What is the Difference Between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

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The main differences between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are as follows:

  1. Definition: Lok Sabha is the Lower House and represents the people of India as a whole, while Rajya Sabha is the Upper House and represents the states and union territories of the Indian Union.
  2. Election Procedure: Members of Lok Sabha are directly elected through the First Past The Post (FPTP) system, whereas members of Rajya Sabha are indirectly elected by members of state legislative assemblies and union territories with legislative assemblies.
  3. Composition: The President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha for their expertise in various fields, whereas the Lok Sabha does not have such a provision.
  4. Function: Lok Sabha has a greater role in legislation and passing money bills, while Rajya Sabha has exclusive rights and powers to make laws on state lists and create new all-India services.
  5. Powers: Lok Sabha is more powerful than Rajya Sabha in specific matters, such as expressing a lack of confidence in the government by not passing a motion of thanks on the President's inaugural address, rejecting a money bill, or passing a censure motion or an adjournment motion.
  6. Tenure: The tenure of the Lok Sabha is 5 years, after which it is dissolved and fresh elections are held. On the other hand, the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body, with one-third of its members retiring every second year and being replaced by newly elected members.

In summary, Lok Sabha is more focused on representing the people of India and has a greater role in legislation and passing money bills, while Rajya Sabha represents the states and union territories and has exclusive rights to make laws on state lists and create new all-India services.

Comparative Table: Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha

The main differences between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are their composition, tenure, and functions. Here is a comparison table highlighting the key differences between the two houses of the Indian Parliament:

Basis of comparison Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha
Definition Lower House of Parliament, also known as the House of People Upper House of Parliament, also known as the Council of States
Elected? Directly elected by the people of India on the basis of adult suffrage Indirectly elected, with equal representation from states and union territories
Maximum Strength 552, with 530 representatives of states and 13 representatives of union territories 250, with 233 representatives of states and union territories
Current Strength 545 245
Powers and Functions More power in legislation and passing money bills compared to Rajya Sabha Has exclusive rights and powers to make laws on state lists and create new all-India laws
Head Speaker, elected from among the members Vice-President of India, who serves as the Chairman

In summary, Lok Sabha is a more powerful house in terms of legislation and passing money bills, while Rajya Sabha has exclusive powers to make laws on state lists and create new all-India laws. The composition and tenure of both houses differ as well, with Lok Sabha members being directly elected and Rajya Sabha members being indirectly elected with equal representation from states and union territories.