Not more than 1/3 of the Assembly, min. 40 |
| Minimum age, lower house | 25 | 25 |
| Minimum age, upper house | 30 | 30 |
| Term, lower house | 5 years (Article 83) | 5 years (Article 172) |
| Upper house | Permanent; 1/3 retire every 2 years; member's term 6 years | Same pattern |
| Presiding officer, lower house | Speaker | Speaker |
| Presiding officer, upper house | Vice-President (ex-officio Chairman) | Chairman, elected by the Council |
| Money bill | Article 110; only in Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha can hold it 14 days | Article 198; only in Assembly; Council can hold it 14 days |
| Joint sitting | Yes, Article 108, presided by the Speaker | No joint sitting |
| Ordinance | President, Article 123 | Governor, Article 213 |
| Quorum | 1/10 of total members | 1/10 or 10 members, whichever is more |
Upper houses in the states
- Article 169: Parliament creates or abolishes a Legislative Council, on a resolution passed by the state Assembly by a special majority.
- Six states have a Council today: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.
- Punjab abolished its Legislative Council with effect from 1 January 1970. Punjab is unicameral.
Punjab's numbers
- Vidhan Sabha: 117 seats.
- Lok Sabha: 13 seats.
- Rajya Sabha: 7 seats.
Other facts the paper likes
- The 104th Amendment (2019) ended the nomination of two Anglo-Indian members to the Lok Sabha.
- The Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved.
- The Speaker decides whether a bill is a money bill, and that decision is final.
- Zero Hour is an Indian innovation; it isn't mentioned in the Constitution.
How it is asked in the exam
- "Who presides over a joint sitting?" (Speaker.)
- "Minimum age to be a Rajya Sabha member?" (30.)
- "Money bills are defined in which article?" (110.)
- "Which state has a Legislative Council?" (Options with Punjab are a trap.)
- "Number of Lok Sabha seats from Punjab?" (13.)
Points to remember
- Two 14-day rules: Rajya Sabha on money bills, and Legislative Council on money bills.
- Joint sitting exists only for Parliament, and never for money bills or constitutional amendment bills.
- Article 123 and Article 213 are the same power, one for the President and one for the Governor.
Common mistakes
- Writing 552 as the Lok Sabha maximum. After the 104th Amendment it is 550.
- Making the Vice-President a member of the Rajya Sabha. He is its Chairman, not a member.
- Assuming Punjab has a Legislative Council because it once did.
Practise straight after reading
Cover the right-hand column of the table and fill it from memory, then cover the left one. Do this tomorrow, after 7 days and after 30 days. After that, attempt the Polity quizzes on this site.