The Parliament (Indian Polity and Governance) Part-IV

Total Questions: 30

1. Which of the following are exclusive power of Lok Sabha in comparison to the Rajya Sabha? [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2004]

I. A Money\Finance Bill can be introduced only in the House of the People.

II. Regarding the rejection or amendment of Money Bill.

III. The accountability of Council of Ministers.

IV. Concerning the creation of one or more All India Services.

Selected the Correct answer from the code given below:

 

Correct Answer: (b) I, II, III
Solution:The Lok Sabha, in comparison to the Rajya Sabha, has exclusive powers in regard to the introduction of a Money bill, its rejection and Amendment as provided in (Article 109). The Accountability of the Council of Ministers is to the House of people as provided in Article 75(3), whereas the Rajya Sabha has exclusive powers with regard to the creation of one or more All India Services (Article 312).

2. Which of the following is\are the exclusive power (s) of Lok Sabha? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2022]

1. To ratify the declaration of Emergency.

2. To pass a motion of no-confidence against the Council of Minsters.

3. To impeach the President of India.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

 

Correct Answer: (b) 2 only
Solution:Under Article 352 the President can declare a National Emergency when the security of India or a part of it, is threatened by war, external aggression or armed rebellion. The proclamation of emergency must be approved by both houses of parliament within one month from date of its issue. Thus, the power to ratify the declaration of emergency is not the exclusive power of the Lok Sabha. As per Article 75(3), the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Thus existence of the council of ministers depends on the confidence of the Lok Sabha. Thus statement (2) is correct. As per Article 61(1), when a president is to be impeached for violation of the Constitution, the charge shall be preferred by either House of Parliament. Thus to impeach the President of India is no the exclusive power of Lok Sabha.

3. Which of the following special powers has been conferred on the Rajya Sabha by the Constitution of India? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2012]

Correct Answer: (b) To pass a resolution empowering the Parliament to make laws in the State List and to create one or more All India Services.
Solution:The Council of States has been conferred with special power under Article 249 of the Indian Constitution to declare by resolution supported by not less than 2/3rd members present and voting that it is necessary or expedient in the national interest that Parliament should make law on a subject enumerated in the State list. Like this, Article 312 of the Indian Constitution provides that the Council of States can declare, by resolution supported by not less than 2/3rd of the members present and voting, that it is necessary and expedient in the national interest to create one or more All India Services, including all- India Judicial Services.

4. The Council of States has exclusive powers in relation to which of the following? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2018]

Correct Answer: (c) To recommend creation of a new All India Service.
Solution:The Exclusive powers of the Council of States are- (a) The Council of States can authorise the Parliament to make a law on a subject enumerated in the State list (Art. 249) If the council of states has declared by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting that it is necessary or expedient in the national interest to do so, parliament may by law provide for the creation of one or more all India Services Common to the Union and the states.

5. Which one of the following comes under the exclusive power of the Council of States: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1997]

Correct Answer: (a) Creation of new All India Services.
Solution:The creation of new All India Services comes under the exclusive power of the Council of States. One or more All India Services can be created by the resolution of the Council of States supported by not less than two-third of the members present and voting. The creation of All India Services is provided in Article 312 of the Constitution.
  • The Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of India's bicameral Parliament.
  • Literally meaning the "Council of the States", the Rajya Sabha has been envisaged as the House that represents the interests of the various States and Union Territories of the Union of India.
  • In the Indian Constitutional framework, it has been assigned a crucial role in the legislative process, serving as a deliberative body that provides a platform for the States to voice their concerns and perspectives and ensures that the diverse interests and concerns of the different states of the country are reflected in the parliamentary proceedings.

6. Rajya Sabha has equal powers with Lok Sabha in: [I.A.S. (Pre) 2020]

Correct Answer: (b) amending the Constitution
Solution:Rajya Sabha has equal powers with Lok Sabha in the amendment of the Constitution. According to the Article 368 (2) of the Constitution, an amendment of this Constitution may be initiated only by the introduction of a Bill for the purpose in either house of Parliament, and when the Bill is passed in each house by a majority of the total membership of that house and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that house present and voting (it shall be presented to the President who shall give his assent to the bill and thereupon) the Constitution shall stand amended in accordance with the terms of the Bill.

7. What is the consequence of the failure of Government in Rajya Sabha? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1990]

Correct Answer: (d) None of the above
Solution:Whenever the Government or the Council or the Council of the Ministers fail in Rajya Sabha, None of the given consequences occur because, according to Article 75 (3); the Council of Ministers if collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (House of the people).
  • The Rajya Sabha is a continuing chamber, which means that it is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution.
  • The Indian Constitution has not fixed the term of office of members of the Rajya Sabha and left it to the Indian Parliament.
  • Accordingly, the Parliament enacted the Representation of the People Act (1951) which:
    ∗ Provides that the term of office of a member of the Rajya Sabha                  shall be six years, and
    ∗ Authorizes the President of India to make provisions to govern                  the order of retirement of the members of the Rajya Sabha.
  • Under this provision, the President has made the Rajya Sabha (Term of Office of Members) Order, 1952.
  • As per the current plan, one-third of the members of the Rajya Sabha retire every second year.
    ∗ Their seats are filled up by the fresh elections and Presidential                     nominations at the beginning of every third year.
    ∗  The retiring members of the Rajya Sabha are eligible for re-                       election and renomination any number of times.

8. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of India? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2001]

Correct Answer: (d) It allocates seats in the Council of States
Solution:Fourth Schedule of Indian Constitution
  • According to Article 80(2), the allocation of seats in the Council of States to be filled by representatives of the States and of the Union territories shall be in accordance with the provisions in that behalf contained in the Fourth Schedule.
  • The State of Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of members (31).
  • The States of Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura have got only 1 member each.
  • Consequent to the reorganisation of States and the formation of new States, the number of elected seats in the Rajya Sabha allotted to States and Union Territories has changed from time to time since 1952.
  • The Union territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Darman and Diu and Chandigarh do not have any representatives in the Rajya Sabha.

9. Which one of the following pairs of states has equal representation in the Council of States: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1999]

Correct Answer: (e) None of the above
Solution:At the time when the question was asked, Andera Pradesh and Tamil Nadu both the States had 18 seats in the Rajya Sabha, but after the formation of Telangana State in June 2014, There are 11 seats in Andhra Pradesh and 7 in Telangana. Maharashtra has 19 seats, and Gujarat has 11 seats in Rajya Sabha at present.
  • The representatives of States in the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies.
  • The election in the Rajya Sabha is held in accordance with the System of Proportional Representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote.
  • The seats are allotted to the States in the Rajya Sabha based on the population of that particular State.
    ∗ Hence, the number of representatives varies from State to State.

10. Seats allocated to Uttar Pradesh in the Council of States are the total number of seats allocated to: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2000]

Correct Answer: (a) Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
Solution:At the Time When the Question was asked, i.e., in the year 2000, Andhra Pradesh had 18 seats, Madhya Pradesh 16 and Uttar Pradesh had 34 seats in the Rajya Sabha. Thus, the total seats of Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (18+16=34) were equal to the seats allotted to Uttar Pradesh (34). After the bifurcation of Uttar Pradesh in the year 2000, the seats remaining for UP are 31 and rest 3 are for Uttarakhand. Similarly, after the formation of Chhattisgarh, 5 seats were allotted to this state. In June 2014, Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated, and Telangana was formed. The seats allotted to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are 11 and 7, respectively.