<P> The Lok Sabha (House of the People) is the Lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the Upper house being the Rajya Sabha . Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by adult universal suffrage and a first - past - the - post system to represent their respective constituencies, and they hold their seats for five years or until the body is dissolved by the President on the advice of the council of ministers . The house meets in the Lok Sabha Chambers of the Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi . </P> <P> The maximum strength of the House envisaged by the Constitution of India is 552, which is made up by election of up to 530 members to represent the states; up to 20 members to represent the Union Territories and not more than two members of the Anglo - Indian Community to be nominated by the President of India, if, in his / her opinion, that community is not adequately represented in the House . Under the current laws, the strength of Lok Sabha is 545, including the two seats reserved for members of the Anglo - Indian community . The total elective membership is distributed among the states in proportion to their population . A total of 131 seats (18.42%) are reserved for representatives of Scheduled Castes (84) and Scheduled Tribes (47). The quorum for the House is 10% of the total membership . </P> <P> The Lok Sabha, unless sooner dissolved, continues to operate for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and the expiration of the period of five years . However, while a proclamation of emergency is in operation, this period may 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 . </P> <P> An exercise to redraw Lok Sabha constituencies' boundaries has been carried out by the Delimitation Commission based on the Indian census of 2001 . This exercise, which was supposed to be carried out after every census, was suspended in 1976 following a constitutional amendment to avoid adverse effects on the family planning programme which was being implemented . The 16th Lok Sabha was elected in May 2014 and is the latest to date . </P>

When can the term of lok sabha be extended beyond five years