Parliament and the Making of Laws Summary Class 8 NCERT Summary Chapter 1

Why should People Decide?

• The tough reality of colonial rule and the involvement of many people in the fight for independence made it clear to nationalists that everyone in a free India should help in making decisions.
• As early as 1885, the Indian National Congress called for elected members in the legislature who could discuss the budget and raise questions. The Government of India Act 1909 introduced some elected representation, but these early legislatures under British rule did not allow all adults to vote or take part in decision-making.
• The dreams of the freedom struggle were realised in the Constitution of independent India, which established the principle of universal adult franchise, meaning all adult citizens have the right to vote.
• People from different backgrounds participated in the struggle, motivated by ideals of freedom, equality, and involvement in decision-making. The freedom movement shifted the environment from one of fear under British rule to a new reality where people could voice their opinions against unfair decisions.

People and their Representatives

• The decision of people that creates a democratic government and decides about its functioning.
• The Parliament, which is made up of all representatives together, controls and guides the government.

The Role of the Parliament

• The country is divided into various constituencies, each electing one representative to the Parliament.
• Once chosen, these candidates become Members of Parliament or MPs.
  • These MPs together make up the Parliament.
• The Lok Sabha is generally elected every five years.
• After it is formed, the Parliament must carry out the following tasks:
  • Select the National Government
  • Control, Guide, and Inform the Government
  • Make Laws

To Select the National Government

• The Parliament in India consists of the President, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha

• For a political party to form the government in Lo Sabha, they must have a majority of elected MPs.
  • Since there are 543 elected (plus 2 nominated) members in Lok Sabha, to have a majority a party should have at least half the number i.e. 272 members or more.
• If different political parties join together to form the government then this is known as a coalition government. (This happens if any single party can't get clear majority in Lok Sabha).
• The Prime Minister of India is the leader of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha.
• From the MPs who belong to her party, the Prime Minister selects ministers to work with her to implement decisions.

The Rajya Sabha

• The Rajya Sabha functions primarily as the representative of the states of India in the Parliament.
• The Rajya Sabha can also initiate legislation and a bill is required to pass through the Rajya Sabha in order to become a law.
• The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of various states.
  • There are 233 elected members plus 12 members nominated by the President.

To Control, Guide and Inform the Government

• The Parliament, while in session, begins with a question hour.
  • Through question hour MPs can bring out information about the working of the government.
• The opposition party highlights drawbacks in various policies and programmes of the government and mobilise popular support for their own policies.
  • This helps in healthy functioning of a democracy.
• The Parliament’s approval is crucial for the government in all matters dealing with finances.
• The MPs as representatives of the people have a central role in controlling, guiding and informing Parliament.

Law-Making

Law-making is a significant function of the Parliament.

How Do New Laws Come About?

• The Parliament has an important role in making laws.
• There are many ways through which this takes place, often, different groups in society that raise the need for a particular law.
  • As the Parliament is sensitive to people's problems so, the process adopted for this issue to become law.
• From establishing the need for a new law to its being passed, at every stage of the process the voice of the citizen through various medium such as TV, newspaper etc is a crucial element.

Unpopular and Controversial Laws

• Sometimes a law can be legally valid but still be seen as unpopular or unacceptable by the public, who may believe its purpose is unfair and damaging.
• People may criticise such laws through public meetings, articles in newspapers, and reports on TV. In our democracy, citizens can voice their resistance to oppressive laws created by Parliament.
• When many individuals believe that a law is wrong, it puts pressure on Parliament to consider changes.
• As citizens, our responsibility doesn't stop at voting for representatives; it continues with using media to track and critique the actions of our MPs.
• Citizens play a vital role in shaping laws that reflect public concerns. Their input is essential from the initial need for a law to its eventual passage, and this input is shared through reports, editorials, broadcasts, and community meetings, which enhance transparency in Parliament's work.
• For instance, local laws often outlaw hawking and street vending to keep public spaces accessible. While it's necessary to have rules for clear pavements, it's also important to acknowledge that hawkers and vendors provide vital services affordably to many city dwellers, serving as their primary source of income.