Civics Polity

Legislature and Parliament

1,499 Questions

Legislature and Parliament topics cover the structure, functions, and legislative procedures of the lawmaking bodies. This collection focuses on the passage of bills, parliamentary committees, and the roles of different houses. These questions are highly relevant for civil services and state public service commission examinations.

Money billsParliamentary committeesLegislative proceduresRajya Sabha rulesState legislaturesImpeachment process

Legislature and Parliament Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements about the procedure of resignation from the Rajya Sabha is incorrect?

  1. The resignation is addressed to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

  2. The Chairman may accept the resignation immediately.

  3. A member may withdraw his letter of resignation at any time even after its acceptance.

  4. The Chairman may not accept the resignation.

  5. The Election Commission is notified of a member's resignation by the Secretary-General.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A member may withdraw his letter of resignation at any time before it is accepted by the Chairman.

Multiple choice

Money Bill can originate in the State Legislature only with the consent of the

  1. Chief Minister

  2. President

  3. Governor

  4. Speaker
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

According to Article 200 of the Constitution, a Money Bill in the State Legislature requires the Governor's consent before introduction. Unlike ordinary bills where the Governor can withhold assent, Money Bills have specific provisions - the Governor must give consent but cannot return the bill for reconsideration. The Governor's role is primarily formal, similar to the President at the Union level.

Multiple choice

What is the minimum percentage of seats a party should get to be recognized as the opposition party in the legislature?

  1. 20%

  2. 15%

  3. 10%

  4. No such limit
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the Indian parliamentary system, there is no fixed minimum percentage of seats required for a party to be recognized as the opposition. The opposition is simply the largest party not in power that is willing to form an alternative government. The 10% rule applies to being recognized as a national or state party, not specifically as opposition.

Multiple choice

Prior to the recent Lok Sabha elections the Supreme Court gave a landmark decision regarding the opinion polls. What was it?

  1. It did not allow the opinion polls to be published during the period of elections

  2. It did not allow the exit polls to be published during the process of elections

  3. It allowed the opinion polls to be published and telecast but not the exit polls during the schedule of polling

  4. It allowed the opinion polls and the exit polls to be published during the process of polling

  5. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Multiple choice

A money bill duty passed by the Lok Sabha can be held up by the Rajya sabha for a maximum of

  1. two years

  2. six month

  3. three month

  4. 14 days
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Article 109(5) states that the Rajya Sabha can delay a Money Bill passed by Lok Sabha for a maximum of 14 days. If Rajya Sabha does not return the bill within 14 days, it is deemed to have been passed by both Houses. This provision ensures that the directly elected Lok Sabha has primacy in financial matters.

Multiple choice

What is the period within which a proclamation of national emergency made by the president is to be placed before each house of the parliament for approval?

  1. Within one month

  2. within Two months

  3. within four months

  4. within six months
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Under Article 352, a proclamation of Emergency must be approved by both Houses of Parliament within one month. If approved, it lasts for six months unless revoked earlier. This ensures legislative oversight on executive emergency powers.

Multiple choice

In case of a disagreement between the two houses of parliament over a money bill

  1. The bill will lapse

  2. the president may sign it into a law

  3. the president may call a joint sitting to consider it

  4. the president may ask
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Under Article 108, a joint sitting of both Houses can be called by the President to resolve disagreements on ordinary bills (except money bills). Money bills originate only in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha cannot amend them, so joint sitting applies to other legislation.

Multiple choice

The House of Parliament must meet after an interval

  1. not exceeding 6 months in any case

  2. of not more than 4 months

  3. of not more than 3 months

  4. of one year
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Article 85 of the Indian Constitution requires that Parliament must meet at least once in every six months. This ensures that the legislature remains active and accountable. The six-month maximum interval prevents the executive from delaying sessions indefinitely. Four months or one year are not the constitutional requirements.

Multiple choice

The parliament of 'Bhutan' is called

  1. Tsongdu

  2. Shoora

  3. Yuan

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The parliament of Bhutan is called the Tshogdu (also spelled Tsongdu). It consists of the National Assembly and the National Council. Shoora is the Saudi Arabian parliament, Yuan is the Chinese parliament.

