Polity & Governance
Parliament
GS Paper II
Parliament — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision of Parliament: composition, presiding officers, Bills, joint sittings, lapse rules, budget Articles, motions, committees and privileges.
SyllabusGS II · Parliament and State legislatures — structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges
A last-week revision sheet for Part V, Chapter II (Articles 79–122).
Article Map
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 79 | Constitution of Parliament |
| 80 / 81 | Rajya Sabha / Lok Sabha composition |
| 83 | Duration of Houses |
| 84 | Qualifications (25 Lok Sabha, 30 Rajya Sabha) |
| 85 | Sessions; prorogation; dissolution |
| 87 | President’s special address |
| 89–98 | Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Speaker, Deputy Speaker |
| 100 | Voting; quorum (one-tenth) |
| 105 | Privileges |
| 107–111 | Legislative procedure; joint sitting (108); Money Bill (110); assent (111) |
| 112–117 | Financial procedure |
| 118 | Rules of procedure; Speaker presides over joint sittings |
| 120 | Language in Parliament |
| 122 | Courts not to inquire into proceedings |
Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha
| Point | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
| Max strength | 550 elected | 250 (12 nominated) |
| Present | 543 | 245 |
| Election | Direct | Indirect, by elected MLAs (STV) |
| Term | 5 years | Permanent; members 6 years |
| Money Bills | Exclusive | Recommend within 14 days |
| No-confidence | Yes | No |
| Special powers | Votes demands for grants | Art 249 (State List in national interest), Art 312 (new All-India Services); initiates VP removal |
Bills at a Glance
| Point | Ordinary | Money (110) | Financial I (117(1)) | Amendment (368) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced in | Either House | Lok Sabha | Lok Sabha | Either House |
| President’s recommendation | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Rajya Sabha can reject | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Joint sitting | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| President may return | Yes | No | Yes | No — must assent |
Lapse on Dissolution
| Bill | Lapses? |
|---|---|
| Pending in Lok Sabha | Yes |
| Passed by Lok Sabha, pending in Rajya Sabha | Yes |
| Pending in Rajya Sabha only | No |
| Awaiting assent / returned by President / joint sitting notified | No |
Devices and Committees
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Zero Hour | Not in rules; Indian innovation |
| Adjournment, no-confidence | Lok Sabha only; 50 members |
| PAC | 22 (15 + 7); Opposition chair since 1967 |
| Estimates | 30, all Lok Sabha |
| Public Undertakings | 22 (15 + 7) |
| DRSCs | 24; 31 members (21 + 10) |
High-yield facts
- Joint sittings held three times: 1961 (Dowry Prohibition), 1978 (Banking Service Commission Repeal), 2002 (POTA).
- Lok Sabha seat allocation frozen on the 1971 Census until the first census after 2026 (84th Amendment).
- Charged expenditure is discussed but not voted.
- Cut motions: policy (₹1), economy (specified sum), token (₹100).
- Sita Soren (2024): bribery is not protected by privilege.
Traps
Common confusions
- The Speaker, not the Vice-President, presides over joint sittings.
- The Speaker resigns to the Deputy Speaker.
- “Budget” is not a constitutional term — Article 112 says Annual Financial Statement.
- Freedom from arrest covers civil cases only.
Related Topics
- Law-Making in Parliament
- Parliamentary Devices, Committees and Privileges
- Parliament — practice questions
- The Union Executive — quick revision
- All quick revision sheets
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