UNION PARLIAMENT

1. What is the Federal set up in Indian ?

A: The Central government and the State Government

2. What are the constituents of the Indian Parliament ?

A: President, Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha

3. What is the term of the Lok Sabha ?

A: 5 years , if not dissolved earlier

4. What is the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha ?

A: 552 members

5. How many members are elected from the State to the Lok Sabha
A: 530 members

6. What is the age criteria to be elected as a member of the Lok Sabha ?

A: Not less than 25 years

7. What is meant by Quorum?

A: The minimum number of members required to be present before a meeting is
allowed to begin.

8. What should be the quorum to constitute a meeting of the Lok Sabha ?

A: 1/10th or 55 members

9. How is the speaker of the Lok Sabha elected ?

A: The Speaker is elected from amongst the members of Lok Sabha by a simple
majority vote of members present and voting.

10.Who presides over the meeting of the Lok Sabha ?

A: The Speaker

11.Who decides the admissibility of questions and resolutions ?

A: The Speaker
12.Who has the final decision on the admissibility of a motion of adjournment?
A: The Speaker

13. Who has to authenticate a Bill in the Lok Sabha before it is sent to the
Rajya sabha or President for his assent ?
A: The Speaker

14.What is a casting vote ?

A :When the votes for and against a proposal are equal the speaker gives a
Casting Vote.

15.Who presides over a joint session of both the Houses?

A: The Speaker

16.Which is the Upper house ?

A: The Rajya Sabha

17.What is the maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha ?

A: 250 members

18.How many members does the President nominate to the Rajya Sabha ?
A: 12 members

19.Who elects the members of the Rajya Sabha ?

A: The members of the Legislative Assembly of the State

20.What is the manner of election of the members of the Rajya Sabha?

A: The Rajya Sabha members are elected by the members of the Legislative
Assembly of the State.
This is done in accordance with the Proportional representation by Single
Transferable vote system .

21.What is the age criteria to be elected as a member of the Rajay Sabha?

A: Not below the age of 30

22.What is the term of the Rajya Sabha ?

A: 6 years
 23.How many members of the Rajya Sabha retire every 2nd year ?
A: 1/3rd of its members

24.Who are the presiding officer/ ex-officio members of the Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha ?
A: Lok Sabha – Speaker
Rajya Sabha – Vice President of India

25. When can the parliament legislate on a subject included in the State list ?
A: (i) During the Declaration of Emergency
(ii) When the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a 2/3 rd majority that the
subject in the State List has assumed matter national importance.
(iii) When two or more states desire that the Parliament should legislate on a
subject given in the state list.

26. What is the residuary powers of the Parliament ?

A: The Parliament can make laws with respect to all those matters which are not
mentioned in the Union list, state list or concurrent list.

27.Who can promulgate an ordinance ?

A: The President

28. When can an ordinance be promulgated ?

A: Ordinance can be promulgated when the Parliament is not in session.

29.Ordnances cease to operate at the expiration of how many weeks ?

A: 6 weeks

30.In which house can a money Bill originate ?

A: Lok Sabha

31.Withinn how many days must the Rajya Sabha return a Money Bill ?
A: 14 days

32.How is Budget presented ?

A: General Budget and Railway Budget
 33.What is a supplementary grant ?
A: If the amount authorized for the current financial year I found to be insufficient
the Government can make a fresh demand known as the supplementary grant.

34.What is the device which authorizes the executive to draw funds from the
consolidated fund until budget is passed by the parliament ?
A: Vote on account

35.What is the first hour of sitting of both houses which is allotted from asking
and answering questions called ?
A: Question Hour or Interpellation

36.An adjournment motions is moved in which house of the Parliament ?

A: The Lok Sabha

37.No- confidence motion is moved by which party ?

A: The Opposition party

38.If any question arises whether a Bill is a money Bill or not whose decision is
final ?
A: The Speaker

39. The union Council of ministers are collectively responsible to which house
A: The Lok Sabha

40.The union council of minister are individually responsible to whom ?

A: The President

41.No- confidence motion against the council of ministers can be moved in

which house ?
A: The Lok Sabha

42. What happens to the ministry when a No-confidence motion is passed ?

A: The Ministry has to resign

43.Who summons of the houses of the Parliament ?

A: President of India

44.Who presides over a joint sitting of the Parliament ?

A: The Speaker

45.What is the Maximum gap between two sessions of the Parliament ?

A: 6 months

46. What is meant by Session of the House ?

A: A session is a period during which the House meets to conduct its business.

47.Name the three sessions of the Parliament ?

A: Budget Session , Monsoon Session and Winter Session.

48.How are members of the Lok Sabha elected ?

