CLASS:- X ICSE

SUBJECT:- CIVICS [ 2022 - 23]

CHAPTER - 1
THE UNION PARLIAMENT

1)Give the definition of federal set up.

Ans. In a federal system of government, all the administrative powers are
divided between the Central and the State governments and both are supreme
within their respective spheres according to the Constitution.
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2)Name the three levels of government in federal set up in India.
Ans. i)The Union government
ii)The State government
iii)Panchayats and Municipalities (local self government)
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3)Name the main constituents of the Union Parliament.
Ans The Union Parliament comprises the President and the two Houses of
Parliament i, e the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
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4)Define the term Parliament.
Ans. The Parliament is the body of people’s representatives who have
supreme power of governance in democratic country.
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5)Name the two Houses of the Parliament.
Ans. Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
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6)How are the members of Lok Sabha elected?
Ans. They are elected directly by the people on the basis of Universal Adult
Franchise.
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7)What is the normal the term of Lok Sabha.? When can the Lok Sabha be
dissolved? when can the term be extended?
Ans. a) Normal term of Lok Sabha is 5 years.
b) It can be dissolved before the expiry of its normal term by the President on
the advice of the Prime Minister.
c)During emergency, the period may be extended by the Parliament for one
year at a time.
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8)Explain the composition of Lok Sabha.
Ans. The maximum strength of the Lok Sabha, as provided by the Constitution
is 550. Out of this-
a) 530 members represent States.
b)20 members represent the Union Territories

9)Mention the importance of the Constitutional Amendment Act of 104,

2020.
Ans. It did away with the provision of nomination of Anglo – Indians to Lok
Sabha & certain state Assemblies.

10)Enlist the qualifications needed for a person to be the member of Lok

Sabha.
Ans. a) He should be the citizen of India.
b) He should at least 25 years of age.
c)He should have his name in the electoral rolls in some part of the country.
d)He should not be an insolvent.
e) He should not hold any office of profit under the government.
f) He should not be a proclaimed criminal.
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11)What is meant Parliamentary Procedures? Name the important
procedures.
Ans. Some formalities which the legislators have to observe in the Parliament
as well as in State legislatures are called Parliamentary Procedures.
Important Parliamentary Procedures are
Sessions, Quorum, Question hour, Zero hour, Interpellation, Adjournment.
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12)What is a session ? Name the three sessions.
Ans. A session is a period during which the House meets to conduct its
business.
The three sessions are
a) The Budget session (February – May)
b) Monsoon session (July – August)
c)Winter session (November – December)
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13)What is the maximum gap allowed between two consecutive sessions?
Ans. The maximum gap allowed between consecutive sessions shall be less
than six months or not more than six months.
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14)Define the following terms
a)Quorum; refers to the minimum number of members required to be present
in order to enable the House to transact its business.
The Quorum of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is one tenth of the total
membership of each House.
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15)If the strength of a House is 230, what would be the quorum?
Ans. Twenty three members
16)What happens when the quorum of a House is not met?
[Link] house will be adjourned by the speaker
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17)Question Hour; The first hour on every working day of the Lok Sabha is
reserved for questions. It is decided by the speaker .This hour usually starts at
11am.
There are 3 types of questions;
1)Starred questions; are those to which a member wishes to have an oral
answer on the floor of the House. They are indicated by an asterisk (star)mark.
Supplementary questions may be asked.
2)Unstarred questions; Answers to these questions are given in written form.
No supplementary questions are asked.
3)Short notice questions; are related to a matter of urgent importance .Such
questions are asked with a notice shorter than ten days.
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18)Explain the term Zero Hour.
Ans. The Zero Hour refers to the period which begins at 12 O’clock soon after
the Question Hour and continues till the lunch break which begins at one’ O
clock
During the Zero Hour, members raise all types of questions without any
permission or prior notice.
The presiding officer controls the House.
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19)Give the meaning of the term - Interpellation.
Ans. The right of the members to ask questions from the government is known
as Interpellation.
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20)Define the Motion.
ANS.A motion is a formal proposal made by a member stating that the House
should take up some particular matter which is of public importance.

