Article 83 of Indian Constitution, Interpretation, Significance

Article 83 of the Constitution of India provides the duration of both the Houses of Parliament that is the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. It provides a five-year term to the Lok Sabha in order to ensure governance and the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body which does not have a fixed term. One-Third members of Rajya Sabha keep retiring every two years. In this article, we are going to discuss Article 83 of the constitution, its interpretations and significance. 

Article 83 of Indian Constitution Interpretation

Article 83 of the Indian Constitution states – “1)The Council of States shall not be subject to dissolution, but as nearly as possible one-third of the members thereof shall retire as soon as may be on the expiration of every second year in accordance with the provisions made in that behalf by Parliament by law. 2)The House of the People, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of five years shall operate as a dissolution of the House: Provided that the said period may, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, be extended by Parliament by law for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not extending in any case beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate.”

Article 83 of the Constitution of India can be interpreted in the following manner: 

• According to Article 83, Rajya Sabha is a permanent body that has an indefinite tenure. 
• One-third members of the Rajya Sabha retire every two years in order to maintain continuity and stability in the legislative process. 
• The Lok Sabha on the other hand, has a defined tenure of five years and can also be dissolved earlier. 
• The tenure of Lok Sabha can be extended in the case of national emergency. In such cases, the tenure can be extended up to six months after the Proclamations ceased to operate. 

Article 83 of the Constitution of India Significance

Article 83 talks about the tenure of the Houses of Parliament, with the goal of providing stability, continuity, and democratic accountability in the functioning of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Article 83 is important because: 

• The Rajya Sabha is declared as a permanent body not subject to dissolution, with one-third of its members retiring every two years, ensuring continuity in legislation.
• The Lok Sabha has a fixed term of five years, unless dissolved earlier, which provides a definite electoral cycle, ensuring democratic renewal.

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