A: Direct election through Universal Adult Franchise.

49.Which form of power sharing is commonly known as federalism ?

A: State and Central Government

50.What is the Lok Sabha also known as ?

A: House of the People

51.What is the Rajya sabha also known as?

A: The council of States

52.Which parliamentary procedure starts at 10:00 and continues till 1:00?

A: The Question Hour

53.Under what circumstances can an adjournment motion be passed ?

A: (i) When the matter is definite
(ii) That the urgency is of such a character that the matter should be discussed
on the same day .
(iii) that the subject is of public importance

54.In a joint sitting of both houses of the Parliament which houses decision
prevails in case of a disagreement ?
A: Lok Sabha

55.Which house of the Parliament cannot be dissolved?

A: Rajya Sabha

56. Name the three types of questions asked during the Question Hour?
A: Starred, Unstarred and short notice question.

57.Name the two Houses of the Parliament?

A: The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha

58.Who are the Council of Minister are collectively responsible to ?

A: The Lok Sabha

59.Mention the ways through which the Parliament exercises control over the
Executive ?
A: Question Hour
Adjournment motion
No-confidence Motion

STRUCTURED QUESTIONS:

1. Composition of the Lok Sabha

2. Qualifications of members of the Lok Sabha
3. Composition of the Rajya Sabha
4. Qualification of the members of the Rajya Sabha
5. Manner of election of Rajya Sabha members
6. Power and Functions of the Union Parliament
(i) Legislative
(ii) Control over the national finance
(iii) Administrative function
7. Exclusive powers of the Lok Sabha
8. Exclusive powers of the Rajya Sabha

ANSWERS FOR THE STRUCTURED QUESTIONS

FEDERAL SET UP IN INDIA – In a federal set up , all administrative powers is
divided between the Central and the State government.

THE THREE CONSTITUENTS OF THE INDIAN PARLIAMENT - The President, and the
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

QUORUM – The minimum number of members required to be present before a

meeting is allowed to begin. The quorum to constitute a meeting for of the House
is 1/10th or 55 members.

LOK SABHA

It is also known as the Lower House and the House of the people.

COMPOSTITON :
a) The maximum strength is 552 members
b) 530 members are directly elected by the people
c) 20 members represent the Union territories

QUALIFICATION :

a) He should be a citizen of India

b) Must not be less than 25 years of age
c) He should not hold an office or profit
d) Must possess such other qualifications as maybe prescribed by the
parliament.

TERM : Term of the House is 5 years if not dissolved earlier.

PRESIDING OFFICER / EX-OFFICIO CHAIRMAN OF THE LOK SABHA – Speaker, he is

elected from among its own members by a simple majority of members present
and voting.

ROLE , POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE SPEAKER

 A) REGULATES DEBATES AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE
a) Speaker presides over meetings of the House
b) All speeches and remarks are addressed to the chair
c) He decides the admissibility of questions and all resolutions
d) All Bills passed by the House are signed by him before they are sent to
Rajya Sabha to the President for his assent.
e) If any question arises whether a Bill is a money Bill or not the decision of
the speaker shall be final
f) The speaker gives a Casting vote when there is a tie or equal votes on both
sides.

ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS

a) He communicates the decisions of the House to the concerned authorities

b) He receives all petitions and documents In the House
c) He allows the admission of visitors and press to the galleries of the House.

DISCIPLINARY FUNCTIONS

a) He maintains order in the House

b) He may name a member for suspension, if he disregards the authority of
the Chair.
c) He can adjourn the House in case of gave disorder
d) If a member of the Lok Sabha stands disqualified under the Anti- Defection
Law, the question shall be referred to the decision of the speaker.

POWERS OF THE UNION PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE FUNCTION

a) The Union Parliament has exclusive powers to make laws on all subjects
mentioned in the Union list,
b) In the Concurrent List both the Parliament and the State legislature can
make laws.
c) In case of a conflict between the Central and the State law, the law made
by the Parliament shall prevail.
d) RESIDUARY POWER- the Parliament can make laws on any subject which
was not mentioned in any of the three lists.
e) THE PARLIAMENT CAN ALSO MAKE LAWS ON SUBJECTS INCLUDED IN THE
STATE LIST
(i) In case of emergency
(ii) If the Rajya Sabha passes a 2/3rd resolutions that a particular subject
in the state list has assumed national importance.
(iii) When two or more states request the Parliament to legislate on a
subject given in the State list.
f) ORDINANCE – An Ordinance is a temporary law passed by the President
when the Parliament is not in session or during an emergency. Ordinances
ceases to operate at the expiration of 6 weeks.

