Fundamentals of Business Laws and Business Communication · Legislative Process in India

Structure of Parliament and State Legislature in India

Updated 10 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Parliament of India has three parts: the President, the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). A State Legislature has the Governor and the Vidhan Sabha, and in some states also a Vidhan Parishad. To solve questions, identify the body, then recall its size, members and term.

Understand Structure of Parliament and State Legislature

India follows a parliamentary system. Laws are made by elected representatives, and the head of state acts on the advice of ministers. The Constitution sets up one legislature for the Union (Parliament) and one for each State.

Parliament consists of the President, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The President is a part of Parliament even though he or she does not sit in either House. A Bill becomes law only after both Houses pass it and the President gives assent (with special rules for Money Bills, where the Rajya Sabha has only a limited role).

Lok Sabha is the lower House and represents the people directly. Its maximum strength is 550 (up to 530 from States and up to 20 from Union Territories). The present strength is 543 elected members, made up of 530 from States and 13 from Union Territories. The Anglo-Indian nomination has been removed. Members are chosen by direct election by adult citizens aged 18 or above. Its normal term is 5 years from its first meeting, unless dissolved earlier. A person must be at least 25 years old to contest.

Rajya Sabha is the upper House and represents the States and Union Territories. Its maximum strength is 250, of whom up to 12 are nominated by the President for special knowledge or experience in literature, science, art and social service. The rest are elected indirectly by elected members of State Legislative Assemblies (and by electoral colleges for the Union Territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir). It is a permanent House: it is never dissolved. One-third of its members retire every two years, and each member serves 6 years. The minimum age is 30. The Vice-President is its ex-officio Chairman.

State Legislature consists of the Governor and the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly). Some states also have a Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council), which makes the legislature bicameral. The Vidhan Sabha has directly elected members, with a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 500 (smaller for a few states by special provision). Its term is 5 years.

The Vidhan Parishad is a permanent House, with one-third of members retiring every two years. Its size is at most one-third of the Assembly strength, subject to a minimum of 40. Its members come from mixed sources: some are elected by MLAs, some by local authorities, some by graduates, some by teachers, and the rest are nominated by the Governor. Its Chairman is elected by the members of the Parishad from among themselves. The minimum age is 30 for Parishad and 25 for Assembly.

Key formulas to remember

Parliament: Parliament = President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha; The President is a part of Parliament, though not a member of either House.
Lok Sabha: Max 550 | present 543 elected (530 States + 13 UTs) | term 5 years | min age 25; Directly elected. Can be dissolved.
Rajya Sabha: Max 250 (12 nominated) | term 6 years | 1/3 retire every 2 years | min age 30; Permanent House. Not subject to dissolution.
State Legislature: State Legislature = Governor + Vidhan Sabha (+ Vidhan Parishad in some states); Unicameral in most states, bicameral in a few.
Vidhan Sabha: Min 60, max 500 members | term 5 years | min age 25; Directly elected. Small states may have fewer by special provision.
Vidhan Parishad: Max 1/3 of Assembly strength | min 40 | 1/3 retire every 2 years | min age 30; Permanent House. Exists only in some states. Members come from MLAs, local authorities, graduates, teachers and Governor's nominations.
Presiding officers: Lok Sabha: Speaker | Rajya Sabha: Chairman (Vice-President); Vidhan Sabha has a Speaker; Vidhan Parishad has a Chairman elected by its own members.

How to solve Structure of Parliament and State Legislature questions

Most questions ask you to identify a body, a number or a power. Use this method.

1Read the question and decide whether it is about the Union (Parliament) or a State.
2Identify the exact body: President, Governor, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha or Vidhan Parishad.
3Recall its type: directly elected or indirectly elected; permanent or dissolvable.
4Recall the number being tested: maximum strength, term, minimum age or nominated members.
5Eliminate options that mix up the two Houses, for example a 6-year term given to the Lok Sabha.
6Check the exact wording such as 'part of Parliament' or 'member of Parliament', then mark the best option.

Quickest way: Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha memory grid

When to use it: Use it for any 'which of the following is correct' or 'difference' question.

