Question 1.
No. of MPs in Fifteenth Lok SabhaAnswer.
544 (as on 21.12.2009)Question 2.
No. of MPs in each partyAnswer.
http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/Members/partywiselist.aspx
Question 3.
No. of male MPsAnswer.
485Question 4.
No. of woman MPsAnswer.
59Question 5.
Oldest MPAnswer.
Das, Shri Ram Sundar 88 (9.1.1921)Question 6.
Youngest MPAnswer.
Sayeed, Shri Hamdullah 27 (11.4.1982)ABOUT LOK SABHA AND ITS HISTORY
Question 7. When was the Lok Sabha (the House of the People) first constituted?
Answer.
The Lok Sabha (House of the People) was duly constituted for the first
time on 17 April 1952 after the first General Elections held from 25
October 1951 to 21 February 1952.
Question 8. When was the first Session of the Lok Sabha held?Answer. The first Session of the First Lok Sabha commenced on 13 May 1952.
Question 9. Why is the Lok Sabha called the popular chamber?Answer. The
Lok Sabha is composed of representatives of the people chosen by direct
election on the basis of adult suffrage. That is why it is called the
popular chamber.
Question 10. How many General Elections to the Lok Sabha have been held till date?
Answer. As many as fifteen General Elections[1] to
the Lok Sabha have been held till date. The first General Elections
were held from 25 October 1951 to 21 February 1952; the second from 24
February to 14 March 1957; the third from 19 to 25 February 1962; the
fourth from 17 to 21 February 1967; the fifth from 1 to 10 March 1971;
the sixth from 16 to 20 March 1977; the seventh from 3 to 6 January
1980; the eighth from 24 to 28 December 1984; the ninth from 22 to 26
November 1989; the tenth from 20 May to 15 June 1991; the eleventh
from 27 April to 30 May 1996; the twelfth from 16 to 23 February 1998;
the thirteenth from 5 September to 6 October 1999; the fourteenth from
20 April to 10 May 2004; and the fifteenth General Elections from 16
April to 13 May 2009.
Question 11.Who was the first Speaker of Lok Sabha?Answer. Shri G.V. Mavalankar was the first Speaker of Lok Sabha (15 May 1952- 27 February 1956).
Question 12.Who was the first Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha?Answer. Shri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar was the first Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha (30 May 1952-7 March 1956).
QUESTIONS ON THE COMPOSITION OF LOK SABHA
Question 13.What is the strength of the Lok Sabha as prescribed in the Constitution?
Answer. The
Lok Sabha, as per the Constitution, consists of not more than five
hundred and thirty members chosen by direct election from territorial
constituencies in the States, not more than twenty members to represent
the Union Territories [Article 81] and not more than two members of the
Anglo-Indian Community to be nominated by the President, if he/she is of
the opinion that the Anglo-Indian Community is not adequately
represented in the Lok Sabha [Article 331]. The limit on the maximum
number of members chosen directly from territorial constituencies in
States may be exceeded if such an increase is incidental to the
reorganisation of States by an Act of Parliament.
Question 14.What is the life of the Lok Sabha?Answer. Unless
sooner dissolved by the President, the Lok Sabha continues for five
years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer, as
the expiration of the period of five years operates as a dissolution of
the House. However, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation,
this period may be extended by Parliament by law for a period not
exceeding one year at a time and not exceeding in any case beyond a
period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate.
Question 15. What is the quorum to constitute a sitting of the Lok Sabha?Answer. The
quorum to constitute a sitting of the House is one-tenth of the total
number of members of the House under article 100(3) of the Constitution.
Question 16. Which is the party having the largest number of members in the Fifteenth Lok Sabha?
Answer. The
Indian National Congress is the party having the largest number of
members (206) in the Fifteenth Lok Sabha followed by the Bharatiya
Janata Party (116). (as on 21.12.2009)
QUESTIONS ON THE OFFICERS OF LOK SABHA
Question 17. Who is the Presiding Officer of the Lok Sabha?Answer. The Speaker and the Deputy Speaker are the Presiding Officers of the Lok Sabha.
Question 18. What is the term of Office of the Speaker?Answer. The
Speaker holds office from the date of his/her election till the first
sitting of the Lok Sabha after the dissolution of the one to which
he/she was elected.
Question 19. Who presides over the Lok Sabha when the Speaker is absent from the sitting of the House?
Answer. The Deputy Speaker presides over the Lok Sabha when the Speaker is absent from the sitting of the House.
Question 20. Who presides over the Lok Sabha when both the Speaker's and the Deputy Speaker's offices fall vacant?
Answer. When
the Offices of both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker fall vacant, the
duties of the Office of the Speaker are performed by such member
of the Lok Sabha as the President may appoint for the purpose. The
person so appointed is known as the Speaker pro tem.
Question 21. Who presides over the House in the absence of both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker?
Answer. The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha provide
that at the commencement of the House or from time to time, as the case
may be, the Speaker shall nominate from amongst the members a Panel of
not more than ten Chairmen, any one of whom may preside over the House
in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker when so requested
by the Speaker or, in his/her absence, by the Deputy Speaker. A
Chairman so nominated, holds office until a new Panel of Chairmen is
nominated, unless he/she resigns earlier from the Panel or is appointed a
Minister or elected as Deputy Speaker. Generally, a Chairman from the
Panel holds Office for one year but the same person may be renominated
from time to time.
