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4. Fundamental Rights
The authority of the Parliament is also restricted by the incorporation of a code of justiciable fundamental rights under Part III of the Constitution. Article 13 prohibits the State from making a law that either takes away totally or abrogates in part a fundamental right. Hence, a Parliamentary law that contravenes the fundamental rights shall be void. In Britain, on the other hand, there is no codification of justiciable fundamental rights in the Constitution. The British Parliament has also not made any law that lays down the fundamental rights of the citizens. However, it
does not mean that the British citizens do not have rights. Though there is no charter guaranteeing rights, there is maximum liberty in Britain due to the existence of the Rule of Law.
Therefore, even though the nomenclature and organisational pattern of our Parliament is similar to that of the British Parliament, there is a substantial difference between the two. The Indian Parliament is not a sovereign body in the sense in which the British Parliament is a sovereign body. Unlike the British Parliament, the authority and jurisdiction of the Indian Parliament are defined, limited and restrained.
In this regard, the Indian Parliament is similar to the American Legislature (known as Congress). In USA also, the sovereignty of Congress is legally restricted by the written character of the Constitution, the federal system of government, the system of judicial review and the Bill of Rights.
Table 22.5 Allocation of Seats in Parliament for States and Union Territories (2019)
S.No. States/UTs | No. of Seats in Rajya Sabha | No. of Seats in Lok Sabha |
I. States | ||
1. Andhra Pradesh | 11 | 25 |
2. Arunachal Pradesh | 1 | 2 |
3. Assam | 7 | 14 |
4. Bihar | 16 | 40 |
5. Chhattisgarh | 5 | 11 |
6. Goa | 1 | 2 |
7. Gujarat | 11 | 26 |
8. Haryana | 5 | 10 |
9. Himachal Pradesh | 3 | 4 |
10. Jharkhand | 6 | 14 |
11. Karnataka | 12 | 28 |
12. Kerala | 9 | 20 |
13. Madhya Pradesh | 11 | 29 |
14. Maharashtra | 19 | 48 |
15. Manipur | 1 | 2 |
16. Meghalaya | 1 | 2 |
17. Mizoram | 1 | 1 |
18. Nagaland | 1 | 1 |
19. Odisha | 10 | 21 |
20. Punjab | 7 | 13 |
21. Rajasthan | 10 | 25 |
22. Sikkim | 1 | 1 |
23. Tamil Nadu | 18 | 39 |
24. Telangana | 7 | 17 |
25. Tripura | 1 | 2 |
26. Uttarakhand | 3 | 5 |
27. Uttar Pradesh | 31 | 80 |
28. West Bengal | 16 | 42 |
II. Union Territories | ||
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands | - | 1 |
2. Chandigarh | - | 1 |
3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli | - | 1 |
4. Daman and Diu | - | 1 |
5. Delhi (The National Capital Territory of Delhi) | 3 | 7 |
6. Lakshadweep | - | 1 |
7. Puducherry | 1 | 1 |
8. Jammu and Kashmir | 4 | 5 |
9 Ladakh | - | 1 |
III. Nominated members | 12 | 2 |
Total | 245 | 545 |
Table 22.6 Seats Reserved for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha (2019)
Name of the State/Union Territory | Total | Reserved for the Scheduled Castes | Reserved for the Scheduled Tribes |
I. STATES: | |||
1. Andhra Pradesh | 25 | 4 | 1 |
2. Arunachal Pradesh | 2 | - | - |
3. Assam | 14 | 1 | 2 |
4. Bihar | 40 | 6 | - |
5. Chhattisgarh | 11 | 1 | 4 |
6. Goa | 2 | - | - |
7. Gujarat | 26 | 2 | 4 |
8. Haryana | 10 | 2 | - |
9. Himachal Pradesh | 4 | 1 | - |
10. Jharkhand | 14 | 1 | 5 |
11. Karnataka | 28 | 5 | 2 |
12. Kerala | 20 | 2 | - |
13. Madhya Pradesh | 29 | 4 | 6 |
14. Maharashtra | 48 | 5 | 4 |
15. Manipur | 2 | - | 1 |
16. Meghalaya | 2 | - | 2 |
17. Mizoram | 1 | - | 1 |
18. Nagaland | 1 | - | - |
19. Odisha | 21 | 3 | 5 |
20. Punjab | 13 | 4 | - |
21. Rajasthan | 25 | 4 | 3 |
22. Sikkim | 1 | - | - |
23. Tamil Nadu | 39 | 7 | - |
24. Telangana | 17 | 3 | 2 |
25. Tripura | 2 | - | 1 |
26. Uttarakhand | 5 | 1 | - |
27. Uttar Pradesh | 80 | 17 | - |
28. West Bengal | 42 | 10 | 2 |
II. UNION TERRITORIES: | |||
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 1 | - | - |
2. Chandigarh | 1 | - | - |
3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli | 1 | - | 1 |
4. Daman and Diu | 1 | - | - |
5. Delhi (The National Capital Territory of Delhi) | 7 | 1 | - |
6. Lakshadweep | 1 | - | 1 |
