Parliament (Notes)

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1. Parliament

   • Legislative organ of the Union government.
   • Part V, Articles 79 to 122 of the Constitution deal with the organization, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges, powers and so on of the Parliament.

2. Organisation of the Parliament

   Parliament of India consists of three parts:
   • President
   • Council of States (Rajya Sabha): Upper House (Second Chamber or House of Elders) represents the states and union territories of the Indian Union.
   • House of People (Lok Sabha): Lower House (First Chamber or Popular House) represents the people of India as a whole.

   Why president is a part of Indian Parliament ?

3. Composition of the Two Houses

   • Composition of Lok Sabha
   • Composition of Rajya Sabha

4. System of Elections to Lok Sabha

   • For holding direct elections to the Lok Sabha, each state is divided into territorial constituencies, in such a way that, uniformity of representation is ensured
   • Reservation of seats for SCs and STs

   Why territorial representation is chosen instead of proportional representation in Lok Sabha elections ?

5. Membership of Parliament (Duration, Qualifications, Disqualifications, Oath, Allownces)

   • Duration of two houses
   • Qualifications required to be an M.P.
   • Disqualifications and Vacating of Seats in Parliament
   • Oath or Affirmation
   • Salaries and allowances of M.P.s

6. Presiding Officers of Parliament

   • Lok Sabha : Speaker , Deputy Speaker, Panel of Charipersons , Speaker Pro tem
   • Rajya Sabha : Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Panel of vice-chairpersons

7. Secretariat of Parliament

   Each House of Parliament has separate secretarial staff of its own, though there can be some posts common to both the Houses. Their recruitment and service conditions are regulated by Parliament.

   The secretariat of each House is headed by a secretary-general. He is a permanent officer and is appointed by the presiding officer of the House.

8. Leaders in Parliament

   • Leader of the House
   • Leader of the Opposition
   • Whip

9. Sessions of Parliament

   • Sessions
   • Terminology (Summoning, Adjournment, Adjournment Sine Die, Prorogation, Dissolution, Quorum, Lame Duck Session
   • Voting in House
   • Language of Parliament
   • Rights of Ministers and Attorney General

10. Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings

    • What happens in parliament : Overview
    • Question Hour and Zero Hour
    • Motions
    • Resolutions

    Youth Parliament

11. Legislative Procedure in Parliament

    The legislative procedure is identical in both the Houses of Parliament. Every bill has to pass through the same stages in each House. A bill is a proposal for legislation and it becomes an act or law when duly enacted.

    • Types of Bills
    • Joint sitting of two houses

12. Budget in Parliament

    • Budget
    • Constitutional provisions regarding the enactment of Budget
    • Expenditures and Grants
    • Stages in Enactment of Budget
    • Funds for the Central Government

13. Multifunctional Role of Parliament

    • Legislative Powers and Functions
    • Executive Powers and Functions
    • Financial Powers and Functions
    • Constituent Powers and Functions
    • Judicial Powers and Functions
    • Electoral Powers and Functions
    • Other powers and functions

14. Ineffectiveness of Parliamentary Control

    The parliamentary control over government and administration in India is more theoretical than practical. In reality, the control is not as effective as it ought to be due to these factors ..

15. Rajya Sabha compared with Lok Sabha

    • Equal Status with Lok Sabha
    • Un-equal status with Lok Sabha
    • Special powers of Rajya Sabha

16. Committees

    • Public Accounts Committee
    • Estimates Committee
    • Committee on Public Undertakings
    • Departmental Standing Committees
    • Business Advisory Committee
    • Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions
    • Committee on Government Assurances
    • Committee on Subordinate Legislation
    • Committee on Welfare of SCs and STs
    • Committee on Absence of Members
    • Rules Committee
    • General Purposes Committee
    • Committee of Privileges
    • Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members
    • House Committee
    • Committee on Petitions
    • Library Committee
    • Ethics Committee
    • Committee on Empowerment of Women
    • Committee on Papers Laid on the Table
    • Joint Committee on Offices of Profit
    • Consultative Committees

17. Parliamentary Privileges

    Parliamentary privileges are special rights, immunities and exemptions enjoyed by the two Houses of Parliament, their committees and their members. They are necessary in order to secure the independence and effectiveness of their actions. Without these privileges, the Houses can neither maintain their authority, dignity and honour nor can protect their members from any obstruction in the discharge of their parliamentary responsibilities.

    The Constitution has also extended the parliamentary privileges to those persons who are entitled to speak and take part in the proceedings of a House of Parliament or any of its committees. These include the attorney general of India and Union ministers.

    The parliamentary privileges do not extend to the president who is also an integral part of the Parliament.

18. Sovereignty of Parliament

    British parliament is ‘sovereign’. The Indian Parliament, on the other hand, cannot be regarded as a sovereign body in the similar sense.

19. Some Tables