Parliament of India

India has a group of leaders.

They meet to make rules. This group is called Parliament. It has two parts. One part is the Lok Sabha. One part is the Rajya Sabha.

The leaders meet in a new building. It has a pretty shape. One room looks like a peacock. The other room looks like a lotus. This helps the leaders do their big job.

The Parliament of India is a group that makes laws. It is the largest group of voters in the world. In 2024, there were 968 million people who could vote.

Parliament has two parts. The first part is the Lok Sabha. This is the House of the People. It has 543 members. People in India vote for these members directly. To join, a person must be 25 years old.

The second part is the Rajya Sabha. This is the Council of States. It has 245 members. These members are elected by state leaders. Some members are chosen for their skill in art or science.

The President of India is also part of Parliament. The President makes sure all new laws follow the rules of the country.

For a long time, leaders met in an old circular building. Now, they meet in a new building called Sansad Bhavan. The new building has a triangle shape. One room has a peacock theme. The other room has a lotus theme. The first meeting in this new building was in September 2023.

The Parliament of India is the main group that makes laws for the country.

It is a very large group of people. In 2024, there were 968 million people who could vote in India. This makes it the largest democratic group in the world. The Parliament is made of two parts called houses. These are the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The President of India is also a part of the Parliament. The President makes sure all new laws follow the rules of the Constitution.

The first house is the Lok Sabha, or the House of the People. It has 543 members. Citizens in India vote for these members directly. To be a member, a person must be at least 25 years old. They must also be a citizen of India. Some seats are saved for specific groups like Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes. The Lok Sabha has a term of five years. This house is very important for making decisions about money. It helps decide how the government spends its budget.

The second house is the Rajya Sabha, or the Council of States. It is a permanent body. This means it does not all go away at once. Instead, one-third of its members retire every two years. These members are replaced by new ones. The Rajya Sabha can have up to 250 members. Currently, it has 245 members. Most are elected by leaders in the states. Twelve members are chosen by the President for their skills. They might be experts in art, science, or social service. To join, a person must be at least 30 years old.

India has a long history of making laws. During British rule, there was a group called the Imperial Legislative Council. This group was created in 1861. It was disbanded in 1947 when India became independent. After that, a special group called the Constituent Assembly wrote the Constitution. In 1950, the Parliament of India took over. For many years, leaders met in an old circular building. This building was designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. It opened in 1927. The Central Hall of that old building was where the Constitution was framed.

Now, the Parliament meets in a new building called Sansad Bhavan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened this new building on 28 May 2023. The old building was 85 years old and was getting too small. The new building has a unique triangular shape. It covers about 65,000 square meters. The Lok Sabha room has a theme based on the peacock. The Rajya Sabha room has a theme based on the lotus. The first meeting in this new building happened on 19 September 2023. This new space helps the government work for all citizens.

The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature, which means it consists of two distinct houses. These houses are the Rajya Sabha, or the Council of States, and the Lok Sabha, or the House of the People. The President of India is also a part of the Parliament. The President acts as the head of the legislature. Under the Constitution, the President ensures that all laws follow specific rules and procedures.

The Parliament represents the largest democratic electorate on Earth. In 2024, there were 968 million eligible voters in India.

The Lok Sabha is known as the lower house. It has a sanctioned strength of 543 members. These members are directly elected by Indian citizens through a system called universal adult franchise. This means any citizen over 18 can vote, regardless of gender, caste, religion, or race. To be eligible for a seat, a person must be a citizen of India and at least 25 years old. They must also meet specific requirements, such as being mentally sound and not having a criminal conviction. The Lok Sabha has a term of five years. To ensure fair representation, 84 seats are reserved for Scheduled castes and 47 seats are reserved for Scheduled tribes.

The Rajya Sabha serves as the upper house and is a permanent body. Unlike the Lok Sabha, it is not subject to dissolution. This means it never fully goes away at once. Instead, one-third of its members retire every second year and are replaced by new members. Each member serves a term of six years. The Rajya Sabha has a maximum capacity of 250 members. Currently, it has 245 members. Most are indirectly elected by the members of state legislative assemblies. The President also nominates 12 members based on their expertise in fields like art, science, or social service.

Parliament holds several essential powers to govern the nation. Its primary role is the enactment of laws. It can create laws for subjects on the Central List and the Concurrent List. The Parliament can also amend the Constitution with a special majority. This allows the country to change its fundamental rules as society evolves. Additionally, the Parliament holds residuary powers. These are exclusive authorities over matters not specifically assigned to the states. This structure ensures the central government can manage new or unlisted issues effectively.

Financial and executive oversight is another core function of the Parliament. The Parliament is responsible for the formulation and approval of the Central Budget. It examines how the government intends to collect revenue and how it will spend money. This includes the power to levy taxes like income tax and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The Parliament also controls public expenditure to ensure transparency. Through the Council of Ministers, the Parliament exercises indirect executive power. The government is collectively responsible to the Parliament. If the Lok Sabha passes a vote of no confidence, the government must resign.

History shows how India's legislative system has changed over time. During British rule, the Imperial Legislative Council served as the legislative branch. This council was created by the Indian Councils Act of 1861. It was disbanded in 1947 when India gained independence. Following this, the Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the nation's Constitution. Once the Constitution came into force in 1950, the Constituent Assembly was replaced by the current Parliament. This transition marked the birth of India's modern democratic system.

For many decades, Parliament met in the Old Parliament House, also called Samvidhan Sadan. This circular building was designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. It opened on 18 January 1927 after six years of construction. The Central Hall of this building was a place of great historical importance. It was in this hall that the Indian Constitution was framed. However, the old building eventually faced structural issues and a lack of space. This led to the creation of a new legislative home.

The new Parliament building, Sansad Bhavan, was inaugurated on 28 May 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation for this project in December 2020. The new building has a distinctive triangular shape and a built-up area of 65,000 square meters. It was designed to use space more optimally than the old structure. The Lok Sabha chamber features a peacock theme, inspired by India's national bird. The Rajya Sabha chamber uses a lotus theme, reflecting the national flower.

The new building also includes a Constitutional Hall to celebrate Indian democracy. The first session in this new building took place on 19 September 2023.