Union Parliament and Federal Government

Meaning of Parliament

• Parliament includes the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and the President.
• It is the main legislative body of the country.

Three Major Institutions

• Legislative: Making laws.
• Executive: Implementing laws.
• Judiciary: Judicial process.

Federal Form of Government

• Division of powers between the center and the states.
• The center has the power to make laws on national security, foreign policy, etc.
• States can make laws on regional matters.

Lok Sabha

Features of Lok Sabha

• House of People: Members are directly elected by the public.
• Term: Lasts for 5 years, but can be extended during emergencies.

Structure of Lok Sabha

• Maximum 552 members.
• 530 members from states, 20 members from Union territories.
• 2 Anglo-Indian members used to be nominated by the President.

Eligibility for Membership

• Must be a citizen of India.
• Minimum age should be 25 years.
• Cannot hold an office of profit.
• Must not be a declared offender.

Rajya Sabha

Features of Rajya Sabha

• Permanent House: Never gets dissolved.
• Members have a term of 6 years.
• 12 members are nominated by the President.

Structure of Rajya Sabha

• Members elected by states and Union territories.
• 12 members are experts in art, science, literature, etc.

Functioning of Parliament

Sessions

• Budget Session: Starts in February.
• Monsoon Session: Occurs in July-August.
• Winter Session: Takes place in November-December.

Question Hour

• Time for Parliament members to ask questions to the government.
• Three types of questions: Starred, Unstarred, and Short Notice.

Special Powers

Special Powers of Rajya Sabha

• Power to include a subject from the State List in the Union List.
• Creation of All India Services.

Special Powers of Lok Sabha

• Power to pass a no-confidence motion.
• Money bill can only be introduced in Lok Sabha.

Other Important Points

• State Constitution: The rights over subjects for center and states are determined by the constitution.
• Anti Defection Law: Members who leave a party can be declared ineligible.

Conclusion

• The setup of Parliament and Federal Government maintains a balance of powers.
• Both the center and the states have supreme power in their respective areas.