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 civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

How many members of the Lok Sabha must support a motion of 'no confidence' in the government, before it can be admitted by the Speaker?

  1. 20

  2. 25

  3. 35

  4. 50
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Option D is the correct answer. 50 members of the Lok Sabha must support a motion of 'no confidence' in the government, before it can be admitted by the Speaker. . In Lok Sabha, a no-confidence motion has to set out the grounds on which it is based.  A no-confidence motion can be moved only in the Lok Sabha. If the government has to demonstrate its strength on the floor of the House, it can have a motion of confidence. However, the opposition parties (or any member) can move a motion expressing want of confidence (no confidence) in the Council of Ministers.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

The questions asked in the Parliament during "Question Hour" are of what types ?

  1. Starred questions

  2. Unstarred questions

  3. Neither starred questions, nor unstarted questions

  4. Both starred and unstarred questions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A member of the House may ask questions from the Government on matters of public interest. The first hour on every working day of the House is reserved for questions unless otherwise decided by the Speaker. This hour is known as Question Hour. There are three types of questions:
i) Starred questions ii) Unstarred questions iii) Short notice questions.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

Sometimes the members get the normal work of the State Legislature suspended temporarily to discuss matters of urgent public importance It is done through _______________.

  1. Suspensory Veto

  2. Adjournment motion

  3. No-confidence motion

  4. Cut-motion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Sometimes the members get the normal work of the State Legislature suspended temporarily to discuss matters of urgent public importance this extraordinary  procedure called as Adjournment motion. Subject to the provisions of these rules , a motion for an adjournment of the business of the House for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance maybe made with the consent of the Speaker.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

If a question asked by a Member of Parliament is a starred one he will get ___________.

  1. A written answer

  2. An oral answer

  3. Answer in the Zero hour

  4. No answer
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A Starred Question is one to which a member desires an oral answer in the House and which is distinguished by an asterisk mark. When a question is answered orally, supplementary questions can be asked thereon. Only 20 questions can be listed for oral answer on a day.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

An impeachment motion against the President, in order to be passed by a House, should be supported by _________.

  1. Not less than one-third members present and voting in the House

  2. Not less than two-third members of total membership of the House

  3. The simple majority of the House

  4. The special majority of the House
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Violation of constitution is the only ground on which a President can be impeached. The impeachment charges can be initiated in either of the houses of the Parliament with at least one-fourth members of that house signing the charges. To pass the motion each house has to pass the resolution with not less two-thirds of majority.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

'Zero hour' in the working Indian Parliament means ____________.

  1. The first hour of the session

  2. The period when the privilege motion is accepted

  3. The period before the 'Question hour'

  4. The interval between the end of question hour and the taking up of the next agenda
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the parliamentary parlance, it is referred as the time gap between the end of Question Hour and the beginning of the regular business. Zero Hour doesn’t find a mention in the Rules of Procedure and hence it’s considered an informal procedure for the members of Parliament to raise matters of serious importance. The other rationale behind naming it so can be traced to the fact that it starts at 12 noon.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

What is 'zero hour'?

  1. When the proposals of the opposition are considered

  2. When the matters of utmost importance are raised

  3. When a money bill is introduced in the Lok sabha

  4. Interval between the morning and the evening sessions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Zero Hour is a parliamentary device in India where members can raise matters of urgent public importance without prior notice. It starts immediately after the Question Hour.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

A member of the House of Parliament may ask questions from the government on matters of _____________.

  1. Self interest

  2. Vested interest

  3. Public interest

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

A member of the House of Parliament may ask questions from the government on matters of public interest. The ‘Question Hour’ is an important part of the parliamentary proceedings which gives the institution of Parliament the great significance it possesses. Asking of questions is an inherent and unfettered parliamentary right of members. It is during the Question Hour that the members can ask questions on every aspect of administration and Governmental activity. Government policies in national as well as international spheres come into sharp focus as the members try to elicit pertinent information during the Question Hour.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

A member of the House of Parliament _______ ask questions to the government on matters of public interest.

  1. May

  2. May not

  3. Both A and B

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

A member of House of Parliament may ask questions to the government on a particular day of the session or may just take part in the proceedings of the parliament while other members are presenting their questions.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

The Monsoon session of the Parliament is called between _________.

  1. January-March

  2. February-May

  3. July-August

  4. November-December
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Monsoon session of the Parliament is called between July-August. The monsoon session is dedicated largely to discussions on matters of public interest. It is during the monsoon session that the members of the Parliament, including the ministers, can bring forward the legislative proposals in the form of a Bill. 

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

Each House of the Parliament shall meet at least _________.

  1. Once in a year

  2. Twice in a year

  3. Thrice in a year

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

Each House of the Parliament shall meet at least twice in a year. The maximum gap between two sessions of Parliament cannot be more than six months. In other words, the Parliament should meet at least twice a year. The President has the power to summon or prorogue either or both Houses of Parliament.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

The quorum of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is _________ of the total membership of each house.

  1. One-third

  2. One-fourth

  3. One-sixth

  4. One-tenth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The quorum of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is One-tenth of the total membership of each house. The quorum to constitute a sitting of the House is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House, for both Lok Sabha as well as Rajya Sabha. If there is no quorum, it shall be the duty of the chairman or speaker to adjourn the house or suspend the meeting.  Constitution has fixed one-tenth strength as a quorum for both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The term of individual members is six years.  Casual vacancies whenever occurring, are filled through bye-elections for the remaining term only. 

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

All questions asked in the House of the Parliament are addressed to the Chair and, if admitted, the Government is ____________.

  1. Obliged to answer them

  2. Not obliged to answer them

  3. Bound to neglect them

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

The first hour of the sitting session of Lok Sabha is the question hour. The government is obliged to answer the questions raised in this hour. The government can furnish answers orally or in writing.

Multiple choice civics why do we need a parliament? parliamentary procedures parliamentary system parliamentary system and procedures

The __________ means the minimum number of members required to be present in order to enable the House to transact its business.

  1. Forum

  2. Quorum

  3. Theorem

  4. Doldrum
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Quorum indicates the members present in the parliament to conduct its proceedings. The constitution mandates that one-tenth of the total members must be present in the house to begin the proceedings of the parliament.