Question 22. Who is the present Speaker of the Lok Sabha?Answer. Smt. Meira Kumar.
Question 23. Who is the present Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha?Answer Shri Kariya Munda.
Question 24. Who is the Leader of the House in the Fifteenth Lok Sabha?
Answer. Shri Sushil Kumar Sambhajirao Shinde.
Question 25. Who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha?Answer. Smt. Sushma Swaraj.
Question 26. Who is the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha?Answer. Shri T. K. Viswanathan.
QUESTIONS ON MEMBERS OF LOK SABHA
Question 27. How are the members of the Lok Sabha elected?Answer. The
members of the Lok Sabha are elected through General Elections, held on
the basis of universal adult suffrage. Parliament, from time to time,
by law makes provision with respect to all matters relating to, or in
connection with, elections to the Lok Sabha, including the preparation
of electoral rolls, the delimitation of constituencies and all other
matters necessary for securing the due constitution of the Lok
Sabha. When the seat of a member elected to the House becomes vacant or
is declared vacant, or his/her election is declared void, the same is
filled through bye-election.
Question 28.What are the qualifications to become a member of the Lok Sabha?
Answer. To
become a member of the Lok Sabha, a person should be a citizen of
India, not less than 25 years of age and possess such other
qualifications as may be prescribed by or under any law made by
Parliament [Art. 84]
Question 29. Who are the nominated members of the Fifteenth Lok Sabha?
Answer. In the Fifteenth Lok Sabha, two members, i.e. Smt. Ingrid Mcleod and Shri Charles Dias are the nominated members.
Question 30. Who is the longest serving member in the Fifteenth Lok Sabha?
Answer. Shri Basudeb Acharia and Shri Manikrao Hodlya Gavit are the longest serving members in the Lok Sabha.
Question 31. Which member of the Lok Sabha has become the Speaker of the House in his very first term?Answer. The members of the Lok Sabha who became the Speaker of the House in their first term itself are:
Sl.NoName of the SpeakerPeriodLok Sabha1.Shri Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar15.5.1952 to 27.2.1956First2.Shri M.Ananthasayanam Ayyangar8.3.1956 to 10.5.1957First *3.Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy17.3.1967 to 19.7.1969Fourth4.Dr. Gurdial Singh Dhillon8.8.1969 to 19.3.1971Fourth **5.Shri Kawdoor Sadananda Hegde21.7.1977 to 21.1.1980Sixth6.Dr. Bal Ram Jakhar22.1.1980 to 15.1.1985Seventh7.Shri Manohar Joshi10.5.2002 to 2.6.2004Thirteenth* Shri
M.A. Ayyangar became the Speaker in the first Lok Sabha due to the
sudden demise of the then Speaker, Shri G.V. Mavalankar
** Following
the resignation of the then Speaker Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy to contest
the Presidential elections, Dr.G.S. Dhillon was unanimously elected as
the Speaker of the Lok Sabha on 8 August 1969.
QUESTIONS ON ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF LOK SABHAQuestion 32. What are the powers of Lok Sabha relating to Money Bills?Answer. A
Bill is deemed to be a 'Money Bill' if it contains only provisions
dealing with all or any of the following matters: (a) the imposition,
abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of any tax; (b) the
regulation of the borrowing of money or giving of any guarantee by the
Government of India, or the amendment of the law with respect to any
financial obligations undertaken or to be undertaken by the Government
of India; (c) the custody of the Consolidated Fund or the Contingency
Fund of India, the payment of moneys into or the withdrawal of moneys
from any such Fund; (d) the appropriation of moneys out of the
Consolidated Fund of India; (e) the declaring of any expenditure to be
expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the increasing
of the amount of any such expenditure; (f) the receipt of money on
account of the Consolidated Fund of India or the public account of India
or the custody or issue of such money or the audit of the accounts of
the Union or of a State; or (g) any matter incidental to any of the
matters specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f) [Art.110].
A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok
Sabha. The Rajya Sabha cannot make amendments in a Money Bill passed by
the Lok Sabha and transmitted to it. It can, however, recommend
amendments in a Money Bill. It is open to the Lok Sabha to accept or
reject any or all of the recommendations of the Rajya Sabha with regard
to a Money Bill. If the Lok Sabha accepts any of the recommendations
of the Rajya Sabha, the Money Bill is deemed to have been passed by
both Houses with amendments recommended by the Rajya Sabha and accepted
by the Lok Sabha and if the Lok Sabha does not accept any of the
recommendations of the Rajya Sabha, the Money Bill is deemed to have
been passed by both Houses in the form in which it was passed by the Lok
Sabha without any of the amendments recommended by the Rajya
Sabha. If a Money Bill passed by the Lok Sabha and transmitted to the
Rajya Sabha is not returned to the Lok Sabha within the said period of
fourteen days, it is deemed to have been passed by both Houses at the
expiration of the said period in the form in which it was passed by the
Lok Sabha.
Question 33.What is the legislative relationship between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha?
Answer. In
legislative matters, both the Houses enjoy almost equal powers except
in the case of Money Bills. The main function of both the Houses is to
pass laws. Every Bill has to be passed by both the Houses and assented
to by the President before it becomes law. In case of Money Bills, the
Lok Sabha has overriding powers.
Question 34. Is any deadlock between the two Houses possible?Answer. Yes.
