Introduction

You have already studied how elections work and how representatives are chosen. Once elected, those representatives do not simply hand over power to the executive — they come together to form the legislature, the body that makes laws and keeps government answerable to the people it governs.

This chapter builds on that foundation to explain how elected legislatures actually function and how they help sustain democratic government. It looks specifically at the Parliament of India — its composition, its powers, and how it works — while also touching on how State legislatures are organised on similar lines.

By the end of this chapter you should be able to explain:

• why a legislature matters even when a country already has an elected government;
• the functions and powers of the Parliament of India; …