7. Puducherry | 1 | - | - |
8. Jammu and Kashmir | 5 | - | - |
9. Ladakh | 1 | - | - |
Total | 543 | 84 | 47 |
Table 22.7 Durations of the Lok Sabha (from First Lok Sabha to Present Lok Sabha)
Lok Sabha | Duration Remarks |
First | 1952-1957 Dissolved 38 days before expiry of its term. |
Second | 1957-1962 Dissolved 40 days before expiry of its term. |
Third | 1962-1967 Dissolved 44 days before expiry of its term. |
Fourth | 1967-1970 Dissolved one year and 79 days before expiry of its term. |
Fifth | 1971-1977 Term of the Lok Sabha was extended two times by one year at a time. However, the House was dissolved after having been in existence for a period of five years, 10 months and six days. |
Sixth | 1977-1979 Dissolved after having been in existence for a period of two years, four months and 28 days. |
Seventh | 1980-1984 Dissolved 20 days before expiry of its term. |
Eighth | 1985-1989 Dissolved 48 days before expiry of its term. |
Ninth | 1989-1991 Dissolved after having been in existence for a period of one year, two months and 25 days. |
Tenth | 1991-1996 - |
Eleventh | 1996-1997 Dissolved after having been in existence for a period of one year, six months and 13 days. |
Twelfth | 1998-1999 Dissolved after having been in existence for a period of one year, one month and four days. |
Thirteenth | 1999-2004 Dissolved 253 days before expiry of its term. |
Fourteenth | 2004-2009 | - |
Fifteenth | 2009-2014 | - |
Sixteenth | 2014-2019 | - |
Seventeenth | 2019- Continuing | - |
Table 22.8 Speakers of the Lok Sabha (from First Lok Sabha to Present Lok Sabha)
Lok Sabha Name | Tenure (Remarks) | |
First 1. Ganesh Vasudev Mavalanker | 1952 to 1956 (Died) | |
2. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar | 1956 to 1957 | |
Second | Ananthasayanam Ayyangar | 1957 to 1962 |
Third | Hukum Singh | 1962 to 1967 |
Fourth | 1. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | 1967 to 1969 (Resigned) |
2. Gurdial Singh Dhillan | 1969 to 1971 | |
Fifth | 1. Gurdial Singh Dhillan | 1971 to 1975 (Resigned) |
2. Bali Ram Bhagat | 1976 to 1977 | |
Sixth | 1. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy | 1977 to 1977 (Resigned) |
2. K.S. Hegde | 1977 to 1980 | |
Seventh | Balram Jakhar | 1980 to 1985 |
Eighth | Balram Jakhar | 1985 to 1989 |
Ninth | Rabi Ray | 1989 to 1991 |
Tenth | Shivraj Patil | 1991 to 1996 |
Eleventh | P.A. Sangma | 1996 to 1998 |
Twelfth | G.M.C. Balayogi | 1998 to 1999 |
Thirteenth | 1. G.M.C. Balayogi | 1999 to 2002 (Died) |
2. Manohar Joshi | 2002 to 2004 | |
Fourteenth | Somnath Chatterjee | 2004 to 2009 |
Fifteenth | Ms. Meira Kumar | 2009 - 2014 |
Sixteenth | Ms. Sumitra Mahajan | 2014 - 2019 |
Seventeenth | Om Birla | 2019 - till date |
Table 22.9 Articles Related to Parliament at a Glance
Article No. Subject Matter |
General |
79. Constitution of Parliament |
80. Composition of the Council of States |
81. Composition of the House of the People |
82. Readjustment after each census |
83. Duration of Houses of Parliament |
84. Qualification for membership of Parliament |
85. Sessions of Parliament, prorogation and dissolution |
86. Right of President to address and send messages to Houses |
87. Special address by the President |
88. Rights of Ministers and Attorney-General as respects Houses |
Officers of Parliament |
89. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Council of States |
90. Vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the office of Deputy Chairman |
91. Power of the Deputy Chairman or other person to perform the duties of the office of, or to act as, Chairman |
92. The Chairman or the Deputy Chairman not to preside while a resolution for his removal from office is under consideration
93. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the People
94. Vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker
95. Power of the Deputy Speaker or other person to perform the duties of the office of, or to act as, Speaker
96. The Speaker or the Deputy Speaker not to preside while a resolution for his removal from office is under consideration
97. Salaries and allowances of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker
98. Secretariat of Parliament