In the case of Bills other than Money Bills and Constitution Amendment
Bills, a disagreement between the two Houses may arise when a Bill
passed by one House is rejected by the other House; or the Houses have
finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in the Bill; or more
than six months have elapsed from the date of receipt of the Bill by
the other House without the Bill being passed by it.
Question 35. What is the mechanism for resolving such a deadlock between the two Houses?
Answer. A joint sitting of both Houses is convened by the President for this purpose. [Article 108]
Question 36. How many joint sittings of the Houses have been convened so far?
Answer. So
far, joint sittings of the two Houses have taken place on three
occasions. The first joint sitting was held on 6 May 1961 following a
disagreement between the two Houses over certain amendments to the Dowry
Prohibition Bill, 1959. This was followed by another sitting on 9 May
1961 when the Bill, as amended, was finally passed. The second joint
sitting was held on 16 May 1978, following the rejection by the Rajya
Sabha of the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill, 1977 and the Bill
was passed. The third joint sitting was held on 26 March 2002 when the
motion to consider the Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2002, seeking to
replace the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) as passed by the
Lok Sabha was rejected by the Rajya Sabha. At this sitting held for the
purpose of deliberating and voting on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill,
2002, the Bill was passed.
Question 37. Who presides over the joint sitting of the two Houses?Answer. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over the joint sitting of the two Houses. [Article 118(4)]
Question 38. Does the Speaker have the right to vote?
Answer. The
Speaker has a casting vote in the event of a tie. It is customary for
the Presiding Officer to exercise the casting vote in such a manner as
to maintain the status quo.
Question 39. How many Sessions of the Lok Sabha are held in a year?Answer. Normally three Sessions of the Lok Sabha are held in a year, viz.,
· Budget Session - February - May
· Autumn or Monsoon Session - July - August
· Winter Session - November - December
Question 40.What is meant by Adjournment, Prorogation and Dissolution of the Lok Sabha?
Answer. "Adjournment"
is a postponement of the sitting or proceedings of the House from one
time to another specified for the reassembling of the House. During the
course of a Session, the Lok Sabha may be adjourned from day to day or
for more than a day. It may also be adjourned sine die which means the termination of a sitting of the House without any definite date being fixed for its next sitting.
"Prorogation"
means the termination of a Session of the House by an order made by
the President under article 85(2)(a) of the Constitution. The
Prorogation of the House may take place any time, even while the House
is sitting. However, usually, prorogation follows the adjournment of
the sitting of the House sine die.
"Dissolution"
of the House means the end of the life of the Lok Sabha either by an
order made by the President under article 85 (2) (b) of the
Constitution or on the expiration of the period of five years from the
date appointed for its first meeting. Dissolution puts an end to the
representative character of the individuals who at the time compose the
Lok Sabha.
On adjournment of the Lok Sabha or its adjournment sine die,
the pending business does not lapse. Bills pending before either House
or Select/Joint Committee, Motions, Resolutions, and amendments which
have already been moved and pending in the House, and business pending
before a Parliamentary Committee do not lapse on prorogation whereas all
business pending before the House or any of its Committee lapse on
dissolution. Prorogation terminates a Session and does not constitute
an interruption in the continuity of life of the Lok Sabha which is
brought to an end only by dissolution.
Question 41. What are the methods of voting in the Lok Sabha?
Answer. The
procedure regarding Voting and Divisions in the House is governed by
article 100(1) of the Constitution and Rules 367, 367A, 367AA and 367B
of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. The various methods adopted for voting in the Lok Sabha are:
(i) Voice Vote: It
is a simple method for deciding a question put by the Chair on a motion
made by a member. Under this method, the question before the House is
determined by the `Ayes' or the `Noes', as the case may be.
(ii) Division: There are three methods of holding a Division, i.e. (a)
by operating the Automatic Vote Recording Equipment; (b) by
distributing `Ayes' and `Noes' slips in the House; and (c) by members
going into the Lobbies. The Speaker directs the members for "Ayes" to
go to the right Lobby and those for "Noes" to the left Lobby where
their votes are recorded. However, the method of recording of votes in
the Lobbies has become obsolete ever since the installation of the
Automatic Vote Recording Machine.
(iii) Secret Ballot: During
an 'open' voting period, the individual results are shown by the three
characters 'A', 'N' and 'O' on the Individual Result Display Panel.
Secret voting, if any, is on similar lines except that the Light
Emitting Diode (LED) on the Individual Result Display Panel shows
‘P’ sign in amber light to show that the vote has been recorded.
(iv) Recording of votes by distribution of slips: The
method of recording of votes by members on `Aye' and `No' slips is
generally resorted to in the eventuality of (i) sudden failure of the
working of the Automatic Vote Recording Equipment; and (ii) at the
commencement of the new Lok Sabha, before the seats/division numbers
have been allotted to members.
(v) Physical count of Members in their places instead of a formal division: If
in the opinion of the Chair, a Division is unnecessarily claimed,
he/she may ask the members who are for `Aye' and those for `No',
respectively, to rise in their places and on a count being taken, he/she
may declare the determination of the House. In such a case, the
particulars of voting of the members are not recorded.
(vi) Casting Vote: If
in a Division the number of `Ayes' and `Noes' is equal, the question is
decided by the casting vote of the Chair. Under the Constitution, the
Speaker or the person acting as such cannot vote in a Division; he/she
has only a casting vote which he/she must exercise in the case of
equality of votes.
