Age and Qualifications for MPs: 30 for Rajya Sabha, 25 for Lok Sabha
Official heading: “Qualification for membership of Parliament”
- Source edition
- The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
- Source locator
- Part V, Article 84, printed pages 39–40
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1. In One Sentence
Article 84 sets out the essential qualifications to be a Member of Parliament: Indian citizenship, subscribing a Third Schedule oath, minimum age of 30 for Rajya Sabha or 25 for Lok Sabha, and statutory criteria.
2. What It Means in Everyday Language
Article 84 prescribes the mandatory qualifications for individuals aspiring to sit in either chamber of Parliament. Under clause (a), inserted by the Sixteenth Amendment Act, 1963, a candidate must be an Indian citizen and must make and subscribe an oath of allegiance and commitment to national sovereignty before an Election Commission authorized officer.
Clause (b) establishes different age thresholds reflecting the distinct functions of the two Houses: at least thirty years of age for the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), and at least twenty-five years of age for the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
Clause (c) empowers Parliament to prescribe additional qualifications by law. This power is exercised through the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which governs electoral rolls, reserved category eligibility, and candidate requirements.
3. Practical Illustrative Example
A 26-year-old civic activist files nomination papers for an election to the Lok Sabha.
4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions
Article 84 specifies eligibility requirements to ensure maturity and constitutional commitment in federal lawmakers.
- Citizenship prerequisite: Must be an Indian citizen.
- Mandatory Third Schedule oath before an authorized Election Commission officer.
- Age thresholds: 25 years for Lok Sabha; 30 years for Rajya Sabha.
- Delegated authority: Parliament prescribes detailed criteria under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
5. Operative Constitutional Text
6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations
Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.
- •Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part V, Article 84, printed pages 39–40 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.