Parliament: Composition and Procedure

The President and two Houses — the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

Maximum 550 under Article 81 (up to 530 from States, 20 from UTs); present strength is 543.

Directly elected by universal adult franchise (Article 326, age 18+) from single-member constituencies on a first-past-the-post basis.

Maximum 250 — up to 238 from States/UTs plus 12 nominated by the President for distinction in literature, science, art and social service; current strength 245.

Indirectly, by elected MLAs of each State Assembly using the single transferable vote system of proportional representation.

It is never dissolved; one-third of members retire every two years and each member serves a six-year term.

Lok Sabha: the Speaker (elected from among members, Article 93). Rajya Sabha: the Vice-President of India as ex-officio Chairman.

Decides points of order, disciplines members, certifies money bills, rules on anti-defection under the Tenth Schedule, and has only a casting (tie-breaking) vote.

Five years from its first sitting; it can be dissolved earlier by the President, or extended one year at a time during a Proclamation of Emergency (as in 1976).

First Reading (introduction, title and objects read, published in the Gazette), then the Committee stage where a standing or select committee hears experts and suggests amendments.

Government Bills are introduced by a minister; Private Members' Bills by any other MP — only about fourteen have ever become law, the last in 1970.

One-tenth of the total membership of the House (Article 100).