The Lok Sabha is the Lower House of the Parliament. It is also known as the House of the People because the people of our country elect its members directly. It is more powerful than the Rajya Sabha, even though it is called the Lower House.

Composition

According to the Constitution of India, the Lok Sabha can have not more than five hundred fifty-two members. The seats allotted to the States and the Union Territories in the Lok Sabha are based on their respective population. The large States, therefore, have more seats than smaller States and Union Territories. The number of representatives from the Union Territories cannot be more than twenty. The President nominates two members from the Anglo-Indian community while the rest are directly elected.

Term

The members are elected for a term of five years. If the party in power loses its majority the President can dissolve the Lok Sabha before its term of the Lok Sabha can be extended for one year.

Procedure for Election

Members of the Lok Sabha are elected during the General Elections. Elections are supposed to take place every five years. The entire country is divided into constituencies. One member of Parliament is elected from each constituency. Every adult is a person above eighteen years of age who has the Right to vote. People cast their votes through secret ballot. This means that no one is supposed to know for whom another person has voted. It is a secret.

Each voter receives a large ballot paper when he or she goes to the polling booth to cast his or her vote. Names and election symbols of all candidates contesting the election from that particular constituency are printed on this paper. The voter puts the mark of the seal on the name and symbol of the candidate whom he or she has chosen and puts the ballot paper in a ballot box. Nowadays in some constituencies, we have electronic voting machines.

Eligibility for candidates

� A candidate who wishes to contest the election for the Lok Sabha must be a citizen of India and above twenty-five years of age.
� People who are in government service, insolvent, or mentally unsound are not qualified to be members of Parliament.
� The candidate cannot be a member of Rajya Sabha or any other legislature at the same time.
� Candidates who cannot elections usually represent different political parties. But there can be independent candidates as well.
� An elected member must not be absent from the Parliament for more than sixty days except with the permission of the Speaker, otherwise, he or she can be disqualified.

After election results are announced, the leader of the party with a majority of elected members is invited by the President to form the government. The other parties form the opposition. When one party does not get a clear majority, a group of parties form a coalition and elect a leader who is then asked to form the government.

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