Indian Parliament

Indian Parliament
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Name	Parliament of India
Native name	संसद
Caption	Parliament House (Sansad Bhavan), New Delhi
Founded	1952
House type	Bicameral
Leader type	President of India
Leader	Rashtrapati Bhavan
Chambers	Rajya Sabha; Lok Sabha
Members	543 Lok Sabha members; 245 Rajya Sabha members (approx.)
Meeting place	Sansad Bhavan

Indian Parliament The Parliament of India is the supreme bicameral legislature of the Republic of India, seated at New Delhi in the Sansad Bhavan. It comprises two houses—the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha—and the President of India as a constituent. It traces institutional continuity from the Imperial Legislative Council through the Constituent Assembly of India to the present constitutionally established body.

History and Evolution

The legislative tradition began under the British Raj with the Indian Councils Act 1861, later expanded by the Indian Councils Act 1892 and the Government of India Act 1919, culminating in the Government of India Act 1935 that influenced the Constituent Assembly of India drafting the Constitution of India. Post-independence developments included the first general elections organized by the Election Commission of India in 1951–52 and successive constitutional amendments such as the Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of India and the Forty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution of India, shaping representation, powers, and federal balance. Major political events—Emergency (India) 1975–77, the rise of regional parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Trinamool Congress, and landmark judgments from the Supreme Court of India—have influenced parliamentary sovereignty and procedure.

Structure and Composition

The bicameral structure includes the Lok Sabha (House of the People) with members elected under the Representation of the People Act 1951 from territorial constituencies and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) with members elected by state legislatures under the Representation of the People Act 1951. The President of India summons and prorogues sessions and can address and dissolve the Lok Sabha per constitutional provisions. Key officeholders include the Prime Minister of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition (India), the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (the Vice President), and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Powers and Functions

Parliament exercises powers delineated in the Constitution of India, including lawmaking, financial control, and oversight of the Union Executive led by the Council of Ministers (India). It enacts Union statutes such as the Indian Penal Code and budgetary measures presented by the Minister of Finance (India). Parliamentary privileges, impeachment procedures for judges like those of the Supreme Court of India and the High Courts of India, and the power to amend the constitution (subject to limits affirmed by the Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala decision) are integral functions. Emergency provisions invoked under articles influenced by events like the Emergency (India) 1975–77 affect Parliament’s scope.

Legislative Process

Bills originate as government bills or private members' bills and proceed through introduction, multiple readings, committee scrutiny, and passage in both houses before being presented to the President of India for assent. Financial bills such as the Finance Bill (India) and the Money Bill follow special procedures defined by the Constitution of India and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha's certification. Important legislative milestones include enactments like the Right to Information Act, 2005 and the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, each involving inter-governmental negotiation with entities such as the Goods and Services Tax Council.

Parliamentary Procedures and Committees

Routine procedures include Question Hour, Zero Hour, motions of no-confidence, and adjournment motions overseen by presiding officers such as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Standing committees—like the Departmentally Related Standing Committees established following recommendations by the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Subordinate Legislation—and ad hoc committees play crucial roles in scrutiny. The Public Accounts Committee, the Estimate Committee, and the Committee on Public Undertakings examine public expenditure and entities such as the Reserve Bank of India and public sector undertakings like Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.

Relationship with Union and State Governments

Parliament's legislative competence is outlined in the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, with interplay involving state legislatures like the Legislative Assembly (India) and institutions such as the Inter-State Council. Parliament can legislate on residual and concurrent subjects, while state autonomy has been asserted by parties such as the Shiromani Akali Dal and adjudicated by the Supreme Court of India in federal disputes. Financial transfers mediated by the Finance Commission of India and emergency provisions under articles of the Constitution of India modulate Union–state relations.

Symbols, Buildings, and Ceremonies

The principal seat, Sansad Bhavan, designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, forms part of the Lutyens' Delhi precinct, adjacent to Rashtrapati Bhavan and the India Gate. Ceremonial features include the President's address at the opening session, the Speaker’s mace, and rituals during the Republic Day (India) period and the first address by the Prime Minister of India after general elections. Architectural elements and artworks within the complex reflect heritage preserved by organizations like the Archaeological Survey of India and have been referenced in cultural works such as Jawaharlal Nehru's writings.

Category:Parliamentary institutions in India