Question 42: What is Question Hour?Answer. Rule 32
of the “Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business in Lok Sabha”
provides that unless the Speaker otherwise desires the first hour of
every sitting of the House shall be available for the asking and
answering of Questions. Thus, it is taken up from 1100 hrs to 1200 hrs
in every sitting. Normally, there is no Question Hour during the first
Session of the new Lok Sabha and also on the day when the President
addresses both Houses assembled together or on the day when General
Budget is presented in Lok Sabha and on the sittings held during the
extended period of session or on Saturdays/Sundays and Holidays.
Question 43. What is a Parliamentary Question?
Answer. Question
is one of the important Parliamentary device available to the Members
to seek information on a matter of urgent public importance subject to
conditions imposed by the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in
Lok Sabha and the Directions by the Speaker. A member may ask question
for the purpose of obtaining information on a subject matter of public
importance within the special cognizance of the minister to whom it is
addressed.
Question 44. What are the different types of Questions?
Answer. There are basically four types of Questions:-
Starred:
A member who desires an oral answer to his question is required to
distinguish it by an asterix. Maximum 20 Questions are included in the
list of Starred Questions for a particular day. This is printed on green
paper. Minimum of 15 clear days notice is required for tabling Starred
Questions. The Questions not orally answered in the Starred list of
questions are treated as a Unstarred Questions and their replies are
laid on the Table of the House.
Unstarred:
These do not carry the asterix mark and are meant for obtaining written
reply. Not more than 230 Questions can be placed on the Unstarred list
for a particular sitting. This list is printed on white paper. Minimum
of 15 clear days notice is required for tabling Unstarred Questions.
Written answers given by the Ministers are deemed to have been laid on
the Table of the House at end of Question Hour.
Short
Notice Question: Question can also be asked on a matter of urgent
public importance at a notice of less than the period specified for
ordinary Question. The list of admitted SNQ is printed on a pink paper.
The procedure of SNQ is regulated by Rule 54 and the basic test for its
admissibility is the urgency of matter. SNQ is asked and answered soon
after the Question Hour.
Question to
Private Members: A Question may also be addressed to a Private Member
under Rule 40 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok
Sabha, which provides that the subject matter of the question should be
related to some Bill, Resolution or other matter connected with the
Business of the House for which that member is responsible. For
instance, the Questions which relates to matters under the purview of
Parliamentary Committees can be addressed to respective Chairman.
Similarly, Members piloting Private Members Bills and Resolutions can be
addressed questions, which are within cognizance of them under this
provision. The procedure in regard to such questions is the same as that
followed in the case of questions addressed to a Minister with such
variations as the Speaker may consider necessary.
Question 45. What is the maximum number of Questions admitted for a particular day?
Answer.
The maximum number of Questions to be placed on the list of Questions
for oral answers (Starred Question) on a particular day is 20, while the
maximum number of questions to be placed on the list of Unstarred
Question is 230. However, the number of Unstarred Questions may exceed
by a maximum of 25 Questions pertaining to State/States under
President’s Rule.
Question 46. Whether there is any restriction regarding the number of notices that each member may give with regard to Questions?
Answer. A
Member is permitted to give not more than 10 notices of Questions both
Starred and Unstarred combined for any day. But not more than five
admitted questions, both Starred and Unstarred combined, by one member
are placed on the list of questions for any one day. Out of these 5
questions, not more than one Question distinguished by the member with
asterisk* as Starred is placed on the list of Questions for oral answer.
This limit of one question for oral answer does not include any Short
Notice Question of the member which may have been admitted for answer on
that day. However, a member can have more than one Starred question in
the list in the event of transfer or postponement of Questions in the
printed list from one day to another.
Question 47. Who decides the admissibility of Questions?
Answer Admissibility
of questions is governed by Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business
in Lok Sabha, Directions by the Speaker as also the past precedents. The
Speaker, Lok Sabha, decides whether a question or a part thereof, is or
is not admissible under the Rules, He/she may disallow any question, or
a part thereof, when in his/her opinion, it is an abuse of the right of
questioning or is calculated to obstruct or prejudicially affect the
procedure of the House or is in contravention of the Rules. The right to
ask a question is governed by certain conditions like it should be
pointed, specific and confined to one issue only. It should not contain
arguments, inferences, ironical expressions, imputations, epithets or
defamatory statements.
Question 48. What is an Half-an-Hour Discussion?Answer. Another
instrument available to the members of Lok Sabha for raising issue of
public importance is the Half-an-Hour Discussion. Under this, a Member
may raise discussion on a matter of sufficient public importance which
has been the subject of a recent question, Starred, Unstarred or Short
Notice Question and the answer to which needs further elucidation on a
matter of fact.
Question 49. What is the procedure for Half-an-Hour Discussion?
Answer.
The procedure regarding Half-an-Hour Discussion is regulated by Rule
55 of the ‘Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha’ and
Direction 19 of the ‘Directions by the Speaker’. Under this, a member
may give notice to raise a discussion on a matter of sufficient public
importance and which has been the subject of a recent question, Starred,
Unstarred or Short Notice Question, and the answer to which needs
further elucidation on a matter of fact. A notice is also required to be
accompanied by an ‘Explanatory Note’ stating the reasons for raising
the discussion and should also be signed. Normally, only one notice of
Half-an-Hour Discussion is put down for a sitting and no formal motion
is moved in the House nor does voting take place. The member who has
given notice makes a short statement and the members who have previously
intimated the Speaker and have secured one of the four places in the
ballot are permitted to put a question each for the purpose of further
elucidating any matter of fact. Thereafter, the Minister concerned
replies briefly.
