Class 11 Chapter Union Parliament Long Qa P.sc

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Extra 20 important long questions and answers from the chapter "Union Parliament" of Class 11 Political Science:

Explain the composition of the Indian Parliament.

Answer:

The Indian Parliament consists of:

Lok Sabha (House of the People)

– Maximum

552 members

Rajya Sabha (Council of States)

– Maximum

250 members

President of India

– Part of the Parliament but does not sit in the House.

Lok Sabha members are

directly elected by citizens

Rajya Sabha members are

indirectly elected by State Legislative Assemblies

The

Vice-President of India

is the

ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha

The

Speaker presides over Lok Sabha sessions

Differentiate between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Answer:

Feature	Lok Sabha	Rajya Sabha
Members	552	250
Election	Direct	Indirect
Term	5 years	Permanent (1/3rd retires every 2 years)
Leadership	Speaker	Vice-President
Money Bill	Final say	Can only suggest changes
Dissolution	Can be dissolved	Cannot be dissolved
Representation	People	States

Discuss the powers and functions of the Lok Sabha.

Answer:

Legislative Powers

– Passes bills and makes laws.

Financial Powers

– Controls the

Budget and Money Bills

Executive Control

– Can remove the

government through a No-Confidence Motion

Judicial Powers

– Can

impeach the President and judges

of the Supreme Court.

Amendment Powers

– Participates in amending the Constitution.

Electoral Functions

– Elects the

President and Vice-President of India

Discusses national issues

and influences public policy.

Discuss the powers and functions of the Rajya Sabha.

Answer:

Legislative Powers

– Reviews and suggests amendments to laws.

Limited Financial Powers

– Can

only delay a Money Bill by 14 days

Approves Constitutional Amendments

with Lok Sabha.

Represents the states

in national governance.

Can

authorize Parliament to legislate on State List subjects

in national interest.

Plays a role in

impeachment procedures

Ensures stability in governance

since it cannot be dissolved.

Explain the functions of the Speaker of Lok Sabha.

Answer:

Presides over

Lok Sabha sessions

Maintains

order and discipline

in the House.

Decides whether a bill is a

Money Bill

Refers bills to

committees for review

Has a

casting vote

in case of a tie.

Represents Lok Sabha in

official functions

Decides on matters of

defection under the Anti-Defection Law

Describe the process of passing an Ordinary Bill in Parliament.

Answer:

First Reading:

Bill introduced in either House.

Second Reading:

Debate, suggestions, and Committee Review.

Third Reading:

Final vote in both Houses.

Sent to the other House for approval.

If both Houses pass it,

sent to the President

President’s Assent:

Bill becomes law.

If rejected, the

Joint Sitting of Parliament

may be called.

What is a Money Bill? How is it passed in Parliament?

Answer:

Introduced only in Lok Sabha

by the Finance Minister.

Rajya Sabha can

only suggest changes

, but Lok Sabha may reject them.

Must be

passed within 14 days in Rajya Sabha

Sent to the

President for approval

Cannot be referred to a Joint Sitting.

Related to taxation, borrowing, and financial matters.

Speaker decides if a bill is a Money Bill.

What is a Constitutional Amendment Bill? How is it passed?

Answer:

Introduced in either House.

Requires

special majority (2/3rd members present & voting).

Some amendments need

ratification by states

Sent to the

President for approval

Cannot be passed in a

Joint Sitting

Examples:

42nd Amendment (1976), 73rd & 74th Amendments (1992)

Strengthens the Constitution.

Explain the significance of the Joint Sitting of Parliament.

Answer:

Called by the

President

to resolve deadlocks over Ordinary Bills.

Presided over by the

Speaker of Lok Sabha

Occurs when Rajya Sabha

rejects or delays a bill for more than 6 months

Both Houses sit together and vote

on the bill.

Lok Sabha usually has an advantage due to its

higher strength

Example:

Banking Service Commission Repeal Bill (1978)

Ensures smooth functioning of democracy.

10. What are Parliamentary Committees? Name two important ones.

Answer:

Parliamentary Committees

are smaller groups of MPs that work on specific matters in detail.

They help Parliament function efficiently by

examining bills, policies, and government spending

There are two types of committees:

Standing Committees (Permanent) and Ad-hoc Committees (Temporary)

Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

– Audits government expenditures and ensures proper use of funds.

Estimates Committee

– Reviews budget estimates and suggests improvements in public expenditure.

Committees allow

in-depth discussions

on issues that cannot be debated in full detail in Parliament.

They play a crucial role in ensuring

government accountability and transparency

11. Explain the role of Parliament in controlling the Executive.

Answer:

Parliament supervises the Executive (Government) to ensure accountability.

