Indian Parliament - Quick Revision
Indian Parliament - Quick Revision
Key Points (One-Liners)
- Article 79: Parliament = President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha
- Lok Sabha: max. 552 members (530 states + 20 UT + 2 Anglo-Indian*); tenure 5 yrs
- Rajya Sabha: max. 250 members (238 elected + 12 nominated); never dissolved; 1/3 retire every 2 yrs
- Money Bill: only Lok Sabha can introduce & finally decide (Art. 110)
- Zero Hour: starts immediately after Question Hour; no prior notice needed
- Adjournment Motion: admits urgent public importance & involves censure of govt.
- Speaker of LS: elected by simple majority; only presiding officer removed by Lok Sabha itself
- Deputy Chairman RS: elected by RS members; can be removed by RS only
- Parliamentary Sessions: Budget (longest), Monsoon, Winter; gap ≤ 6 months (Art. 85)
- President’s Address: joint sitting at start of 1st session each yr
- Joint Sitting: presided by LS Speaker; needs absolute majority of total members present & voting
- Quorum: 1/10 of total members of each House to conduct business
- Starred Question: oral answer & supplementary; Unstarred: written answer only
- Calling Attention Notice: used in RS (like LS Adjournment but sans censure)
- No-Confidence Motion: only in Lok Sabha; if passed, govt must resign
- Parliamentary Committees: 3 kinds—Financial (Estimates, Public Accounts, PAC), Departmentally-Related Standing, Ad-hoc
- Finance Commission ≠ Parliamentary body: constitutional body under Art. 280
- Anti-Defection: 10th Schedule (52nd Amendment); Speaker/Chairman final authority
- Parliament can punish for breach of privilege: power under Art. 105 & Art. 194
| Formula/Rule |
Application |
| Simple Majority = >50 % of members present & voting |
Ordinary bills, motion of thanks, adjournment, Speaker/Deputy Speaker removal |
| Special Majority (Art. 368) = 2/3 present & voting + majority of total membership |
Constitutional Amendment Bills |
| Money Bill vs. Ordinary Bill |
Only LS introduces; RS ≤ 14 days to return; LS may accept/reject RS suggestions |
| Joint Sitting majority (Art. 108) |
Absolute majority of total members of both Houses present & voting |
| Cut-off for Anti-Defection = 2/3 of legislature party strength |
Merger allowed if ≥ 2/3 members agree |
| Zero Hour timing |
Immediately after Question Hour (≈ 12 noon) |
| Minimum age RS/LS |
30 yrs for RS, 25 yrs for LS |
| Maximum nominated members RS |
12—eminent persons in arts, literature, science & social service |
| President’s prior recommendation |
Essential for Money & Financial Bills |
| Quorum failure consequence |
House adjourned; if willful, breach of privilege |
Memory Tricks
- “LOK-25, RAJ-30” → Lok Sabha 25 yrs, Rajya Sabha 30 yrs age limit
- “Money loves Lok” → Money Bill originates ONLY in Lok Sabha
- “Zero needs no hero” → Zero Hour needs no prior notice
- “250 RS never dies” → Rajya Sabha 250 max & is permanent body
- “One-third RS retires” → Think calendar quarters (Jan–Apr–Jul–Oct); every 2 yrs 1/3 retire
Common Mistakes
| Mistake |
Correct Approach |
| Confusing joint-sitting majority with simple majority |
Need absolute majority of members present & voting |
| Thinking Speaker can be removed by President |
Removed only by Lok Sabha via effective majority |
| Treating Finance Bill same as Money Bill |
Finance Bill (Art. 117(1)) ≠ Money Bill (Art. 110) |
| Believing RS can amend Money Bill |
RS can only suggest; LS may accept/reject |
| Counting nominated members in LS (post-104th Amendment) |
Anglo-Indian nomination ended in 2020; current LS = 543 elected max |
Last Minute Tips
- Glance at Article numbers—79 (Parliament), 85 (Sessions), 108 (Joint sitting), 110 (Money Bill), 368 (Amendment)
- Remember Speaker removal needs “effective majority” (>50 % of total membership)
- Note starred vs. unstarred vs. short-notice questions—one-liner difference can fetch 1 mark
- Zero Hour & Question Hour sequence: first questions, then zero—don’t swap
- Attempt privilege & anti-defection questions last—read clause carefully for “voluntarily gives up” wording
Quick Practice (5 MCQs)
1. Which of the following can be introduced only in Lok Sabha?
a) Constitutional Amendment Bill
b) Money Bill
c) Ordinary Bill
d) Resolution for removal of Vice-President
Answer: b) Money Bill
2. The maximum strength of Rajya Sabha including nominated members is
a) 238
b) 245
c) 250
d) 275
Answer: c) 250
3. The Speaker of Lok Sabha can be removed by
a) President on advice of Council of Ministers
b) Lok Sabha by effective majority
c) Rajya Sabha by special majority
d) Parliament through impeachment
Answer: b) Lok Sabha by effective majority
4. In case of a deadlock between the two Houses, a joint sitting is presided over by
a) President
b) Vice-President
c) Speaker of Lok Sabha
d) Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Answer: c) Speaker of Lok Sabha
5. Which Schedule of the Constitution deals with Anti-defection law?
a) 7th
b) 9th
c) 10th
d) 11th
Answer: c) 10th
BETA