CONTROL OVER THE NATIONAL FINANCE / FINANCIAL POWERS

a) THE BUDGET – the Parliament passes the Budget which contains the
income and expenditure of the government in respect of a financial year.
The Budget is presented into the Railway and General Budget.
b) SUPPLEMENTARY GRANT – IF the amount for the current financial year is
not sufficient the Government may make a fresh demand known as
supplementary grant,
c) VOTE ON ACCOUNT – if the budget is not passed before the beginning of
the new financial year i.e April 1 st, there would be no money for the
executive to spend. The Vote on account authorizes the executive to draw
funds from the Consolidated Fund until the Budget is passed.
d) MP’s AND MINISTERS RECEIVE SALARIES and allowances determined by the
Parliament.
 e) NO TAX CAN BE IMPOSED or spend by the Government WITHOUT
PERMISSION OF THE PARLIAMENT.

CONTROL OVER EXECUTIVE OR ADMINISTATIVE AFFAIRS

a) QUESTION HOUR (interpellation) The first hour of sitting in both the

Houses is allotted for asking and answering questions. The purpose is to
obtain information on a matter of public importance.
b) ADJOURNMENT MOTION – it is aimed at censuring the acts of omission
and commission of the ministers.
c) CENSURE MOTION AND NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION – censure motion is
moved against a group of ministers or an individual minister expressing a
strong disapproval of their policy. If a no-confidence motions is passed the
government has to resign.
d) MONETARY CONTROLS – During the budget session a cut motion may be
moved.

AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION / CONSTITUENT FUNCTION

Amendment of the Constitution by the Parliament by a 2/3rd majority of members

present and voting.
Some Amendments require a simple majority vote.
In some cases the amendment requires the approval of the legislative
assemblies of the states.

ELECTORAL FUNCTIONS

a) The President of India is elected by the members of both the Houses of the
Parliament and the MLA’s
b) The Vice –President is elected by both the Houses of the Parliament .
c) The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected from among the members of
the Lok Sabha

JUDICIAL POWERS
 a) Impeachment of the President by the Parliament by a 2/3 rd majority if he
violates the Constitution.
b) The Parliament can remove a judges of the Supreme court and the High
Court, the Chief Election Commissioner, Comptroller and Auditor General of
India.
c) The Parliament may punish a person for obstructing the work of the
Parliament or showing disrespect for the House.

RAJYA SABHA
RAJYA SABHA – THE UPPER HOUSE OF COUNCIL OF STATES

COMPOSITION –
a) The maximum strength is 250 members
b) The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the MLA’s or Vidhan Sabha.
c) 238 members are elected by the states in the Union
d) The members fall in two categories – elected and Nominated
e) 12 members are nominated by the President from among persons having
special knowledge in the field of Art, Literarture, Science and Social Service.

QUALIFICATIONS
a) He should be a citizen of India
b) Must not be less than 30 years of age
c) He should not hold an office or profit
d) Must possess such other qualifications as maybe prescribed by the
parliament.

PRESIDING OFFICER / EX-OFFICIO CHAIRMAN OF THE RAJYA SABHA IS THE – VICE-

PRESIDENT IF INDIA .

TERM- The Rajya Sabha is a PERMAMENT HOUSE IT CANNOT BE DISSOLVED.

1/3RD of its members retire every 2nd year.

MANNER OF ELECTION – Members of Rajya Sabha are elected by the members of

the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF EACH STATE. This is done in accordance with the
system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote.
EXCLUSIVE POWERS OF THE LOK SABHA

A) FINANCIAL MATTERS
a) Money Bill can be introduced in the Lok Sabha
b) The Money Bill is transmitted to the Rajya Sabha for its
recommendations or suggestions.
c) The Lok Sabha may accept or reject the recommendations of the Rajya
Sabha.
d) The Rajya Sabhanmust return the Money Bill within a period of 14 days.
e) The Lok sabha has power to vote on the demands for grants.

B) RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

a) The Union council of ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok
Sabha. Lok Sabha can make or throw out the governments.
b) If a No-Confidence motion is moved in the Lok Sabha the entire ministry
will have to resign.
c) Adjournment motion is moved in the Lok Sabha, because it indicates a
strong disapproval of the policy of the Government.
d) IN case of an deadlock or disagreement between the two Houses over an
ordinary Bill the will of the Lok Sabha shall prevail.

EXCLUSIVE POWERS OF THE RAJYA SABHA

a) The Rajya Sabha may pass a resolution that it would be in the national
interest for the parliament to make laws with respect to matters in the
state List.
b) It can create one or more All India Services
c) If the Lok Sabha is dissolved before or after the declaration of a National
Emergency the Rajya Sabha takes over the functions of the parliament.
d) Rajya Sabha is a permanent House it cannot be dissolved.