The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President of India and the two Houses, Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States). The President has the power to summon and prorogue either House of Parliament or to dissolve Lok Sabha.
The parliament is bicameral, with an upper house called as Council of States or Rajya Sabha, and a lower house called as House of People or Lok Sabha. The two Houses meet in separate chambers in the Sansad Bhavan (located on the Sansad Marg), in New Delhi. People commonly refer to the members of either house as Members of Parliament or MPs. Direct elections elect the MPs of Lok Sabha, while the MPs of Rajya Sabha are elected by members of the State Legislative Assemblies and Union territories of Delhi and Pondicherry only, in accordance with proportional voting. The Parliament is composed of 790 MPs, who serve the largest democratic electorate in the world (714 million eligible voters in 2009).
History Of Parliament
During the introductory stage, planners intended for the parliament house, originally known as the ‘Council House,’ to be a part of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, in 1919, the Montague-Chelmsford reforms announced its design as the Indian parliament. Architects planned various designs for the building, from a triangular to a Roman colosseum-like structure, which led to its present circular design with a colonnaded verandah, featuring 144 pillars and a diameter of 560 feet. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third son of Queen Victoria, laid the foundation stone of the Council House on February 12, 1921. The building in pale and red Dholpur sandstone used the same theme as the neighboring Secretariat Building. Then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin, inaugurated the nearly six-acre building on January 18, 1927. It is now commonly known as Sansad Bhavan.
2001 Parliament attack
On 13 December 2001, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked the Parliament which led to the death of a dozen people, including one civilian.
Components
The Indian Parliament consists of two houses called as Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha respectively and the President of India. To pass any legislative business, all three entities must concur.
RAJYA SABHA
The Rajya Sabha is to consist of not more than 250 members.
The President nominates 12 members from among persons who have special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, or social service. The system allocates the remaining seats to the various States and Union territories, roughly in proportion to their population. However, it ensures that each State is represented by at least one member. The elected members of the Legislative Assembly of each State then choose the representatives of that State. They do so in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The minimum age for membership of the House is 30 years.
LOK SABHA
People also know the Rajya Sabha as the “Council of States” or the upper house. Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. However, newly elected members replace one-third of the members who retire every second year. Members of legislative bodies of the States indirectly elect each member for a term of six years.
The Rajya Sabha can have a maximum of 250 members in all. Scheduled elections ensure the chamber remains undissolved. Each member serves a 6-year term, with elections held for one-third of the seats every 2 years. The states and Union Territories elect 238 members, while the President of India nominates 12 members. The President chooses these nominated members for their special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, and social service.
President of India
Like most Commonwealth countries, India includes the Head of State, the President of India, as part of Parliament. The elected members of both houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and the state legislatures (Vidhan Sabhas) elect the President for a five-year term. Typically, the ruling party’s nominee wins uncontested. Unlike the U.S. President, Indian incumbents can be re-elected for unlimited terms. A formula ensures a balance between the population of each state and the votes assembly members can cast, maintaining equality between State Assembly and National Parliament members. If no candidate secures a majority, a transfer system eliminates losing candidates and reallocates votes until one achieves a majority.