Question 50. When a Half-an-Hour Discussion is taken up?
Answer.
Half-an-Hour
Discussions are normally held on three sittings in a week namely,
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Normally, Half-an-Hour Discussion is not
held on the first sitting of the session. Further, normally the
Half-an-Hour Discussion is not held till the passage of the Finance Bill
by the House. As the name suggests, normally the discussion is for half
an hour on the said days and is taken up during the last half an hour
of the sitting.
Question 51. What are Parliamentary Forums and
what are their objectives?Answer. Parliamentary Forums have been
constituted with the objective of equipping members with information and
knowledge on specific issues of national concern and in assisting them
to adopt a result-oriented approach towards related issues. These
Forums provide an opportunity to members to come together and discuss a
particular issue and its wider ramifications.Question 52. How many
Parliamentary Forums have been constituted so far?
Answer. The
first Parliamentary Forum – on Water Conservation and Management was
constituted by the Speaker, Lok Sabha, on 12 August 2005. Subsequently,
four more Parliamentary Forums were constituted, namely the
Parliamentary Forum on Youth, which has four sub-Forums, viz. on
Sports and Youth Development, on Health, on Education, and on
Employment; Parliamentary Forum on Children; Parliamentary Forum on
Population and Public Health; and Parliamentary Forum on Global Warming
and Climate Change. Question 53. What is the structure of the Parliamentary Forums?
Answer. Each Parliamentary Forum consists of not more than 31 members, excluding the Speaker of Lok Sabha, who is the ex officio President,
and the Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha,
the Ministers-in-charge of the Ministries concerned with the subject and
the Chairman of the Departmentally Related Standing Committee concerned
who are the ex officio Vice-Presidents. Each Forum has 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 members from the Rajya Sabha.
QUESTIONS RELATING TO LEGISLATIONQuestion 54. What is a Bill?Answer. A Bill is the draft of a legislative proposal brought before the House for its approval.
Question 55. What are the different types of Bills?Answer. Bills
initiated by Ministers are called Government Bills and those introduced
by members who are not Ministers are known as Private Members' Bills.
Depending on their contents, Bills may further be classified broadly
into (a) Original Bills (Bills embodying new proposals, ideas or
policies); (b) Amending Bills (Bills which seek to modify, amend or
revise the existing Acts); (c) Consolidating Bills (Bills which seek to
consolidate existing laws on a particular subject; (d) Expiring Laws
(Continuance) Bills (Bills to continue an expiring Act); (e) Repealing
Bills (Bills seeking to repeal existing Acts); (f) Bills to replace
Ordinances; (g) Constitution (Amendment) Bills; and (h) Money and
Financial Bills.
Question 56. Who decides whether a Bill is an ordinary Bill or a Money Bill?
Answer. In
case any question arises whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not, the
decision of the Speaker, Lok Sabha, thereon, is final. When a Bill is
held by the Speaker to be a Money Bill, he/she endorses a certificate
thereon signed by him/her to that effect that it is a Money Bill before
the bill is sent to the Rajya Sabha or presented to the President for
assent.
Question 57. What is the difference between a Bill and an Act?Answer A
Bill is a draft legislative proposal before the House. It becomes an
Act only when passed by both the Houses of Parliament and assented to by
the President.
Question 58. What are the various steps involved in the passage of a Bill?
Answer. A Bill while being considered has to undergo three stages in each House of Parliament. The first stage consists of the introduction of the Bill which is done on a motion moved by either a Minister or a member.
During the second stage, any
of the following motions can be moved: that the Bill be taken into
consideration; that it be referred to a Select Committee of the House;
that it be referred to a Joint Committee of the two Houses; or that it
be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion thereon. Thereafter,
the Bill is taken up for clause-by-clause consideration as introduced or
as reported by the Select/Joint Committee.
The third stage is
confined to the discussion on the motion that the Bill be passed and
the Bill is passed/rejected either by voting or voice vote (or returned
to the Lok Sabha by the Rajya Sabha in the case of a Money Bill).
Question 59. What is Budget?Answer. Budget
is the `Annual Financial Statement' or the Statement of the Estimated
Receipts and Expenditure of the Government of India in respect of each
financial year, presented to the Lok Sabha on such day as the President
may direct. A copy of the Budget is laid in the Rajya Sabha soon after
its presentation in the Lok Sabha. The preparation and presentation of
the Budget for the approval of the Legislature is a constitutional
obligation on the part of the Government, both at the Centre and in the
States.
Question 60. When is the Budget Session of Parliament held?Answer. The
Budget Session of Parliament is normally held during February to May of
the year. During this period, the Budget comes before the Parliament
for its deliberation, voting and approval; the Departmentally related
Standing Committees consider the Demands for Grants of
Ministries/Departments and report on the same to the Houses of
Parliament.
Question 61. Who presents the Budget in the House?Answer. Two
types of Budgets are usually presented in the House namely, the General
Budget and the Railway Budget. The General Budget is presented by the
Minister of Finance and the Railway Budget by the Minister of Railways.
