OVERVIEW
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The Parliament consists of two houses. The Lower House is called the Lok Sabha and the Upper House is called the Rajya Sabha. In the national elections candidates are chosen for the Lower House. The candidates are elected in territorial constituencies.
There are 543 territorial constituencies in the country. The Upper House, Rajya Sabha, consists of up to 250 members. Of these members, 230 are elected by state legislatures and about 15 are nominated by the President. Unlike the Lower House, the Upper House cannot be dissolved, but one third of its members resign every two years.
The Upper House, Rajya Sabha, consists of up to 250 members. Of these members 230 are elected by state legislatures and about 15 are nominated by the President.
Unlike the Lower House, the Upper House cannot be dissolved, but one third of its members resign every two years. Most of the parliamentary activities, passing laws, no-confidence votes, budget bills, take place in the Lower House of parliament. The Upper House together with the Lower House amends the Constitution. These two Houses together with the state legislatures also elect the President.
The states have their own legislatures. Some states have two Houses and some only one House. The Lower House where most of the legislature activities happen is called the Vidhan Sabha. The state elections are held every five years unless the state governments are dissolved earlier.
The Supreme Court of India presides over an identical judicial apparatus in the state, where the judicial head is the chief justice of the system, and from the government side the attorney general.