21)What is meant by an adjournment motion?

ANS. An adjournment Motion means a proposal to lay aside all other business
and take up a definite matter of urgent importance.
Example; A railway accident resulting in the death of several passengers,
natural calamities like flood etc.
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22)What is meant by No - Confidence motion? How is No - Confidence
motion moved in the Parliament?
ANS. No – Confidence motion is a proposal expressing lack of confidence in the
Ministry.
a) No -Confidence motion in the government is moved by the Opposition.
b) The House (Lok Sabha) grants leave(permission) to move No – Confidence
motion only when it has the support of at least 50 members.
c)The Motion has to be taken up for discussion within 10 days .
d) If the motion is passed, the Government has to resign.
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23)When is the House of Parliament adjourned?
Ans. The House is adjourned for the following reasons.
a) After the business for the day is over.
b) When the death of a sitting member occurs.
c)When there is disorder in the House.
d)For want of quorum.
e) As and when the speaker finds it necessary.
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24)Differentiate between the Adjournment and Prorogation of the House.
ANS) Adjournment of the House means suspension of the sitting of the House
by the Speaker or the Chairman (in case of Rajya Sabha)
Prorogation means termination of the session of Parliament by the President.
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25)How is the speaker and the Deputy speaker of the House elected?
Ans. The speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected from among its own members
soon after the newly elected House meets for the first time.
The Deputy speaker is elected to the office in the same way as the speaker.
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26)Who is the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha?
ANS. The speaker.
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27)State any four functions of the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
ANS. a) The Speaker presides over the meetings of the House.
b) The Speaker decides whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not.
c)He maintains discipline in the House.
d)He presides over the Joint Session of the Parliament.
e) He does not vote in the House except when there is a tie.
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RAJYA SABHA
1)Explain the composition of Rajya Sabha.
a) The maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha can be 250 members.
b) Twelve members are nominated by the President from among persons
having special knowledge or experience in matters such as literature, science,
art and social service.
c)238 members are elected by elected members of the Legislative Assembly of
states and the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
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2)How are the members of Rajya Sabha elected?
They are elected by the members of elected members of the Legislative
Assembly of each State in accordance with the system of proportional
representation by means of a single transferable vote.
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3)What do we mean when we say that the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body?
What is the term of office of Rajya Sabha?
Ans. Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved like Lok Sabha.
Each member of Rajya Sabha is elected for a period pf six years.
One – third of the total members of the House retire after every two years .
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4)Mention the qualifications for the membership of the Rajya Sabha.
Ans. He should be at least 30 years of age.
(Other qualification is as same as the Lok Sabha members.)
(Learn from pg 164)
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5)Who is the presiding officer of Rajya Sabha?
Ans. The Vice President of India is the ex – officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
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6)Who elects the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha?
Ans. The Rajya Sabha elects a Deputy Chairman from among its members.
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7) What are the Legislative Powers of the Parliament?
Ans. a) The Parliament has powers to make laws on all the subjects mentioned
in the Union list.
b) It can make laws on the subjects listed in the concurrent list.
c)Under residuary powers, the Parliament can make laws with all those
matters which are not mentioned in the three lists.
d)During the Proclamation of an Emergency in a state, the Parliament can
legislate on state subjects.
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8)When can the Parliament legislate on subjects included in the state list?
Ans. a) During the Proclamation of an Emergency.
b) When the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by two – thirds majority that a
subject in the state list has assumed national importance.
c)When two or more states are of the opinion that the Parliament should
legislate on a subject given in the state list, the Parliament may make an act
(law) on that subject.