PROCEDURAL DEVICES FOR RAISING MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST
Question 62. What is a Calling Attention ?Answer. Under
this procedural device, a member may, with the prior permission of the
Speaker, call the attention of a Minister to any matter of
urgent public importance and the Minister may make a brief statement or
ask for time to make a statement later. There can be no debate on such
a statement at the time it is made. But, brief clarifications can be
sought from the Minister by the member who has initiated the Calling
Attention and other members who are called by the Speaker. Only those
matters which are primarily the concern of the Union Government can be
raised through a Calling Attention notice. The Calling
Attention procedure is an Indian innovation which combines asking a
question with supplementaries and making brief comments; the Government
also gets adequate opportunity to state its case. The Calling
Attention matter is not subject to the vote of the House.
Question 63. What is a Motion?Answer. The
term `motion' in parliamentary parlance means any formal
proposal made to the House by a member for the purpose of eliciting a
decision of the House. It is phrased in such a way that, if adopted,
it will purport to express the judgement or will of the House. Any
matter of importance can be the subject matter of a motion. The mover
of a motion frames it in a form in which he/she wishes it ultimately to
be passed by the House and on which a vote of the House can conveniently
be taken.
Question 64. What are the different types of Motion?
Answer. Motions
may be classified into three broad categories, namely, substantive
motions, substitute motions and subsidiary motions.
A substantive motion is a self-contained, independent proposal made
in reference to a subject which the mover wishes to bring forward. All
Resolutions, Motions for election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker,
and Motion of Thanks on the Address by the President, etc. are examples
of substantive motions.
A substitute
motion, as its name suggests, is moved in substitution of the original
motion for taking into consideration a policy or situation or statement
or any other matter. Amendments to substitute motions are not
permissible.
Subsidiary motions depend upon
or relate to other motions or follow up on some proceedings in the
House. By itself, it has no meaning and is not capable of stating the
decision of the House without reference to the original motion or the
proceedings of the House.
Question 65. What is an Adjournment Motion?
Answer. Adjournment Motion is
the procedure for adjournment of the business of the House for the
purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance,
which can be moved with the consent of the Speaker. The Adjournment
Motion, if admitted, leads to setting aside of the normal business of
the House for discussing the matter mentioned in the motion. To be in
order, an adjournment motion must raise a matter of sufficient public
importance to warrant interruption of normal business of the House and
the question of public importance is decided on merit in each individual
case. The purpose of an Adjournment Motion is to take the Government
to task for a recent act of omission or commission having serious
consequences. Its adoption is regarded as a sort of censure of the
Government.
Question 66. What is a Motion of No-confidence?
Answer. The
Government must always enjoy majority support in the popular House to
remain in power. If need be, it has to demonstrate its strength on the
floor of the House by moving a Motion of Confidence and winning the
confidence of the House. In view of the express constitutional
provision regarding collective responsibility of the Council of
Ministers to the Lok Sabha, a motion expressing want of confidence in an
individual Minister is out of order; under the Rules, only a motion
expressing want of confidence in the Council of Ministers as a body is
admissible. Rule 198 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha lays
down the procedure for moving a Motion of No-Confidence in the Council
of Ministers. The usual format of such a motion is that "this House
expresses its want of confidence in the Council of Ministers". A Motion
of No-confidence need not set out any grounds on which it is
based. Even when grounds are mentioned in the notice and read out in
the House, they do not form part of the No-confidence Motion.
Question 67. What is a No-Day-Yet-Named Motion?
Answer If
the Speaker admits notice of a motion and no date is fixed for its
discussion, it is called a "No-Day-yet-Named Motion" and a copy of the
admitted motion is forwarded to the Minister concerned with the subject
matter of the motion.
Admitted notices of
such motions may be placed before the Business Advisory Committee for
selecting the motions for discussion in the House according to the
urgency and importance of the subject-matter thereof, and allotting time
for the same.
Question 68. What is meant by “Discussion under Rule 193�
Answer. Discussion
under Rule 193 does not involve a formal motion before the
House. Hence no voting can take place after discussion on matters under
this rule. The member who gives notice may make a short statement and
such of the members as have previously intimated to the Speaker, may be
permitted to take part in the discussion. The member who raises the
discussion has no right of reply. At the end of the discussion, the
Minister concerned gives a brief reply.
Question 69. What is a Short Duration Discussion?
Answer. In
order to provide opportunities to members to discuss matters of urgent
public importance, a convention was established in March 1953 which was
incorporated later into the Rules of Procedure and conduct of Business in Lok Sabha under
Rule 193 as Short Duration Discussion. Under this Rule, members can
raise discussion for short durations without a formal motion or vote
thereon.
Question 7. What is meant by matters under Rule 377?
Matters, which are not points of order can be raised by way of Special Mentions underRule 377. This
procedural device, framed in 1954, provides opportunity to the members
to raise matters of general public interest. At present, the number of
matters that can be raised by members under Rule 377 on a single day is
20.
Question 71. What is "Zero Hour" ?Answer. The
time immediately following the Question Hour and laying of papers and
before any listed business is taken up in the House has come to be
popularly known as the `Zero Hour'. As it starts around 12 noon, this
period is euphemistically termed as `Zero Hour'. For raising matters
during the so-called "Zero Hour" in Lok Sabha, members give notice
before 10 a.m. everyday to the Speaker stating clearly the subject which
they consider to be important and wish to raise in the House. It is,
of course, for the Speaker to allow or not allow raising of such matters
in the House. The term `Zero Hour' is not formally recognised in our
parliamentary procedure.
