Q1: What is Legislature?
Ans: The legislature is one of the three organs of the Government of the modern state. Although its main function is to make a law it performs a number of other functions like representational and deliberate functions. The legislature has financial and administrative control over the executive.
Q2: What is the role and significance of the Legislature in a democracy?
Ans: The legislature plays a pivotal role in a democracy. It serves as the platform for extensive discussions, debates, deliberations, cooperation, and opposition on important decisions and policy matters. These activities ensure transparency and accountability in governance. A genuine democracy is unimaginable without an efficient, representative, and responsible legislature. Moreover, it empowers citizens by enabling them to hold their representatives accountable. Thus, the legislature is of immense importance in a representative democracy.
Q3: What constitutes the Indian parliament?
Ans: The Indian Parliament consists of three main components:
Q4: What is a bicameral legislature?
Ans: There are two types of legislatures. Where there is only one house, they are known as the unicameral legislature, and where there are two houses they are known as a bicameral legislature. India has a bicameral legislature in the center and in six states.
Q5: Who presides over the meetings of the Rajya Sabha?
Ans: Vice President of India is the Capacity of ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha who presides over, the meetings of Rajya Sabha and conducts the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha.
Q6: Give four arguments against the bicameral legislature.
Ans: 1. Bicameral legislatures are often deemed unnecessary, as a single legislative chamber can effectively perform the same functions.
2. They can cause avoidable delays in the legislative process, leading to inefficiencies.
3. Such systems result in unnecessary expenditure and overhead costs that can burden taxpayers.
4. Bicameral legislatures may be unrepresentative in nature, failing to reflect the diverse views of the population effectively.
Q7: Write the composition of Lok Sabha.
Ans: The Lok Sabha consists of representatives directly elected by the people through Universal Adult Suffrage. As per the Indian Constitution, the House can have a maximum of 550 members, with 530 representing the States and 20 representing the Union Territories. Currently, the Lok Sabha comprises 543 elected members.
Q8: What are the functions of the speaker of Lok Sabha?
Ans: The presiding officer of the Lok Sabha is known as the speaker of Lok Sabha who is elected by the members of Lok Sabha from themselves. Speaker conducts the proceeding of the house and maintains discipline and decorum in the house.
Q9: Name the states which have bicameral legislation.
Ans: Following six states of India have bicameral legislation
Q10: What is the composition of the Rajya Sabha, and what is its maximum capacity?
Ans: The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Indian Parliament, often referred to as the Council of States due to its role in representing the interests of the states. Its maximum capacity is 250 members, of which 238 are elected by the members of the State Assemblies, while 12 members are nominated by the President of India. These nominated members are individuals who have distinguished themselves in fields such as science, literature, art, social service, cinema, and sports.
Q11: In which areas Rajya Sabha is weak in comparison to Lok sabha.
Ans: Rajya Sabha is weaker in comparison to Lok Sabha in the following areas:
Q12: What is Bill and when it becomes Law?
Ans: The proposal to make a law is called a bill. When it is passed by both the Houses of Parliament and get the assent of the Indian President it became law.
Q13: Who amends the Indian constitution?
Ans: The Parliament has the authority to amend the Indian Constitution by following the specific procedure outlined in Article 368. However, the State Assemblies have limited powers when it comes to constitutional amendments.
Q14: Give four arguments in favor of the bicameral legislature.
Ans: Bicameral legislature plays a significant role in enhancing the efficiency and fairness of the legislative process. The key arguments in its favor are:
Q15: Write two special power of Rajya Sabha.
Ans: The Rajya Sabha, as the upper house of Parliament, has certain special powers that distinguish it from the Lok Sabha. These include:
Q16: What is the main function of the Legislature in the modern state?
Ans Legislatures of the modern state perform several key functions, regardless of the forms of government. These functions include:
Q17: How are Government Bills and Private Member Bills different?
Ans: A Government Bill is introduced by a minister and reflects the policies and priorities of the ruling party. These bills generally have a higher chance of being passed as they align with the government's agenda. On the other hand, a Private Member Bill is introduced by any member of Parliament who is not a minister, typically reflecting the views or concerns of the opposition or individual members. These bills usually have a lower chance of passing, as they may not have the same support from the ruling party.
Q18: How the parliament exercises control over the executive?
Ans: The Parliament exercises administrative and financial control over the executive in the following ways:
Q19: Write main functions of Parliament.
Ans: The Parliament performs several key functions, which include:
Q20:In which areas does the Rajya Sabha have equal powers with the Lok Sabha?
Ans: The Rajya Sabha shares equal powers with the Lok Sabha in the following areas:
Q21: Write the various steps in the Lawmaking process.
Ans : Following are the various stages in the law-making process:
Q22: Name the states which have a bicameral legislature and how bicameral legislature can be introduced.
Ans: The following six states have a bicameral legislature:
A bicameral legislature can be introduced in a state by:
Q23: Differentiate between
1. Government bill and Private member bill
2. Ordinary bill and a money bill
3. Private bill and ordinary bill
Ans: 1. A Government Bill is introduced by a government minister, whereas a Private Member Bill is introduced by a member of the legislature who is not a part of the government.
2. A Money Bill deals exclusively with matters related to income and expenditure, such as taxation or government spending. In contrast, an Ordinary Bill deals with all other legislative matters that are not related to financial issues.
3. A Private Bill is a bill that affects a specific group, individual, or locality, such as local laws or corporate regulations. An Ordinary Bill is a general law that applies to the entire public and addresses issues of general interest.
Q24: Should Rajya Sabha be scrapped?
Ans: Rajya Sabha is the upper house of Parliament and is often referred to as the permanent house because it is not subject to dissolution. It acts as the council of the states, representing the interests of the states. However, due to its weaknesses in areas such as legislative, financial, and executive functions, some consider the Rajya Sabha to be a useless and unnecessary body, advocating for its scrapping.
Despite this perspective, the demand to abolish the Rajya Sabha lacks substantial support for several reasons:
Q25: Write the legislative powers of the Indian President.
Ans: The President is a vital organ of the Indian Parliament and holds significant powers over the legislative process. Some of their key powers include:
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1. What is the primary function of a legislature in a democratic system? | ![]() |
2. How does the structure of a legislature differ between unicameral and bicameral systems? | ![]() |
3. What role do committees play in the legislative process? | ![]() |
4. How can citizens influence their legislature? | ![]() |
5. What are the different types of legislation that a legislature can introduce? | ![]() |