Indian Polity and History

A No Confidence Motion can be initiated only in the Lok Sabha under Article 75(3) of the Constitution, which states that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha cannot vote on a No Confidence Motion because it does not have the same direct relationship with the Government as the Lok Sabha does. The motion requires the support of at least 50 members to be admitted.

Article 58 of the Indian Constitution specifies that a person must be at least 35 years of age to be eligible for election as President of India. This age requirement reflects the maturity and experience expected for the highest constitutional office. For comparison, the minimum age is 30 for Rajya Sabha membership, 25 for Lok Sabha, and 21 for State Legislative Assembly membership.

The first session of the Indian National Congress was held in Bombay (now Mumbai) in December 1885. It was organized by A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, with W.C. Bonnerjee as its first President. The session had 72 delegates and marked the beginning of the organized national movement in India. Initially, the Congress aimed to provide a platform for political dialogue between educated Indians and the British government.

During the Gupta Period (circa 4th-6th century CE), gold coins called 'dinar' (derived from Roman denarii) were issued in the largest numbers, reflecting the period's prosperity and trade connections. These coins featured the king on the obverse and various deities on the reverse. Silver and copper coins were also issued but in smaller quantities. Steel was not used for coinage in ancient India. The abundance of gold coins indicates the economic prosperity of the Gupta Empire.

Under Article 60 of the Constitution, when a presidential vacancy occurs due to completion of the term, death, resignation, or removal, the outgoing President continues to hold office until the new President assumes charge. The Vice-President acts as President only when the office falls vacant (death, resignation, removal) and there is no immediate successor. The Chief Justice of India acts as President only if both offices of President and Vice-President are vacant. The Prime Minister has no constitutional role in this succession.

Dr. Zakir Husain had the shortest tenure as President of India, serving from May 13, 1967 to May 3, 1969 - a period of less than 2 years before his death in office. His tenure was approximately 1 year, 11 months, and 21 days. In contrast, Dr. Rajendra Prasad served the longest (12 years), Giani Zail Singh served a full 5-year term, and V.V. Giri served about 3 years (including an acting period). Zakir Husain was the first President to die in office.

Under Article 56(1) of the Indian Constitution, the President submits his resignation to the Vice President. This provision ensures a clear constitutional protocol for the President's resignation. The resignation must be in writing and under the President's hand.

Under Article 83(2) of the Indian Constitution, the normal tenure of Lok Sabha is 5 years from the date of its first sitting. This can be extended during a national Emergency under Article 352, but such extension cannot exceed one year at a time. The 5-year term ensures regular democratic renewal.

Under Article 84(b) of the Indian Constitution, the minimum age to become a member of Rajya Sabha is 30 years. This is higher than the 25 years required for Lok Sabha, reflecting the Rajya Sabha's role as a revising chamber with more experienced members. The age requirement ensures maturity for legislative responsibilities.

The Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over its sessions, as established under Article 94 of the Indian Constitution. The Speaker is elected by members of Lok Sabha from among themselves and is responsible for maintaining order and conducting proceedings. The Speaker ensures impartial conduct of House business.

Under Article 117 of the Indian Constitution, a Money Bill can ONLY be introduced in Lok Sabha, not in Rajya Sabha. This is because Lok Sabha represents the direct will of the people and is more accountable to taxpayers. Rajya Sabha can only recommend amendments to Money Bills, which Lok Sabha may accept or reject. The Supreme Court and President's Office are not legislative bodies.

Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of members in Rajya Sabha (31 seats) due to its large population. This allocation is based on the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, which distributes Rajya Sabha seats roughly in proportion to state populations. Maharashtra (second largest) has fewer seats than UP.

Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of members in Lok Sabha (80 seats) based on its population. This allocation follows the delimitation process which distributes Lok Sabha seats proportionally to state populations. Maharashtra is second with 48 seats. Population size directly correlates with Lok Sabha representation.

The Prime Minister serves as the Chairman of the Planning Commission (now replaced by NITI Aayog in 2015). This arrangement ensured that the Planning Commission's work aligned with the government's overall policy direction. The Prime Minister's chairpersonship provided executive authority to development planning. The President and Vice President are constitutional heads with nominal roles, while the Chief Justice heads the judiciary.

Under Article 156 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor of a State is appointed by the President. The Governor serves as the constitutional head of the state and acts as the President's representative. The Governor does NOT report to the Chief Minister or Prime Minister, maintaining federal structure integrity. This appointment ensures central-state coordination.

The first underground hydel project in Asia is the Nathpa Jhakri Dam, located in Himachal Pradesh on the Sutlej River. This 1500 MW capacity project was a major engineering milestone. Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand also have hydel projects, but not Asia's first underground one.

As of December 3, 2009, India had 17 operational nuclear power reactors across different states. This number has since increased with new reactors being commissioned. The atomic energy program has been expanding since the first reactor at Trombay became operational in 1956.