Civics Chapter 2
Short answer type questions
A) The president uses his or her emergency power under 3 circumstances:
1. When there is danger of foreign attack.
2. If there is a financial crisis before the country.
3. In case of failure of constitutional machinery.
B) There may not be more than 552 members in the Lok Sabha. Out of these 530 represent
the state and 20 represent the union territories.
Before 2 members can be nominated by the President from the Anglo-Indian community.
However, this provision was abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019.
C) The President of India is elected indirectly.
An Electoral College elects him: Comprises elected members of both Houses of Parliament
and elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories of Delhi
and Puducherry.
The Vice President of India is elected by the members of Parliament, i.e., Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha.
D) The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers.
There are three categories of ministers, namely:
1. Cabinet ministers
2. State ministers
3. Deputy ministers
They are together called the Council of Ministers. The functions of the Council of Ministers
are:
1. The Council of Ministers formulates for as well as domestic policies.
2. It takes all major decisions.
3. It controls the expenditure of the country.
4. It decides about the new taxes.
E) Two reasons for the Parliamentary form of Government has been chosen in India are:
1. India is influenced by the British Parliamentary form of Government being its
Colony.
2. It is best suited for our country as it has social and cultural diversity.
Long answer type questions
A. The five powers of Parliament are as follows:
1. Legislative Powers: Law-making Authority: The Parliament has the power to make
laws on all subjects listed in the Union List, the Concurrent List, and under certain
conditions such as emergency, the State List.
2. Financial Powers: Budget Approval: The Parliament has control over the nation’s
finances. Only the Lok Sabha can introduce Money Bills, and the Rajya Sabha has
only an advisory role to play in the case of Money bills.
3. Constitutional Powers: The Parliament can amend the Constitutional provisions.
Some constitutional provisions can be amended by a simple majority but amending
the major portions of a section of the Constitution at a two-thirds majority of both
houses is a must.
4. Executive Powers: In the Parliament form of Government the Council of Ministers
is collectively made responsible to the Lok Sabha. Parliament controls the executive
by questioning the ministers about their policies and decisions.
5. Elective functions and judicial powers: The members of both houses and state
legislative assembly elect the President. Besides this, the members of Rajya Sabha
have the power to remove the President, Vice president, and judges of the supreme
court and high courts.
B) The following are the powers of the president of India:
Executive powers
1. He or she makes all important official appointments.
2. All treaties are signed in his or her name.
3. He or she administers all the union territories.
Legislative powers
1. The President can dissolve the Lok Sabha.
2. The President can issue an ordinance when the parliament is not in session.
3. A bill becomes a law with the president's assent.
Judicial powers
1. The President can pardon or reduce any punishment.
2. The President appoints the chief justice of the Supreme Court and judges of the
Supreme Court and high courts.
3. The President is not answerable to any Court of law.
Financial powers
1. no money bill can be introduced in Lok Sabha without the president's prior
permission.
Emergency powers: He/ she can declare emergency in 3 cases-
1. When the country has been attacked.
2. When there is a financial crisis in the country.
3. when a state government does not work by the constitution.
C) Composition of Rajya Sabha
The maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha is 250 members.
Currently, the Rajya Sabha has 245 members, out of which:
• 233 members are elected by the Legislative Assemblies of the States and Union
territories using a single transferable vote system.
• 12 members are nominated by the President of India.
D) Bills are of two types:
1. Ordinary bill 2. Money bill
Ordinary bill - The bill can be introduced in either House of the Parliament.
The procedure for passing an ordinary bill is as follows:
Money bill
The money bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha has to return it
within 14 days.
If it does not return the bill in 14 days it is assumed to be passed by it.
The president cannot return a money bill because it is introduced with his prior permission.
Thus, with the signature of the president, the bill becomes law.
E) Role of prime minister in the government and Parliament
1. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha.
2. He presides over the cabinet meetings.
3. He is a link between the cabinet and the president of India.
4. He is the main policy maker of the nation and ministers are appointed on his
recommendation.
5. If he resigns it is considered the resignation of the Council of Ministers also.
F) Because impeachment is a complex process and can be initiated by any house. It requires
1/4th majority of the house and 14 days written notice. 2/3rd of the member’s support is
required for consideration of another house.
