Parliament & State Legislature: previous-year questions

Answer: (D) The President of India gives his assent to the Bill.

Under Article 111 a Bill passed by Parliament becomes an Act only when the President gives assent. Passage by one or both Houses is necessary but not sufficient, so options (A)–(C) describe intermediate stages, not the final condition.

Answer: (D) 6

Answer as of 2023 — this may have changed since.

The question means States with two Houses of legislature (a Legislative Council as well as an Assembly). Since Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory in 2019, six States have Legislative Councils: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Seven was the figure before 2019.

Answer: (C) Article 113

Article 113 lays down the procedure in Parliament for estimates — charged expenditure is not voted, other expenditure is presented as demands for grants. Article 110 defines Money Bills, Article 111 deals with assent to Bills and Article 114 with Appropriation Bills.

Answer: (D) their distinction in the field of science, art, literature and social service.

Under Article 80(3) the 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha must have special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service. The Constitution does not tie nomination to office in cultural societies, political role or the Vice-President's recommendation.

Answer: (B) Sikkim

Answer as of 2023 — this may have changed since.

Sikkim's Legislative Assembly has 32 members, an exception to the minimum of 60 permitted by Article 371F. Goa has 40, Delhi has 70 and Puducherry has 30 elected members, and Delhi and Puducherry are Union Territories, not States.

Answer: (D) Parliament by Law

Article 106 provides that MPs receive such salaries and allowances as Parliament may determine by law from time to time. The Cabinet, the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs may propose changes but cannot fix them.

Answer: (D) Anti Defection Act

The Tenth Schedule, added by the 52nd Amendment, 1985, contains the anti-defection provisions for MPs and MLAs. Municipalities are in the Twelfth Schedule, forms of oaths in the Third, and validation of certain Acts and Regulations in the Ninth.

Answer: (A) White Paper

A White Paper is an authoritative government report on a policy issue, which the Government of India regularly lays before Parliament (for example on black money or the economy). Green Papers are consultation documents typical of the British system, and Yellow and Blue Books are not standard Indian parliamentary documents in this sense.

Answer: (C) Speaker of Lok Sabha

Article 98 provides for a separate secretariat for each House, and the Lok Sabha Secretariat works under the direct guidance and control of the Speaker. It is independent of the executive, so the Cabinet Secretary, the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Prime Minister do not supervise it.

Answer: (A) Amendment of the Constitution

A Constitution amendment bill (Article 368) must be passed by each House separately with a special majority, and there is no joint sitting to break a deadlock, so the two Houses are exactly equal here. The government can be removed only by the Lok Sabha, to which the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible (Article 75). A money bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha can merely delay it for 14 days. Creating a new All-India Service is a special power of the Rajya Sabha alone (Article 312). The Houses are also equal in electing and impeaching the President and in removing judges.

Answer: (B) 25

Article 84 fixes the minimum age at 25 years for the Lok Sabha and 30 years for the Rajya Sabha; the same 25 and 30 apply to the State Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council (Article 173). 35 years is the minimum for the President, Vice-President and Governor. 21 years is the minimum for contesting Panchayat and Municipal elections, and 18 is the voting age (61st Amendment, 1988).

Answer: (B) a member of the Opposition Party

By a convention followed since 1967, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is chosen from the Opposition and is appointed by the Lok Sabha Speaker from among the members. The PAC has 22 members (15 from Lok Sabha, 7 from Rajya Sabha) elected for one year; it examines the CAG's audit reports, and a Minister cannot be its member. It is the oldest financial committee (set up in 1921). The Estimates Committee, by contrast, has 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha.

Answer: (C) President of India

A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and only on the prior recommendation of the President (Article 117). The Speaker's role is different: he or she certifies whether a bill is a Money Bill, and that decision is final (Article 110). The Rajya Sabha cannot reject or amend a Money Bill; it can only make recommendations and must return the bill within 14 days. There is no joint sitting on a Money Bill.

Answer: (C) any House of the Parliament

Under Article 107 an ordinary bill (and also a Constitution Amendment Bill) may be introduced in either House of Parliament. Only Money Bills (Article 109) and Financial Bills of the first category must begin in the Lok Sabha, with the President's recommendation. A joint sitting (Article 108), presided over by the Lok Sabha Speaker, is only a device to break a deadlock on an ordinary bill; no bill is introduced there, and it is not available for Money Bills or Constitution Amendment Bills.

Answer: (A) 25

Under Article 100 the quorum of either House of Parliament is one-tenth of its total membership. The Rajya Sabha has 245 members, so its quorum is 25; for the Lok Sabha (543 members) it is 55. If there is no quorum, the presiding officer must adjourn or suspend the sitting. Option D (126) is a majority-type figure (just over half of the maximum strength of 250), not the quorum.

Answer: (B) Speaker

Under Article 110(3), if any question arises whether a Bill is a Money Bill, the decision of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is final, and the Speaker endorses a certificate on the Bill when it goes to the Rajya Sabha and to the President. A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, on the President's recommendation; the Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations and must return it within 14 days, and the President cannot send it back for reconsideration. In a State the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly decides (Article 199).

Answer: (C) The members of the both Houses of Parliament through the method of proportional representation by single transferable vote.

The Public Accounts Committee has 22 members - 15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha - elected every year by the members of each House from among themselves by proportional representation through the single transferable vote, so that all parties are represented; a Minister cannot be a member. The Speaker appoints the Chairman, by convention from the Opposition since 1967. The PAC examines the CAG's audit reports and is the oldest financial committee (1921). The Estimates Committee has 30 members, all from the Lok Sabha; the Committee on Public Undertakings has 22.

Answer: (B) members of Rajya Sabha

Members of the Rajya Sabha from each state are elected by the elected members of that state's Legislative Assembly.

Answer: (B) Vice President of India

The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Answer: (A) The Lok Sabha may still proceed with the Bill, accepting or not accepting the recommendations of the Rajya Sabha

Under Article 109, a Money Bill can only originate in the Lok Sabha, and while the Rajya Sabha may recommend amendments, it has no power to reject or substantially alter it — the Lok Sabha is free to accept or reject any of the Rajya Sabha's recommendations, and there is no provision for a joint sitting on a Money Bill.