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9)State the Financial powers of the Parliament.
Ans. a) The Budget- The Parliament passes the Union Budget containing the
estimates of receipts and expenditure of the government for a financial year.
b) Supplementary Grants- If the amount authorized for the current financial
year is not sufficient, the Government may make a fresh demand known as the
Supplementary Grants.
c)Vote on account- If the Union Budget is not passed before the beginning of
the new financial year, i.e, April 1, there would be no money for the Executive
to spend. Hence, there is a device known as Vote on Account which authorizes
the Executive to draw funds from the Consolidated Fund until the Budget is
passed by the Parliament.
d)Salaries- Salaries and allowances of MP’s and Ministers are determined by
the Parliament.
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10)Amendment of the Constitution
i)Both Houses of Parliament can amend the Constitution
ii)The amendment must be passed by each House by a majority of total
membership and by a two – third majority of members present and voting.
iii)In some cases the amendment requires the ratification or approval of half of
the Legislative Assemblies of States.
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11) How does the Parliament exercise control over the Executive?
Ans. Through
a) Interpellation – The right of the opposition members to ask questions to
the government is known as interpellation. The questions are asked to obtain
information on a matter of public importance.
b) Vote of no – confidence – If a government acts against the Constitutional
provisions, it can be voted out of office by passing a vote of no – confidence
against the Ministry.
c)Adjournment Motion – Motion for adjournment is aimed at censuring the
acts of omission and commission (failure to perform certain duties) of the
Ministers.
d)Other Motions of Censure – They include motions of censure against a
minister, rejection of a Government Bill, etc.
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12)Enlist the Exclusive powers of Rajya Sabha.
Ans. a) Under article249, The Rajya Sabha may, by a resolution adopted by two
– thirds majority, empower the Parliament should make laws with respect to a
matter in the State List.
b) It may declare that the creation of new All – India Services be made in the
national interest. So Parliament may create new services.
c)If the Lok Sabha is dissolved before or after the declaration of a National
Emergency, the Rajya Sabha becomes the sole de facto and de jure Parliament
i,e it takes over the functions of the Parliament.
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13)State the exclusive powers of the Lok Sabha.
Ans. a) Motions of No – Confidence against the government can only be
introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha.
b) Money bills can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha.
c) In case of a deadlock between the two Houses over a non – financial bill, the
will of the Lok Sabha normally prevails.
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14)Who is empowered to summon and to dissolve the Lok Sabha?
Ans. The President of India.
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15)Who addresses the joint sessions of the Parliament?
Ans. The President of India.
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16)Who presides over the joint session of the Parliament?
Ans. The Speaker of Lok Sabha.
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17)Mention the occasions where the Rajya Sabha enjoys equal powers with
the Lok Sabha.
Ans. a) Impeachment of the President
b) Removal of the Vice – President
c)Constitutional amendment
d)Removal of the judges of the Supreme Court and the High courts.
e)Election of the President and Vice President
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18)Name the law making body of the Union Government.
Ans. The Union Parliament or the Union Legislature.

19)Mention the occasion on which the President addresses a joint session of

Parliament.
[Link] case of disagreement between the two Houses, a joint sitting of the two
Houses is convened.

20)Which bodies have the right to legislate on subjects in the concurrent list?
What happens in the case of conflict between such laws?
[Link] Union government and the State governments.
In case of conflict, the Union Law will prevail.

21)Who decides whether a bill is a money bill or not?

[Link] Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

22)By whom and on whose advice can the Lok Sabha be dissolved?
Ans. By the President on the advice of the Prime Minister Lok Sabha can be
dissolved.

23) What is the procedure that should be followed if there is a deadlock

between the two Houses of the Parliament on a non – money bill?
Ans. The President will call for a joint sitting of the two Houses.

24)Name the body which elects the Rajya Sabha Members

Ans. Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by the electoral college of the elected
members of the state Assembly with a system of proportional representation
by means of a single transferable vote.

25)What happens when a Money Bill is not returned by the Rajya Sabha in 14
days?
It is deemed to have been passed by both Houses.
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