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Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Details and Functions

Difference Between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of Parliament, and Lok Sabha is the Lower House. According to Articles 79–122, the President, Lok sabha, and Rajya sabha make up the Indian Parliament. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are referred to as the House of People. Members of the Lok Sabha are chosen directly through adult suffrage, making it a real reflection of Indian society.

The Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is an important part of Indian Polity which an important subject in UPSC Syllabus. Students can also go for UPSC Mock Test to get more accuracy in their preparations.

Difference Between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in Details

India’s Parliament is a bicameral body of government. In 1954, the names “Lok Sabha” and “Rajya Sabha” were introduced in Indian politics. Articles 79 to 122 of the Indian Constitution are covered by the provisions of the Indian Parliament. As examples of how the two houses of parliament differ from one another, consider the following.  Below given is the table to show the Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha
It is referred to as the lower house or house of people, where legislation is passed and laws are created to improve India’s government. It is characterised as the upper house of the parliament or the council of states, which defends the rights of several states.
The House of People’s membership is covered in Article 81. Article 80 concerns the make-up of the Council of States.
The Lok Sabha typically has a five-year term. After five years, the Lok Sabha is dissolved. Considering that the Rajya Sabha is a permanent chamber of parliament, there is no such thing as tenure duration. It cannot be broken down. However, one-third of the Rajya Sabha members leave the house every two years.
The general public participates in the voting process to choose the Lok Sabha’s members. The delegates of the legislative assemblies of states and union territories elect the members of the Rajya Sabha.
The general public participates in the voting process to choose the Lok Sabha’s members. For the Rajya Sabha election, single transferable votes are used to implement proportional representation.
The Lok Sabha has between 500 and 552 members. The Lok Sabha currently has 543 seats in total. The Rajya Sabha has between 200 and 250 members. The Rajya Sabha has 245 seats at the moment.
A person must be 25 years old or older to serve as an MP (Member of Parliament) in the Lok Sabha. One must be at least 30 years old to serve as a Rajya Sabha MP (Member of Parliament).
The speaker of Lok Sabha runs the legislative body’s business. The Vice-President serves as Rajya Sabha’s chairman and oversees all business.
Compared to the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha plays a more significant role in legislation and the passage of money bills. The Rajya Sabha is the only body with the authority to enact rules governing state lists and to establish new all-India services.

Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Ordinary legislation may be introduced and approved by both houses. Each chamber separately must pass a constitutional amendment bill with a special majority. In many ways, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have equivalent powers and functions. Important Indian legislative bodies with a variety of duties include Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The following are some areas where Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have equal authority:

  • Bills related to the Consolidated Fund of India.
  • Recommending to the President the removal of the Chief Justice, judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, the chief election commissioner, and the CAG.
  • Adoption of laws; declaration of an emergency; expansion of the Supreme Court’s and the Union Public Service Commission’s purview.

Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Lok Sabha

In the study of Indian politics, the Lok Sabha is referred to as the House of the People. By passing the bills here, it plays a significant part in establishing the laws in India. India held its seventeenth Lok Sabha general election in 2019. Every five years, the Lok Sabha has its general election. Its principal responsibility is to make sure the government operates transparently. Here it is mentioned that the Lok Sabha plays a bigger part in making budgetary decisions.

Lok Sabha Functions

The Lok Sabha has a number of duties to carry out, including adopting money bills for financial control and electing its own speaker to run the house’s operations. It also has to pass laws.

Legislature 

By moving bills through the house, Lok Sabha has the authority to enact new laws for the country. The Act also repeals and modifies current laws. If a measure is approved by the members of the parliamentary house with a 2/3rd majority, it will become law and be in effect for one year in cases of emergencies or unusual circumstances.

According to Article 108 of the Indian Constitution, the President of India may convene a joint session if there is no agreement reached on the most crucial matter among the respective houses. The speaker of Lok Sabha preside over the combined session of Parliament, and Lok Sabha acts more powerfully than Rajya Sabha in terms of legislating the laws.