Question 72. How many matters are allowed to be raised under "Zero Hour" ?
Answer. At
present, twenty matters per day as per their priority in the ballot are
allowed to be raised during "Zero Hour". The order in which the
matters will be raised is decided by the Speaker at his/her
discretion. In the first phase, 5 matters of urgent national and
international importance, as decided by the Chair, are taken up after
Question Hour and laying of papers, etc. In the second phase, the
remaining admitted matters of urgent public importance are taken up
after 6.00 P.M. or at the end of the regular business of the House.
Question 73. What is a Resolution?Answer A
Resolution is a formal expression of the sense, will or action of the
Legislative Body. Resolutions may be broadly divided into three
categories:
· Resolutions which are expression of opinion
by the House – since the purpose of such a Resolution is merely to
obtain an expression of opinion of the House, the Government is not
bound to give effect to the opinions expressed in these Resolutions.
· Resolutions
which have statutory effect the notice of a Statutory Resolution is
given in pursuance of a provision in the Constitution or an Act of
Parliament. Such a Resolution, if adopted, is binding on the Government
and has the force of law.
· Resolutions which the House
passes in the matter of control over its own proceedings. It has the
force of law and its validity cannot be challenged in any court of
law. The House, by such a Resolution, evolves, sometimes, its own
procedure to meet a situation not specifically provided for in the
Rules.
Question 74. What is a Point of Order?
Answer: A Point of Order relates to the interpretation or enforcement of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in
the House or convention or such articles of the Constitution as
regulate the business of the House and raises a question which is within
the cognizance of the Speaker.
A Point of Order may be
raised only in relation to the business before the House at the moment,
provided that the Speaker may permit a member to raise a Point of Order
during the interval between the termination of one item of business and
the commencement of another if it relates to maintenance of order in, or
arrangement of business before, the House. A member may formulate a
Point of Order and the Speaker shall decide whether the point raised is a
Point of Order and if so give his/her decision thereon, which is final.
Question 75. Does the Speaker have the power to adjourn the House or suspend the sitting?
Answer: Under
Rule 375, in the case of a grave disorder arising in the House, the
Speaker may, if he/she thinks it necessary to do so, adjourn the House
or suspend any sitting for a time to be named by him/her.
Question 76. When does the President address the Parliament?Answer. The Constitution
provides for an Address by the President to either House
or both Houses assembled together [Article 86(1)]. The
Constitution also makes incumbent upon the President to address both
Houses of Parliament assembled together at the commencement of the first
Session after each General Election to the Lok Sabha and at the
commencement of the first Session each year and inform Parliament of the
causes of its summons. [Article 87(1)]. The matters referred to in
the Address by the President to the Houses are discussed on a Motion
of Thanks moved by a member and seconded by another member.
Question 77. Can members raise questions on the Address by the President?
Answer. No
member can raise questions on the Address by the President. Any action
on the part of a member which mars the occasion or creates disturbance
is punishable by the House to which that member belongs. Discussion
on matters referred to in the Address takes place on a Motion of Thanks
moved by a member and seconded by another member. The scope of
discussion on the Address is very wide and the functioning of the entire
administration is open for discussion; the limitations inter aliaare
that members should not refer to matters which are not the direct
responsibility of the Government of India, and the name of the President
should not be brought in during the debate since the Government, and
not the President, is responsible for the contents of the Address.
PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGES/IMMUNITIES, SALARIES AND EMOLUMENTS
Question 78. What are parliamentary privileges?
Answer The
term `parliamentary privilege' refers to certain rights and immunities
enjoyed by each House of Parliament and Committees of each House
collectively, and by members of each House individually, without which
they cannot discharge their functions efficiently and effectively. The
object of parliamentary privileges is to safeguard the freedom, the
authority and the dignity of Parliament. The powers, privileges and
immunities of either House of Parliament and of its Committees and
members have been laid down in article 105 of the Constitution. The
House has the power to punish any person who commits a contempt of the
House or a breach of any of its privileges.
Question 79. Are the parliamentary privileges codified in India?
Answer. No
law has so far been enacted by Parliament in pursuance of article
105(3) of the Constitution to define the powers, privileges and
immunities available to each House and its members and the Committees
thereof. In the absence of any such law, the powers, privileges and
immunities of the Houses of Parliament, and of the members and the
Committees thereof, shall be those of that House and of its members and
Committees immediately before the coming into force of section 15 of the
Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978.
Question 8. What is the difference between breach of privilege and contempt of the House?
Answer. When
any of the privileges, either of the members individually or of the
House in its collective capacity, is disregarded or attacked by any
individual or authority, the offence is called a `breach of privilege'.
Contempt
of the House may be defined generally as any act or omission which
obstructs or impedes either House of Parliament in the performance of
its functions, or which obstructs or impedes any member or officers of
such House in the discharge of his or her duty, or which has a tendency,
directly or indirectly, to produce such results even though there is no
precedent of the offence. Whereas all breaches of privilege are
contempts of the House whose privileges are violated, a person may be
guilty of a contempt of the House even though he does not violate any of
the privilege of the House, e.g. when he disobeys an order to attend a
Committee or publishes reflections on the character or conduct of a
member in his capacity as a member.
