Lok Sabha

About

• The Lok Sabha is the Lower House of India’s bicameral Parliament.
• Literally which means the “House of the People”, the Lok Sabha has been envisaged as the House of the Parliament, composed of without delay elected representatives of the Indian population.
• In the Indian Constitutional Framework, it has been assigned a pivotal position in the legislative method, which include the enactment of legal guidelines, the method of the Union budget, and the articulation of the democratic will of the people.

Composition of Lok Sabha

• The Constitution has constant the most power of the Lok Sabha at 550 members, of which
  • 530 members are to be representatives of the States, and
  • 20 members are to be representatives of the Union Territories (UTs).
• At present, the Lok Sabha accommodates 543 members, of which:
  • 524 members are representatives of the States, and
  • 19 members are representatives of the Union Territories (UTs).

Representation of States in Lok Sabha

• The representatives of States within the Lok Sabha are immediately elected via the people from the territorial constituencies of their respective States.
• The election of members of the Lok Sabha is primarily based on the principle of Universal Adult Franchise.
• Every Indian citizen who’s above 18 years of age and who is not disqualified beneath the provisions of the Constitution or any regulation is eligible to vote at such elections.

Representation of Union Territories in Lok Sabha

• The Indian Constitution has empowered the Parliament to prescribe the way of choosing the representatives of the Union Territories within the Lok Sabha.
• Accordingly, the Parliament has enacted the Union Territories (Direct Election to the House of the People) Act, 1965, through which the members of Lok Sabha from the Union Territories are also chosen with the aid of the direct election.

Nominated Members in Lok Sabha

• As of now, there are not any nominated members in Lok Sabha.
• Before 2020, the President of India used to nominate  members from the Anglo-Indian community if the community was not adequately represented within the Lok Sabha.
• However, the 104th Amendment Act of 2019 discontinued this provision of special representation of the Anglo-Indian community within the Lok Sabha by nomination.

Duration of Lok Sabha

• The term of the Lok Sabha is 5 years from the date of its first assembly after the general elections, and then it mechanically dissolves.
• The President of India is authorized to dissolve the Lok Sabha at any time even before the completion of five years.
• This decision of the President can’t be challenged in a court of law.
• During a National Emergency, the term of the Lok Sabha can be prolonged by using a regulation of Parliament for twelve months at a time, for any length of time.
• However, this extension can’t preserve past a length of six months after the emergency has ceased to be in effect.

Qualifications for Members of Lok Sabha

• He/she has to be a citizen of India.
• He/she needs to make and subscribe to an oath or confirmation before the person accepted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for this motive.
• He/she should not be less than 25 years of age.
• He/she needs to own different qualifications prescribed by way of Parliament.

Statutory Qualifications for Members of Lok Sabha

• He/she should be registered as an elector for a parliamentary constituency from which he/she is contesting an election.
• He/she needs to be a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in any State or Union Territory if he/she desires to contest a seat reserved for them.
• However, a Member of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes also can contest elections from a non-reserved seat.

Disqualifications of Members of Lok Sabha

• As per the Indian Constitution, a person will be disqualified from being elected as a Member of Lok Sabha:
  • if he/she holds any workplace of income under the Union or State Government (besides that of a Minister or some other office exempted by using Parliament).
  • If he/she is of unsound mind and stands so declared by means of a court docket.
  • If he/she is an undischarged bancrupt.
  • If he/she isn’t a citizen of India or has voluntarily obtained the citizenship of a foreign state or is below any acknowledgement of allegiance to a foreign state.
  • If he/she is so disqualified below any regulation made by Parliament.

Oath or Affirmation of Members of Lok Sabha

• Each Member of Lok Sabha has to make and join an Oath or Affirmation before the President or a few members appointed by him/her for this motive.
• In his/her Oath or Affirmation, a Member of Lok Sabha swears:
  • to undergo true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India,
  • to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India,
  • to faithfully discharge the duty upon which he/she is set to go into.
• A Member of Lok Sabha can not vote and participate in the complaints of the House and does not emerge as eligible for parliamentary privileges and immunities unless he/she takes the oath.

Salaries and Allowances of Members of Lok Sabha

• The Members of the Lok Sabha are entitled to obtain such salaries and allowances as can be decided by Parliament.
• There is not any provision of pension for the Members of Lok Sabha in the Indian Constitution.
• However, in 1976, the Parliament provided the provision of pension to the Members of the Lok Sabha.

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