Multiple choice

The sentence 'Men just don't want to vacate their seats of power' implies

Directions: Refer to the following passage:

The constitution guarantees every citizen the fundamental right to equality. Yet after 50 years of independence, just one perusal of the female infant mortality figures, the literacy rates and the employment opportunities for women is sufficient evidence that discrimination exists. Almost predictably, this gender, bias is evident in our political system as well. In the 13th Lok Sabha, there were only 43 women MPs out of a total of 543; it is not a surprising figure, for never has women representation in Parliament been more than 10 percent. Historically, the manifestos of major political parties have always encouraged women participation. It has been merely a charade. So, women organizations, denied a place on merit, opted for the last resort: a reservation of seats for women in parliament and State Assemblies. Parties, which look at everything with a vote bank in mind, seemed to endorse this. Alas, this was too a mirage. But there is another aspect also. At a time, when caste is the trump card, some politicians want the bill to include further quotas for women from among minorities and backward castes. There is more to it. A survey shows that there is a general antipathy towards the bill. It is actually a classic case of doublespeak: in public, politicians were endorsing women reservation but in the backrooms of Parliament, they were busy sabotaging it. The reasons are clear. Men just want to vacate their seats of power.

  1. lust for power

  2. desire to serve the nation

  3. conviction in one's own political abilities

  4. political corruption

  5. thirst for money
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This implies that they have greed for power and they just don't want to share that power with others.

Multiple choice

Trump card means

Directions: Refer to the following passage:

The constitution guarantees every citizen the fundamental right to equality. Yet after 50 years of independence, just one perusal of the female infant mortality figures, the literacy rates and the employment opportunities for women is sufficient evidence that discrimination exists. Almost predictably, this gender, bias is evident in our political system as well. In the 13th Lok Sabha, there were only 43 women MPs out of a total of 543; it is not a surprising figure, for never has women representation in Parliament been more than 10 percent. Historically, the manifestos of major political parties have always encouraged women participation. It has been merely a charade. So, women organizations, denied a place on merit, opted for the last resort: a reservation of seats for women in parliament and State Assemblies. Parties, which look at everything with a vote bank in mind, seemed to endorse this. Alas, this was too a mirage. But there is another aspect also. At a time, when caste is the trump card, some politicians want the bill to include further quotas for women from among minorities and backward castes. There is more to it. A survey shows that there is a general antipathy towards the bill. It is actually a classic case of doublespeak: in public, politicians were endorsing women reservation but in the backrooms of Parliament, they were busy sabotaging it. The reasons are clear. Men just want to vacate their seats of power.

  1. a dead horse

  2. a tough situation

  3. a fraudulent card

  4. a valuable resource

  5. a lucky card
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Trump card means a valuable resource, specially a hidden one used in order to gain an advantage.

Multiple choice

According to the passage, political parties mostly have ___________ in mind.

Directions: Refer to the following passage:

The constitution guarantees every citizen the fundamental right to equality. Yet after 50 years of independence, just one perusal of the female infant mortality figures, the literacy rates and the employment opportunities for women is sufficient evidence that discrimination exists. Almost predictably, this gender, bias is evident in our political system as well. In the 13th Lok Sabha, there were only 43 women MPs out of a total of 543; it is not a surprising figure, for never has women representation in Parliament been more than 10 percent. Historically, the manifestos of major political parties have always encouraged women participation. It has been merely a charade. So, women organizations, denied a place on merit, opted for the last resort: a reservation of seats for women in parliament and State Assemblies. Parties, which look at everything with a vote bank in mind, seemed to endorse this. Alas, this was too a mirage. But there is another aspect also. At a time, when caste is the trump card, some politicians want the bill to include further quotas for women from among minorities and backward castes. There is more to it. A survey shows that there is a general antipathy towards the bill. It is actually a classic case of doublespeak: in public, politicians were endorsing women reservation but in the backrooms of Parliament, they were busy sabotaging it. The reasons are clear. Men just want to vacate their seats of power.

  1. economic prosperity

  2. vote bank

  3. people's welfare

  4. patriotism

  5. money making business
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

As given clearly in the passage, political parties' main motive is to acquire maximum votes of the people. They don't care of the other things, like people's welfare, economic prosperity, etc.