Question Hour:

MPs question ministers about policies and government actions.

Zero Hour:

MPs raise urgent matters without prior notice.

No-Confidence Motion:

Lok Sabha can remove the government if it loses majority support.

Parliamentary Committees

investigate government actions and expenditures.

Discussion on Budget and policies

ensures the executive follows proper financial discipline.

Adjournment Motion

is used to discuss serious national issues.

12. What is a No-Confidence Motion? How does it affect the government?

Answer:

No-Confidence Motion

is moved in

Lok Sabha

to test if the government still has a majority.

If passed, the

Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, must resign

A motion of no-confidence can be introduced by

any Lok Sabha MP

Requires the support of at least

50 MPs to be discussed

in the House.

If debated and voted upon, a

simple majority (more than 50% of MPs present and voting) is required

for its passage.

The ruling government may have to prove its majority on the floor of the House.

It ensures

government accountability and political stability

13. What is an Ordinance? How is it issued and approved?

Answer:

Ordinance

is a temporary law issued by the

President of India

when Parliament is not in session.

It is passed under

Article 123

of the Constitution.

It can only be issued if

immediate action is required

Must be

approved by Parliament within 6 weeks

of reassembling.

If not approved, it

ceases to exist

The

Governor

can also issue ordinances for states under

Article 213

Ordinances have the

same legal power as parliamentary laws

but are temporary.

14. What is a Private Member Bill? How is it different from a Government Bill?

Answer:

Private Member Bill

is introduced by an MP who is

not a minister

Government Bill

is introduced by a minister on behalf of the government.

Private Member Bills focus on

policy reforms and social issues

They are debated only on

Fridays

Example:

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2014

was a Private Member Bill.

Only

14 Private Member Bills have been passed

in Indian history.

Government Bills

have a higher chance of becoming law

15. What is the process of passing the Budget in Parliament?

Answer:

The

Budget is introduced in Lok Sabha

by the Finance Minister.

It consists of

Revenue and Expenditure plans

for the upcoming financial year.

General Discussion:

MPs discuss the overall Budget policies.

Voting on Demands for Grants:

Different ministries present their budget requirements.

Appropriation Bill is passed

to allow the government to withdraw money.

Finance Bill is passed

to impose taxes.

Rajya Sabha can only discuss the Budget but cannot amend it.

16. How can the President of India be impeached?

Answer:

The

President can be removed for violating the Constitution

(Article 61).

The

process starts in either House of Parliament

notice signed by at least one-fourth of MPs

is required.

The House then discusses and

votes with a two-thirds majority

If approved, it moves to the other House, which must also pass it by

two-thirds majority

If both Houses agree, the

President is removed

No Indian President has ever been impeached.

17. What is the Anti-Defection Law? How does it ensure stability?

Answer:

Anti-Defection Law

was passed under the

10th Schedule

1985

It prevents MPs/MLAs from

changing political parties after elections

A member is disqualified if they

leave their party voluntarily

defy the party whip

Exceptions: If

two-thirds of a party merges with another party

, it is not defection.

The

Speaker/Chairman of the House decides disqualification

ensures political stability

and prevents party-switching for personal gains.

Example:

Recent disqualifications in Maharashtra and Karnataka assemblies

18. What is the difference between Adjournment and Prorogation?

Answer:

Adjournment:

Temporary suspension of a session

for a few hours/days

Prorogation:

Official ending of a Parliament session by the

President

Adjournment does not end pending bills

, but prorogation does.

Adjournment is ordered by the

Presiding Officer

; Prorogation is ordered by the

President

Prorogation is done

between two sessions

of Parliament.

Adjournment can happen

multiple times during a session

Example: The

2020 Monsoon Session of Parliament was adjourned early due to COVID-19

19. Why is Rajya Sabha called a Permanent House?

Answer:

Unlike Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha

cannot be dissolved

One-third of its members retire every two years

, ensuring continuity.

This system allows

experienced members to remain in Parliament

Elections for vacant Rajya Sabha seats occur

every two years

It ensures that Parliament continues functioning

even if Lok Sabha is dissolved

Rajya Sabha provides

stability to India’s legislative process

Its permanent nature helps in

long-term policy formulation

20. How does Parliament amend the Constitution?

Answer:

Amendments are passed under

Article 368

Can be introduced in

either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha

Requires a special majority (2/3rd of members present and voting).

Some amendments also need approval from

at least 50% of state legislatures

The President must give assent to the amendment.

Example:

42nd Amendment (1976) made India a Socialist, Secular Republic

Amendments strengthen and modify the Constitution based on national needs.