Question 81. What is the procedure for addressing a question of privilege?
Answer. A
question of privilege may either be considered and decided by the House
itself or it may be referred to the Committee of Privileges for
examination, investigation and report.
Question 82. What is the rule relating to 'Automatic Suspension' of a member?
Answer. Rule 374A of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha provides
that in the event of grave disorder occasioned by a member coming
into the well of the House or abusing the rules of the House
persistently and wilfully obstructing its business by shouting slogans
or otherwise, such member shall, on being named by the Speaker,
stand automatically suspended from the service of the House for five
consecutive sittings or the remainder of the Session, whichever is less.
Question 83. What is the MPLAD Scheme?
Answer. The
Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) was
introduced in December 1993. Under this Scheme, a member of Lok Sabha
has the choice to suggest to the Head of the District, developmental
works to the tune of Rs. Five crore per year, to be taken up in his/her
constituency.
Question 84. What is the current salary of a member?Answer. At
present, a member of Parliament is entitled to Rs. 16,000/- per month
as salary, Rs. 20,000/- per month as Constituency Allowance,
Rs.20,000/- per month as Office Expenses which include Rs. 4,000/- for
stationary, Rs. 2000/- for franking letters and Rs. 14,000/- for a
Personal Assistant. A member also gets daily allowance of Rs. 1,000 for
the period of residence on duty. Daily allowance will be paid only
when he/she signs the register maintained for the purpose.
Question 85. Are Members of Parliament entitled to any pension?
Answer.
Every person who has served as a member of the Provisional Parliament
or either House of Parliament for any period is entitled to a pension
of Rs.8000/- per month w.e.f. 15 September 2006. Where any person has
served for a period exceeding five years, he/she shall be paid an
additional pension of Rs.800/- per month for every year in excess of
five years. For the purpose of calculation of years for determination
of additional pension, the period of nine months or more is treated as
one complete year.
Cell on Parliamentary Forums
Question 86. What are Parliamentary Forums and what are their objectives?
Answer. The
Parliamentary Forums have been constituted with the objective of
equipping members with information and knowledge on specific issues of
national concern and in assisting them to adopt a result-oriented
approach towards related issues. These Forums provide a platform to
members to have interaction with the Ministers concerned, experts and
key officials from the nodal Ministries with a view to have a focused
discussion on critical issues facing the country so as to enable them to
effectively raise these issues on the floor of the House and in the
meetings of the Departmentally Related Standing Committees.
Question 87. When were the Parliamentary Forums constituted?
Answer. The
first Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management was
constituted by the Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha, on 12 August, 2005.
Subsequently, the following four Parliamentary Forums were constituted
on the dates shown below:-
(i) Parliamentary Forum on Youth 20 February, 2006
(ii) Parliamentary Forum on Children 2 March, 2006
(iii) Parliamentary Forum on Population 26 July, 2006
and Public Health
(iv) Parliamentary Forum on Global 14 July, 2008
Warming and Climate Change
During
the 15th Lok Sabha, the Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha has re-constituted
all the above five Parliamentary Forums on 21 January, 2010.
Question 88. What is the composition of the Parliamentary Forums?
Answer.
The
Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha is the President of all the Forums except
the Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health wherein the
Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha is the President and Hon'ble
Speaker, Lok Sabha is the Co-President. Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha;
Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha; the concerned Ministers and Chairmen of
Departmentally Related Standing Committees are the ex-officio Vice-Presidents of the respective Forums.
Each Forum consists of 31 Members (excluding the President and the ex-officio Vice-Presidents)
out of whom not more than 21 are from Lok Sabha and not more than 10
are from Rajya Sabha. Members, other than the President and
Vice-Presidents, are nominated by the Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha and the
Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha, as the case may be, from amongst the
Leaders of Parties and Groups, or their nominees who have special
knowledge/keen interest in the subject.
Secretary-General, Lok Sabha is the Secretary to the Forums.
Question 89. What is the term of the members of the Parliamentary Forums?
Answer. The term of the office of members of the Forums is co-terminus with their membership in the respective Houses.
A
Member may resign from the Forum by writing under his/her hand,
addressed to the Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha or the Hon'ble Speaker,
Lok Sabha, as the case may be.
Question 90. Who conducts the meetings of the Forums?
Answer. The
President of the Forum appoints a Member-Convener for each Forum to
conduct regular, approved Programmes/Meetings of the Forum in
consultation with the President.
Question 91. How often do the Forums meet?
Answer. The meetings of the Forums are held from time to time, as may be necessary, during Parliament Sessions.
Contacting Lok Sabha
Question 92. Where do I get more information on members of Lok Sabha?
Answer. The Lok Sabha Web Site (
http://loksabha.nic.in) has a section on members which gives information about its members.
Question 93. How can I get in touch with a member of Lok Sabha?Answer. Members
can be contacted through E-mail. Permanent and Local addresses of
members of Lok Sabha are also available at the Lok Sabha Web Site (
http://loksabha.nic.in).
Question 94. Where do I get information on the Sessions of Lok Sabha?
Answer. The Lok Sabha Web Site (
http://loksabha.nic.in) has a section on Legislation which contains information on the Sessions of the Lok Sabha.
Question 95. Who maintains the Lok Sabha website and how do I send a feedback?
Answer. The Lok Sabha Web Site is maintained by the Computer (HW&SW) Management Branch of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
