Articles 79, 80 and 81 of the Constitution of India: Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha
Articles 79, 80 and 81 in Part V, Chapter II of the Constitution of India set out the basic constitutional structure of Parliament and the composition of its two Houses: the Council of States, commonly known as the Rajya Sabha, and the House of the People, commonly known as the Lok Sabha.
Article 79 - Constitution of Parliament
Meaning: Article 79 establishes Parliament for the Union. Parliament consists of the President and two Houses: the Council of States and the House of the People.
This provision is important because the constitutional Parliament is not limited to the two legislative Houses. The President is also a constituent part of Parliament under Article 79, although the President is not a member of either House.
For the current official constitutional text, see the Constitution of India published by the Legislative Department.
Article 80 - Composition of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha)
Article 80 governs the composition and method of representation in the Council of States.
Clause (1): The constitutional maximum is 250 members: 12 members nominated by the President and not more than 238 representatives of the States and Union territories.
Clause (2): Seats of States and Union territories are allocated in accordance with the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution.
Clause (3): The 12 nominated members are persons having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art or social service.
Clause (4): Representatives of each State are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assembly through proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
Clause (5): Representatives of Union territories are chosen in the manner prescribed by Parliament by law.
The constitutional ceiling and the actual strength are different concepts. The Election Commission of India states that the Rajya Sabha has a present strength of 245 members, comprising 233 elected representatives and 12 nominated members.
Article 81 - Composition of the House of the People (Lok Sabha)
Article 81 provides the constitutional framework for the composition of the Lok Sabha and for the distribution of seats and territorial constituencies.
Clause (1): The House of the People may consist of not more than 530 members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the States and not more than 20 members representing Union territories, chosen in the manner Parliament provides by law.
Clause (2)(a): Seats are to be allotted among the States so that, so far as practicable, the ratio between the number of seats and the population of each State is the same for all States. The proviso creates an exception for a State whose population does not exceed six million.
Clause (2)(b): Each State is divided into territorial constituencies so that, so far as practicable, the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it is the same throughout the State.
Clause (3): The expression "population" is tied to census figures, subject to the constitutional provisos governing which census is to be used until the relevant figures of the first census taken after 2026 are published.
Article 81 should also be read with Article 82, which deals with readjustment after each census, and with the applicable delimitation legislation. The constitutional text should be consulted when precise seat-allocation or delimitation questions arise.
Census, seat allocation and delimitation
The constitutional provisions distinguish between allocation of seats among States and division of States into territorial constituencies. Amendments to Articles 81 and 82 have preserved the use of specified earlier census figures for these purposes until the relevant figures of the first census taken after 2026 are published. Any future readjustment must therefore be considered with Article 82 and the law governing delimitation.
This page states the constitutional framework only and does not predict how any future delimitation exercise will alter representation.
Articles 79, 80 and 81 - Quick comparison
| Article | Subject | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| 79 | Constitution of Parliament | Parliament consists of the President, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. |
| 80 | Composition of Rajya Sabha | Maximum 250 members: 12 nominated and not more than 238 representatives of States and Union territories. |
| 81 | Composition of Lok Sabha | Provides for directly elected State representatives, Union territory representation, seat allocation and territorial constituencies. |
Related constitutional provisions
Continue with Articles 82 and 83 - readjustment after each census and duration of Houses of Parliament, Articles 84 and 85 - qualification for membership and sessions of Parliament, and Articles 86 and 87 - President's addresses and messages to Parliament.
Last reviewed: 18 September 2026. For authoritative wording, amendments and footnotes, refer to the official Constitution published by the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice.