Under Article 79, the Parliament of the Union consists of the President and two Houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). Although the President is not a member of either House, a bill cannot become law without his assent.

Lok Sabha (Lower House)

• Composition: The maximum strength is fixed at 550 (530 from states, 20 from UTs). Originally, it was 552, but the 104th Amendment Act of 2019 discontinued the nomination of 2 Anglo-Indian members by the President.
• Representation: Members are directly elected by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise (voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 by the 61st Amendment Act of 1989). Representation is based on population; hence Uttar Pradesh has the maximum seats (80).
• Qualifications: Must be a citizen of India and at least 25 years of age.
• Term: Normal term is 5 years, but it can be dissolved earlier by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• Officers: Presided over by the Speaker (elected by members from among themselves). In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker presides. The Speaker can cast a vote only in case of a tie (casting vote under Article 100).

Rajya Sabha (Upper House)

• Composition: Maximum strength is fixed at 250 (238 representing States/UTs, 12 nominated by the President for special knowledge in literature, science, art, and social service). Current active strength is 245.
• Representation: Members are indirectly elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies. Uttar Pradesh has the highest seats (31).
• Qualifications: Must be a citizen of India and at least 30 years of age.
• Term: It is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution. However, one-third of its members retire every second year. The individual term of a member is 6 years.
• Officers: The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha from among its members.

At the state level, the legislature consists of the Governor and either one or two houses. Most states have a unicameral system, but six states currently possess a bicameral legislature:

• Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha): The lower house. Directly elected by the people. Minimum age for membership is 25 years. Maximum strength is 500 and minimum is 60 (exceptions exist for small states like Sikkim and Goa).
• Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad): The upper house. It is a permanent body like the Rajya Sabha. Members are indirectly elected/nominated. Minimum age for membership is 30 years. The total strength of the council cannot exceed 1/3rd of the strength of the assembly, and cannot be less than 40.

Classification of Bills

• Ordinary Bills: Can be introduced in either House. Requires a simple majority in both Houses to pass.
• Money Bills (Article 110): Deals with taxation, public expenditure, borrowing.
  • Can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and only on the recommendation of the President.
  • The Speaker of Lok Sabha has the sole authority to certify whether a bill is a Money Bill.
  • The Rajya Sabha has extremely limited powers; it can only delay a Money Bill for a maximum of 14 days, after which it is deemed passed.
• Constitutional Amendment Bills (Article 368): Can be introduced in either House. Requires a special majority in both Houses. There is no provision for a joint sitting for these bills.

Key Terms & Rules

• Joint Sitting (Article 108): In case of a deadlock between the two Houses on an ordinary bill, the President can summon a joint sitting. It is presided over by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
• Quorum: The minimum number of members required to transact business. It is fixed at one-tenth (1/10th) of the total membership of the House, including the presiding officer.
• Annual Financial Statement (Article 112): Popularly known as the Budget, it must be laid before Parliament every financial year.