Question 1

Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of the Parliament of India:
1. Although members of this Committee are elected from both Houses of Parliament, the Chairperson of this Committee is appointed by the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
2. Twenty members are elected by the Rajya Sabha and ten members by the Lok Sabha.
3. No Minister, except for the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, is eligible to be a member of this Committee.
4. Members are elected for a fixed term of two years from the date they enter their office.
Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

There are two correct statements, that include statement 1.. * All four statements are false: * Statement 1 is incorrect: The Chairperson of the committee is appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from among its Lok Sabha members. * Statement 2 is incorrect: It reverses the ratio; it consists of 20 Lok Sabha members and 10 Rajya Sabha members. * Statement 3 is incorrect: No Minister can serve on the committee; there are no exceptions for any ministry. * Statement 4 is incorrect: Committee members are elected for a term of one year, not two years. * Since all four statements are incorrect, conclusion (d) applies.

Question 2

Consider the following statements about Lokpal:
I. The power of Lokpal applies to public servants of India, but not to the Indian public servants posted outside India.
II. The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a Member of the Parliament or a Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, and only the Chief Justice of India, whether incumbent or retired, has to be its Chairperson.
III. The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a person of less than forty-five years of age on the date of assuming office as the Chairperson or Member, as the case may be.
IV. Lokpal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting Prime Minister of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

III only. * Statement I is not correct: The Lokpal's jurisdiction applies to public servants serving the Union Government both within India and abroad, as well as officers of organizations receiving substantial foreign or domestic contributions. * Statement II is not correct: While MPs and State Legislators are barred from membership, the Chairperson position is not limited to a former Chief Justice of India; it can also be filled by a former Supreme Court Judge or an eminent person with at least 25 years of specialized experience. * Statement III is correct: Under Section 3(3)(c) of the Act, a person must be at least 45 years old on the date of assuming office to be appointed as Chairperson or a Member. * Statement IV is not correct: The Lokpal is explicitly empowered to inquire into allegations against a sitting Prime Minister, subject to specific operational safeguards and exceptions such as national security or international relations.

Question 3

Consider the following statements:
I. On the dissolution of the House of the People, the Speaker shall not vacate his/her office until immediately before the first meeting of the House of the People after the dissolution.
II. According to the provisions of the Constitution of India, a Member of the House of the People on being elected as Speaker shall resign from his/her political party immediately.
III. The Speaker of the House of the People may be removed from his/her office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then Members of the House, provided that no resolution shall be moved unless at least fourteen days' notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

II and III only. * Statement I is correct: In accordance with Article 94 of the Constitution, upon the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, the Speaker does not vacate their office until just before the first meeting of the newly constituted House. * Statement II is not correct: The Constitution carries no mandatory requirement for a member to resign from their political party upon being elected Speaker. (The Tenth Schedule merely exempts them from defection disqualification if they choose to do so). * Statement III is correct: Article 94(c) dictates that the Speaker may be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the House (effective majority), provided at least 14 days' prior notice has been given.

Question 4

As per Article 368 of the Constitution of India, the Parliament may amend any provision of the Constitution by way of:
1. Addition
2. Variation
3. Repeal

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

1 and 3 only. * Article 368(1) explicitly establishes that the Parliament may, in the exercise of its constituent power, amend any provision of the Constitution by way of addition, variation, or repeal in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure. Hence, all three methods are correct.

Question 5

Which of the following statements are correct in respect of a Money Bill in the Parliament?
1. Article 109 mentions special procedure in respect of Money Bills.
2. A Money Bill shall not be introduced in the Council of States.
3. The Rajya Sabha can either approve the Bill or suggest changes but cannot reject it.
4. Amendments to a Money Bill suggested by the Rajya Sabha have to be accepted by the Lok Sabha.

Select the answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

2 and 3 only. * Statement 1 is correct: Article 109 of the Constitution outlines the special legal procedure for passing Money Bills, granting overriding authority to the Lok Sabha. * Statement 2 is correct: A Money Bill cannot originate or be introduced inside the Council of States (Rajya Sabha); it can only start in the Lok Sabha. * Statement 3 is correct: The Rajya Sabha must return the bill within 14 days; it can provide non-binding recommendations or changes, but lacks the power to reject it. * Statement 4 is incorrect: The Lok Sabha holds full discretion to either accept or completely reject any of the structural modifications suggested by the Rajya Sabha. If the Lok Sabha rejects the amendments, the bill is deemed passed by both Houses in its original form.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about the Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha are correct?
1. Initially it was an ad-hoc Committee.
2. Only a Member of the Lok Sabha can make a complaint relating to unethical conduct of a member of the Lok Sabha.
3. This Committee cannot take up any matter which is sub-judice.

