The Lok Sabha (House of the People) is the lower House of India's parliament. Its maximum size as outlined in the constitution is 552 members made up of 530 members elected by the states in proportion to their voting population, 20 members by the Union Territories, and 2 members appointed by the President to represent the Anglo-Indian community if he finds that community to not be adequately represented in the House.
The age qualification for membership of the Lok Sabha is twenty-five years.
Each Lok Sabha is formed for a five year term after which it automatically dissolves unless extended by a Proclamation of Emergency which may extend the term in one year increments. The Twelfth Lok Sahba was formed in March, 1999.
The members of the Lok Sabha elect a Speaker who is responsible for the conduct of business of the body, and also a Deputy Speaker to preside during the Speaker's absence.
On normal business days the Lok Sabha assembles from eleven o'clock in the forenoon to one o'clock in the afternoon and two o'clock in the afternoon to six o'clock in the evening. The first hour of every sitting is the Question Hour during which members' questions may be assigned to government Ministries to be answered at a fixed date in the future.
The Lok Sabha holds equal legislative power with the upper House of parliament, the Rajya Sabha, except in the area of Money Bills in which case the Lok Sabha has the ultimate authority. If conflicting legislation is enacted by the two Houses, a joint sitting is held to resolve the differences. In such a session, the members of the Lok Sabha would generally prevail, since the Lok Sabha includes more than twice as many members as the Rajya Sabha.
See also: Politics of India
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