The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive | Class 8 Social Science Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 3 min read
The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive from Class 8 Social Science, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
The Parliament
This section explains the composition, structure, and functions of the Parliament of India, which is the supreme legislative body. The Parliament consists of two houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). The Lok Sabha is directly elected by the people of India through general elections held every five years. It represents the people and is the more powerful house in terms of financial and legislative matters. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent house and is not subject to dissolution; its members are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies. The Rajya Sabha represents the states and union territories of India. The Parliament's main function is to make laws, discuss and pass the budget, and hold the executive accountable. It also plays a key role in amending the Constitution and approving important appointments and treaties. The section further explains the process of how a bill becomes a law, the importance of debates and discussions in the Parliament, and the role of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in conducting the proceedings. The Parliament also exercises control over the executive through various mechanisms such as question hour, motions, and committees.
📊 Diagram: Diagram showing the structure of the Parliament with two houses: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, indicating the method of election and term duration for each house. (See figure_1: Structure of Indian Parliament)
🧪 Activity: Activity: Students are asked to list the names of their local MP and Rajya Sabha member and find out how they were elected.
🔗 Connection: Prepares students to understand the executive branch and its relationship with the Parliament in the next section.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is India’s parliamentary system, and how is it structured?
India’s parliamentary system is a democratic form of government where the executive is responsible to the legislature. It is structured with the Parliament at the center, which consists of the President and two houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). This bicameral system ensures representation of the people and the states. The Lok Sabha members are directly elected by the people, while the Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by the electoral c
2. What are the key functions of the Parliament?
The key functions of the Parliament are: (i) to make laws for the country, (ii) to control and guide the work of the government, (iii) to represent the people’s interests, (iv) to approve the budget and expenditures, and (v) to ensure that the government functions with the consent of the people.
3. What are the roles of the legislature and the executive in India’s Parliamentary democracy?
In India’s Parliamentary democracy, the legislature (Parliament) makes laws, debates policies, and controls the government. The executive (Prime Minister and Council of Ministers) implements laws and runs the administration. The executive is responsible to the legislature and must maintain its confidence to stay in power.
4. How are the legislature and the executive organised at the union and state levels?
At the union level, the legislature is the Parliament consisting of the President, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha. The executive is the President, Prime Minister, and Council of Ministers. At the state level, the legislature consists of the Governor and the State Legislative Assembly (and Legislative Council in some states). The executive includes the Governor and the Chief Minister with the Council of Ministers. Both levels follow the parliamentary system where the executive is responsible to the l
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Clear NCERT-aligned notes on Law and Social for Class 8 Social Science.