The Indian Parliament

(a) Territorial constituencies:- The main basis upon which seats are allocated in the Lok Sabha from various states is the population of the state. Each state is divided into various territorial constituencies, which is readjusted following the census. In that way, the ratio of the population and seat is maintained within the state and union.

(b) Religious constituencies:- these are the constituencies from where religious minorities are elected to be the representatives.

(c) Local bodies:- these are the bodies or institutions of local self-governance, whose primary concern is to look after the administration of an area or small community like villages, towns or cities. Examples are :- municipal corporation, municipality board, committee, town area committee etc.

(d) Proportional Representation System :- a system in which the number of seats held by members of a political party in a Parliament is determined by the number of votes its candidates receive in an election. In India, Rajya Sabha election is actually based upon proportional representation system.

(a) President :- In India , the President of India is the nominal head of state of India and the commander in chief of the Indian armed forces. He is indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of Parliament of India (both houses)and the legislative assemblies of each of India’s states and territories. The president is bound by the constitution to act on the advice of Prime Minister and the cabinet.

(b) Vice-President:- the Vice President of the Indian Parliament is the second highest constitutional office in India after the president of India. He acts like a president in the absence of the president in case of sudden death, resignation, impeachment of the president. He is the ex officio chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

(c) Prime Minister:- The Prime Minister of India is the leader of the executive of the government of India. The Prime Minister is also the chief adviser to the president of India and head of the council of ministers. Prime Minister of India is appointed by the President. people vote for a member of Parliament and the largest party either by winning, or coalition with a majority of winning MP’s chose one among them as their leader. He should be a member of any house( Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha). He is the ex officio chairman of the planning commission, national development council, national integration council, inter state council and national water resources council.

(d) Chief Justice:-The chief justice of India is the head of the Indian judiciary system. He is appointed by the President of India. He is responsible for the allocation of cases and appointment of constitutional benches.

members of theParliament.

India is a Parliamentary country, and it consists of a President, Lok Sabha (council of people) and Rajya Sabha (Council of states). So all the members either from Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, they together are called as members of Parliament.

executivebranch of the government.

It is the responsibility of the executive branch of government to develop new policies and laws. It is the responsibility of the legislative branch (Parliament) to approve policies and pass new laws to give legal effect to the policies concerned.

Rajya Sabha which is also called the upper house or council of states of the Indian Parliament is a permanent house because it is subject to no dissolution. One-third of the members retire every second year and are replaced by newly elected members. The term for each elected member is of 6 years and can have a maximum of 250 members.

Lok Sabha is denoted as the second house or lower house of the Parliament. Rajya Sabha is known as the first house or upper house of the Indian Parliamentary system. The division is not on the basis of functions or powers and does not mean that Rajya Sabha is superior to the Lok Sabha. It just follows the nomenclature of British Parliament.

Lok Sabha which is called the house of people, is the lower house of the Indian Parliamentary system. It has 545 members out of which 543 are directly elected by the citizens of India on the basis of universal adult franchise representing Parliamentary constituencies, and 2 of the members are appointed by the President of India from the Anglo Indian community.

Speaker of the Lok Sabha is called the Presiding officer of the Lok Sabha. His or her main functions are:-

• To preside over the meetings of Lok Sabha, ensure and maintain discipline in the Lok Sabha.

• To determines the agenda of the Lok Sabha in consultation with the leader of the house, allotting time for debates and selecting members who would participate in it.

• To certify whether a bill is a money bill or not, to cast a vote in case of a tie.

• To interpret the rules of procedure of the house and gives his rulings. His ruling is final.

• According to the 52^nd Constitutional Amendment Act 1985, the Speaker determines whether a member of the Lok Sabha is to be disqualified on the ground of defection.

• The Speaker is the head of the Parliamentary committees. He appoints the chairman of several committees.

• He is the spokesman of the Lok Sabha, and he represents it in all ceremonial functions.

Indian democracy has a federal structure of government. Here laws at made and interpreted at different levels by the union and state governments. The legislative process in India is as below –

• Introduction of a bill by the members of the Parliament for the consideration in either of the two houses of the Parliament.

• Publication of the bill in the Gazette of India

• Referring the bill to a standing committee by the Speaker of Lok Sabha for examination.

• Second reading of the bill in consideration

• Passing of the bill in the respective house of the Parliament. Money bills are always to be introduced in the Lok Sabha only.

• After the bill is passed by one house of the Parliament, it is sent to the other house for approval. In the case of a money bill, the other house can keep the bill for a maximum of 14 days and in case of an ordinary bill for 6 months without passing or rejecting it.

• In the case of an ordinary bill, the same process is repeated in the other house.

• After both the houses have passed the bill, it is sent to the President for approval after whose approval, the bill becomes an Act.

The Rajya Sabha or the council of states is the upper house of the Parliament. Membership is limited to 250 members. The President of India has the power to nominate 12 members to the Rajya Sabha with special knowledge or experience in fields like literature, art, science and social service. Recently the president of India Mr Ram Nath kovind nominated four persons to the Rajya Sabha. Classical dancer Sonal Mansingh, columnist Rakesh Sinha, sculptor Raghunath Mohapatra and farmer leader Ram Shakal. All will have a six-year term in the upper house of the Parliament.