 Financial Matters 

The Lok Sabha’s members always take the initiative on money bills. Nearly all measures can be approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on an equal basis, but only the Money Bill gives Lok Sabha the upper hand over Rajya Sabha. A measure that has been introduced and approved by the Lok Sabha is subsequently referred to the Rajya Sabha for approval and recommendations. The minimum amount of time required for the recommendations to be forwarded from the Rajya Sabha to the Lok Sabha is 14 days. There is no obligation for the Lok Sabha to concur with the Rajya Sabha’s suggestions.

Elections and Composition 

The Lok Sabha must consist of no more than 530 members from the territorial constituencies of the States of India and no more than twenty members from the territorial constituencies of Union territories, according to Article 81 of the Indian Constitution. The Speaker of the House of People, who leads the proceedings, is also chosen by the House of People.

Public Powers 

The Lok Sabha’s members are normally elected representatives with the authority to debate and discuss various issues of common concern. Discussions in the Parliamentary House may centre on issues like money, government spending, etc. The parliamentary debates and discussions serve as a check on Indian politics.

Rajya Sabha

In the study of Indian politics, the Rajya Sabha is regarded as the Council of States. It is crucial to India’s establishment of a bicameral legislature. In response to the Central Legislature, it defends the rights of the Indian states. The council of states is the parliament’s permanent house and is never subject to dissolution. The term of office for members of the Rajya Sabha is six years, unlike the general election for the Lok Sabha. 1/3 of the Rajya Sabha members leave the house every two years.

Rajya Sabha Function

Legislative Powers

The Rajya Sabha has the same authority as the Lok Sabha to pass regular laws (other than money bills). In addition, a bill cannot become law until both Houses have approved it.

Financial Powers

When compared to the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha has less influence over finances. If the Rajya Sabha does not pass a Money Bill within 14 days of receiving it for consideration, the bill is deemed to have been approved by Parliament. Rajya Sabha’s carelessness is irrelevant in this situation. The final decision about whether to accept or reject the proposed amendment rests solely with Lok Sabha, even if Rajya Sabha delivers the bill to Lok Sabha with certain modifications.

Executive Powers

The Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha, is the Council of Ministers’ collective accountability body, according to Article 75(3) of the Indian Constitution. The Rajya Sabha has some control over the ministers even if it cannot disband the Council of Ministers.

It includes critiquing their practises, raising new issues, and introducing adjournment motions. The Rajya Sabha may also provide some of the ministers. Now, the Prime Minister might also originate from the Rajya Sabha if the majority party in the Lok Sabha selects or elects a member as its leader.

Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha UPSC

The main Indian legislative bodies Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha serve a variety of purposes. For the diverse states and union territories to operate effectively, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are necessary. Bicameralism allows each of the two houses to analyse the other’s decisions, confirm those decisions, and prevent errors.

While the Lok Sabha is more powerful because its members are directly elected by the public and are thus seen as the direct representatives of the State, the (Rajya Sabha) Upper House maintains the federal equilibrium by defending the interests of states against excessive interference from the centre.Students can read all the details related to UPSC by visiting the official website of StudyIQ UPSC Online Coaching.

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Difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha FAQs

Which is powerful Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha?

The Lok Sabha has more powers than the Rajya Sabha since it is a directly elected body.

What is a Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

Legislature of the Union, which is called Parliament, consists of the President and two Houses, known as Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and House of the People (Lok Sabha). Each House has to meet within six months of its previous sitting.

What is the function of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

Rajya sabha is about protecting the several rights of the state, Lok sabha is about passing the bills and laws for the smooth running of the country.

What is the main power of Rajya Sabha?

In the Indian federal structure, the Rajya Sabha is a representative of the states in the union legislature (hence the name, Council of States).

Why is Lok Sabha called lower house?

A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.

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