Page 22 – Parliament – Part II
Based on M. Laxmikanth – Indian Polity (6th Edition)
Key Idea Summary
Core concepts and exam relevance
Lok Sabha represents the people of India, elected directly through general elections.
It is the real centre of political power, responsible for:
- Making laws
- Controlling the executive
- Approving budget
- Membership & term
- Special powers over Money Bill
- Functions of Speaker
- Disqualification grounds
Structure & Composition
Strength, term, and qualifications
Maximum Strength
- 530 from States
- 20 from UTs
- 2 Anglo-Indians (now abolished – 104th Amendment)
Current strength: 543 elected seats
Term
- From date of first meeting
- Can be dissolved earlier by President
- Can be extended during Emergency (1 year at a time)
Qualifications
- Citizen of India
- Age: 25+ years
- Registered voter in any constituency
- Not disqualified under law
- No office of profit
Election Method
- Direct election by citizens
- Universal adult suffrage (18+)
- First-Past-The-Post system
- Single-member constituencies
- Secret ballot
Special Powers of Lok Sabha
Where Lok Sabha dominates
A) Money Bill (Art. 110)
- Introduced ONLY in Lok Sabha
- Rajya Sabha cannot reject; only recommend
- RS has only 14 days to respond
- Lok Sabha can override RS recommendations
- Speaker certifies Money Bill (final)
B) Executive Control
- No-confidence motion – removes govt
- Censure motion – criticizes policy
- Cut motions – reduces budget demand
- Council of Ministers responsible to Lok Sabha only
C) Budget
- Budget introduced in Lok Sabha
- Demands for grants voted by LS only
- Appropriation Bill = Money Bill
- Finance Bill passed by LS first
D) Joint Sitting Advantage
- Lok Sabha has more members (543 vs 245)
- In joint sitting, LS dominates numerically
- Speaker presides (LS advantage)
- Simple majority decides
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The presiding officer's role and powers
Election & Tenure
- Elected by LS members from among themselves
- Remains in office until new LS meets
- Can be removed by resolution (effective majority)
- 14 days notice required for removal
Key Powers
- Certifies Money Bill (final authority)
- Maintains order in House
- Presides Joint Sitting
- Casting vote in case of tie
- Decides disqualification (Anti-defection)
- Refers bills to committees
Simulation Lab
Lok Sabha Scenarios
🧪 Lok Sabha Power Simulator
Explore scenarios to understand Lok Sabha's special powers.
Select a scenario to see the outcome.
Exam Booster – Practice Questions
Test your understanding
1 Minimum age for Lok Sabha membership is:
Minimum age for Lok Sabha is 25 years. For Rajya Sabha, it's 30 years.
2 Who decides if a bill is a Money Bill?
The Speaker certifies whether a bill is Money Bill. This certification is final and cannot be questioned in courts.
Memory Hooks & Quick Revision
Key takeaways for exam day
Revision Summary
3 Exam Points to Remember
- 1 Strength: Max 552 (currently 543) | Term: 5 years | Age: 25+
- 2 Money Bill: Only in LS, RS gets 14 days, Speaker certifies
- 3 Executive Control: No-confidence, censure, cut motions – all in Lok Sabha