What is Lok Sabha?
The Lok Sabha, or House of the People, is the lower house of India’s bicameral Parliament, the other being the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). It represents the citizens of India directly and plays a vital role in the legislative process, governance, and financial oversight of the country. The Lok Sabha can have a maximum of 552 members, including up to 530 from the states, 20 from the Union Territories, and 2 nominated members (from the Anglo-Indian community, a provision now discontinued by the 104th Constitutional Amendment in 2020). Members are elected through direct elections using universal adult suffrage for a term of five years, unless dissolved sooner.
The Lok Sabha holds significant powers, especially in matters of money bills, where the Rajya Sabha has only an advisory role. It also plays a critical role in the formation and accountability of the Union Government, as the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers must enjoy its confidence. The Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha and ensures the orderly conduct of business. Through its debates, discussions, and committees, the Lok Sabha functions as a cornerstone of Indian democracy, voicing the will of the people and shaping national policy.
Dashboard Description
This dashboard presents a comprehensive overview of the background characteristics of Lok Sabha Members, offering multidimensional insights into the composition of India’s lower house of Parliament. It captures key demographic and socio-political features such as age distribution, revealing generational representation trends; gender, highlighting the level of women’s participation in the legislature; and educational qualifications, providing a lens on the academic profile of elected representatives.
It also categorises MPs based on their political party affiliation, illustrating the strength and spread of various parties across India, and their professional background, offering insights into the occupational diversity, such as law, agriculture, business, social service, and politics. The dashboard includes state-wise representation, helping assess regional diversity and balance, as well as marital status, which adds an additional layer of socio-cultural understanding. Furthermore, it tracks the term of service, identifying first-time MPs versus experienced legislators, which may influence legislative expertise and continuity.
Pankaj Chowdhury is a former Research Assistant at the International Economic Association. He holds a Master’s degree in Demography & Biostatistics from the International Institute for Population Sciences and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Visva-Bharati University. His primary research interests focus on exploring new dimensions of computational social science and digital demography.
This article is posted by Sahil Shekh, Editor-in-Chief at 360 Analytika.
