The governor general, on behalf of the monarch, summoned and appointed the 19 senators, while each of the 45 members of the House of Representatives represented an electoral district, and were elected by voters residing in the district.

The governor general also summoned and called together the House of Representatives, and had the power to prorogue or dissolve Parliament, in order to either end a parliamentary session or call a general election.

The upper chamber was called the Senate, and it had 19 members appointed by the Governor-General of the West Indies Federation.

A person would have been ineligible for appointment if they were in bankruptcy, had a mental illness, held an allegiance to a foreign state, had a capital punishment sentence, have been in prison for a time exceeding twelve months, or disqualified to be elected at the House of Representatives.

Erskine Ward was the sole speaker during the existence of the Federal Parliament.