Accepted Answer

2 and 3. * Statement 1 is correct: The late Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi initially constituted an ad hoc Ethics Committee in the Lok Sabha in the year 2000, and it eventually became a permanent standing committee of the House in 2015. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Any citizen or person can lodge a formal complaint against a Lok Sabha MP through another Lok Sabha member, provided they submit supporting evidence and an affidavit declaring the filing is not frivolous. MPs can also directly submit complaints, in which case an affidavit is waived. * Statement 3 is correct: Parliamentary procedure dictates that the Ethics Committee cannot entertain complaints based strictly on media stories or examine any matters that are currently sub judice in a court of law.

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam':
1. Provisions will come into effect from the 18th Lok Sabha.
2. This will be in force for 15 years after becoming an Act.
3. There are provisions for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes Women within the quota reserved for the Scheduled Castes.

Accepted Answer

1 and 2 only. * Statement 1 is incorrect: The Act dictates that the 33% women's reservation will only come into effect after a fresh delimitation exercise is conducted based on the figures of the first population census taken after the commencement of the Act (it will not apply to the 18th Lok Sabha). * Statement 2 is correct: The reservation policy is statutory and will remain in force for a fixed duration of 15 years from its date of commencement, unless extended further by a law made by Parliament. * Statement 3 is correct: The Act explicitly provides for internal sub-reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) women within the seats already reserved for SCs and STs.

Question 8

With reference to Union Budget, consider the following statements:
1. The Union Finance Minister on behalf of the Prime Minister lays the Annual Financial Statement before both the Houses of Parliament.
2. At the Union level, no demand for a grant can be made except on the recommendation of the President of India.

Accepted Answer

1 only. * Statement 1 is incorrect: Article 112 of the Constitution provides that the Annual Financial Statement (Union Budget) is laid before both Houses of Parliament by the authority and cause of the President of India, not on behalf of the Prime Minister. The Union Finance Minister presents it on behalf of the President. * Statement 2 is correct: Article 113(3) explicitly dictates that no demand for a grant can be presented or made in the Lok Sabha except on the recommendation and prior approval of the President of India.

Question 9

With reference to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, consider the following statements:
While any resolution for the removal of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is under consideration
1. He/She shall not preside.
2. He/She shall not have the right to speak.
3. He/She shall not be entitled to vote on the resolution in the first instance.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 only. * Statement 1 is correct: In accordance with the constitutional mandate under Article 96, when a resolution seeking the removal of the Speaker is under active consideration, they cannot preside over the sitting of the House, although they may be physically present. * Statement 2 is incorrect: The Speaker retains a full statutory right to speak, participate in, and defend themselves during the proceedings of the House while such a resolution is being discussed. * Statement 3 is incorrect: The Speaker is explicitly entitled to vote on the removal resolution in the first instance, though they do not hold a second casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.

Question 10

With reference to the Indian Parliament, consider the following statements:
1. A bill pending in the Lok Sabha lapses on its dissolution.
2. A bill passed by the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha lapses on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.
3. A bill in regard to which the President of India notified his/her intention to summon the Houses to a joint sitting lapses on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 only. * Statement 1 is correct: Any bill that is currently pending on the agenda of the Lok Sabha lapses automatically upon the dissolution of the House, regardless of whether it originated there or was transmitted from the Rajya Sabha. * Statement 2 is correct: A bill that has been successfully passed by the Lok Sabha but remains pending consideration within the Rajya Sabha at the time of dissolution will lapse. * Statement 3 is incorrect: If the President of India has formally notified an intention to summon a joint sitting of both Houses to resolve a legislative deadlock prior to the official dissolution of the Lok Sabha, the bill does not lapse.

Question 11

With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements:
1. Prorogation of a House by the President of India does not require the advice of the Council of Ministers.
2. Prorogation of a House is generally done after the House is adjourned sine die but there is no bar to the President of India prorogating the House which is in session.
3. Dissolution of the Lok Sabha is done by the President of India who, save in exceptional circumstances, does so on the advice of the Council of Ministers.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

1 and 2. * Statement 1 is incorrect: Under Article 85(2), the President's executive authority to prorogue either House of Parliament is not discretionary and must be exercised strictly on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. * Statement 2 is correct: Prorogation (terminating a session) typically follows an adjournment sine die called by the Presiding Officer, but there is no constitutional barrier preventing the President from issuing an order to prorogue a House while it is actively in session. * Statement 3 is correct: The dissolution of the Lok Sabha is executed by the President, who, except in extraordinary scenarios where a government loses its majority, acts on the formal recommendation and advice of the Council of Ministers.

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