Lok Sabha = people, direct election, 5 years, age 25, max 550, Speaker.
Rajya Sabha = States, indirect election, 6 years, age 30, max 250, Chairman (Vice-President).
Lok Sabha can be dissolved; Rajya Sabha is permanent.
State copy: Vidhan Sabha behaves like Lok Sabha (directly elected, 5 years, age 25, Speaker).
Vidhan Parishad is like Rajya Sabha only in being permanent, with one-third retiring every 2 years, and age 30. Its members come from mixed sources, and its Chairman is elected by its own members, not the Vice-President.
Any option that swaps these facts between Houses is wrong.

Common mistakes in Structure of Parliament and State Legislature

Saying the President is not a part of Parliament because he or she does not sit in a House.
Students think only members of the two Houses form Parliament.
Fix: Remember the formula: Parliament = President + two Houses.
Giving the Rajya Sabha a 6-year term as a whole House.
The 6-year figure is for each member, not the House.
Fix: The House is permanent; each member serves 6 years and one-third retire every 2 years.
Mixing up minimum ages of 25 and 30.
Both numbers look similar and are learned together.
Fix: Lower House (Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha) = 25. Upper House (Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Parishad) = 30.
Thinking every state has a Vidhan Parishad.
Students assume State Legislature copies Parliament exactly.
Fix: Only some states have one. The Governor and Vidhan Sabha are present in every state legislature.
Saying all Rajya Sabha members are elected.
Students forget the nominated category.
Fix: Up to 12 are nominated by the President for expertise in fields like art, science, literature and social service.
Treating the Governor as a member of the Vidhan Sabha.
Confusion with the President-Parliament idea.
Fix: The Governor is a part of the State Legislature but not a member of either House.
Assuming the Vidhan Parishad is elected and presided over exactly like the Rajya Sabha.
Students stretch the 'upper House' shortcut too far.
Fix: Parishad members come from mixed sources (MLAs, local authorities, graduates, teachers, Governor's nominations), and its Chairman is elected by its own members. The Vice-President presides only over the Rajya Sabha.

Worked examples

Example 1

Which of the following is correct about the Rajya Sabha? (A) It is dissolved every 5 years (B) Its members serve for 6 years and one-third retire every 2 years (C) Its members are directly elected by the people (D) Its maximum strength is 550

Show the solution

Rajya Sabha is a permanent House, so it is not dissolved. (A) is wrong.
Its elected members are chosen indirectly by elected members of State Legislative Assemblies (and by electoral colleges for the UTs of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir), not directly by the people, so (C) is wrong.
550 is the maximum for the Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha's maximum is 250. (D) is wrong.
Each member serves 6 years and one-third retire every 2 years, so (B) is correct.

Answer: (B)

Example 2

Parliament of India consists of: (A) Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha only (B) President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (C) Prime Minister, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (D) President, Vice-President and Lok Sabha

Show the solution

Parliament = President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha.
(A) leaves out the President.
(C) wrongly includes the Prime Minister as a separate part.
(D) leaves out the Rajya Sabha and adds the Vice-President as a part.
So (B) is correct.

Answer: (B)

Exam tips

Learn the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha comparison grid; most questions test one fact from it.
Watch for trick options that give the House's term when the question asks about a member's term.
Remember the State parallel: Governor + Vidhan Sabha, with Vidhan Parishad only in some states.
With no negative marking, always attempt every question and eliminate wrong options first.

Practice questions from Legislative Process in India

Structure of Parliament and State Legislature in other exams

The same ground in other exams, if you are preparing for more than one or want another angle on it.

CS ExecutiveUnion Executive, Parliament and State Legislature

Structure of Parliament and State Legislature: frequently asked questions

What is the composition of the Lok Sabha?

The Lok Sabha has a maximum of 550 members, and the present strength is 543 elected members (530 from States and 13 from Union Territories). They are directly elected by adult citizens aged 18 or above. The normal term is 5 years.

What is the main difference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

The Lok Sabha represents the people, is directly elected and can be dissolved after 5 years. The Rajya Sabha represents the States, is indirectly elected and is a permanent House. One-third of its members retire every two years.

Is the President a part of Parliament?

Yes. Parliament consists of the President and the two Houses. A Bill needs the President's assent to become law.

Does every state have a Vidhan Parishad?

No. Every state has a Governor and a Vidhan Sabha, but only some states have a Vidhan Parishad. Those states have a bicameral legislature.