The Parliament chapter contains several factual and conceptual areas that are frequently tested in UPSC Prelims.
Important areas include:
The following facts and traps are designed for quick Prelims revision.
Article 79 provides that Parliament consists of:
Parliament consists only of:
Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha
False
The President is also a component of Parliament.
Rajya Sabha is the:
Council of States
It is a:
Permanent House
It cannot be dissolved.
One-third of its members retire every:
Two years
The normal term of a Rajya Sabha member is:
Six years
Lok Sabha is the:
House of the People
Its normal term is:
Five years
It can be dissolved before the completion of its normal term.
Minimum age for membership:
Rajya Sabha:
30 years
Lok Sabha:
25 years
RS = 30
LS = 25
The President nominates:
12 members to Rajya Sabha
from persons having special knowledge or practical experience in:
Lok Sabha currently has:
No nominated members
Representatives of States in Rajya Sabha are elected by:
Elected members of State Legislative Assemblies
through:
Proportional Representation by means of Single Transferable Vote
Lok Sabha members are directly elected by:
The people
from territorial constituencies.
The Vice-President of India is:
Ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha
The Chairman is not a member of Rajya Sabha.
"The Chairman of Rajya Sabha is elected by Rajya Sabha members."
False
The Vice-President is the ex officio Chairman.
The Speaker is elected by:
Lok Sabha
from among its members.
The Speaker presides over:
Lok Sabha
Joint Sitting is provided under:
Article 108
It is used to resolve certain legislative deadlocks.
It is presided over by:
Speaker of Lok Sabha
If the Speaker is absent:
Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha
If both are absent:
Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Joint Sitting cannot be used for:
Money Bill → No Joint Sitting
Constitutional Amendment → No Joint Sitting
A Money Bill is defined under:
Article 110
A Money Bill can be introduced only in:
Lok Sabha
It can be introduced only on the:
Recommendation of the President
Rajya Sabha cannot reject or amend a Money Bill in the same manner as an Ordinary Bill.
It can:
Recommend amendments
The Bill must be returned within:
14 days
Lok Sabha may:
The decision of whether a Bill is a Money Bill is certified by the:
Speaker of Lok Sabha
The Speaker's certification is constitutionally significant.
Financial Bills are governed by:
Article 117
Not every Financial Bill is a Money Bill.
"Every Financial Bill is a Money Bill."
False
Money Bills are a specific constitutional category under Article 110.
An Ordinary Bill can be introduced in:
Either House of Parliament
It can be introduced by:
subject to the applicable procedure.
Constitutional Amendment Bills are governed by:
Article 368
They can be introduced in:
Either House
There is:
No Joint Sitting
Each House must separately pass the Bill with the required majority.
Article 111 deals with:
President's assent to Bills
For an Ordinary Bill, the President may:
If Parliament passes the returned Bill again:
The President cannot withhold assent
A Money Bill cannot be returned by the President for reconsideration.
The President may:
Give assent or withhold assent
The Bill requires:
Prior recommendation of the President
for introduction.
The Constitution refers to the Union Budget as:
Annual Financial Statement
under:
Article 112
Demands for Grants are voted by:
Lok Sabha
Rajya Sabha:
Cannot vote on Demands for Grants
It may discuss them as part of the parliamentary financial process.
Charged expenditure is:
Not submitted to the vote of Lok Sabha
but it can be:
Discussed in Parliament
"Charged expenditure cannot be discussed."
False
It is not voted upon, but it may be discussed.
The Appropriation Bill authorises withdrawal from:
Consolidated Fund of India
It covers:
The Public Account of India contains money other than money forming part of the:
Consolidated Fund of India
Examples include:
The Contingency Fund of India is used for:
Urgent and unforeseen expenditure
It is placed at the disposal of:
President
under Article 267.
Vote on Account provides:
Temporary authorisation for expenditure
before the full Budget process is completed.
It is generally used to meet expenditure for:
A part of the financial year
Vote of Credit is granted for:
Unexpected demands upon the resources of India
where the expenditure cannot be stated with the details ordinarily required for a normal Budget.
An Exceptional Grant is provided for:
A special purpose
which does not form part of the current service of any financial year.
A Supplementary Grant is required when:
The amount authorised for a service is insufficient
during the financial year.
An Additional Grant is required for:
A new service
not contemplated in the original Budget.
An Excess Grant arises when:
Expenditure exceeds the amount originally granted
for a particular service.
It is examined after the expenditure has occurred.
There are three major Cut Motions:
Policy Cut Motion proposes reduction of the demand to:
Re. 1
It expresses:
Disapproval of the policy underlying the demand
Economy Cut Motion proposes reduction by:
A specified amount
It indicates that expenditure can be reduced.
Token Cut Motion proposes reduction by:
Rs. 100
It is used to raise:
A specific grievance
Guillotine refers to the procedure by which:
All outstanding Demands for Grants are put to vote at a specified time
This ensures completion of financial business within the allotted period.
Question Hour is used by MPs to:
Obtain information from Ministers
It is an important instrument of:
Executive accountability
A Starred Question requires:
Oral answer
Supplementary questions are:
Allowed
Starred → Oral → Supplementary
An Unstarred Question receives:
Written answer
Supplementary questions are:
Not allowed
Unstarred → Written → No Supplementary
Zero Hour is used to raise:
Matters of urgent public importance
It is:
Not specifically mentioned in the Constitution
It developed through parliamentary practice.
A No-Confidence Motion tests whether:
Council of Ministers enjoys the confidence of Lok Sabha
Its constitutional foundation is:
Article 75(3)
Censure Motion expresses:
Disapproval of a specific policy, action or conduct
Censure → Specific criticism
No-confidence → Government's confidence
Parliamentary privileges are dealt with under:
Article 105
for Parliament.
They include protections necessary for members to perform their parliamentary functions.
Important Financial Committees include:
PAC has:
22 members
including:
It examines:
Estimates Committee has:
30 members
All are from:
Lok Sabha
It examines:
Expenditure estimates
COPU has:
22 members
including:
It examines:
Public Sector Undertakings
and relevant CAG reports.
Parliamentary Forums are platforms for:
Focused discussion and awareness
They are different from:
Parliamentary Committees
Important forums include those dealing with:
The Anti-Defection Law was introduced by:
52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985
It is contained in:
Tenth Schedule
Protection from disqualification is available when:
Not less than two-thirds of the members of the legislature party
agree to a merger.
Merger → 2/3
The earlier one-third split exception was removed by:
91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003
1/3 Split → Removed
2/3 Merger → Exists
Disqualification under the Tenth Schedule is decided by:
The decision is subject to:
Judicial Review
as established in:
Kihoto Hollohan case
Under:
Article 249
Rajya Sabha can authorise Parliament to legislate on a State List matter in:
National interest
The resolution requires:
Two-thirds of members present and voting
Under:
Article 312
Rajya Sabha can authorise Parliament to create:
One or more All India Services
The resolution requires:
Two-thirds of members present and voting
The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to:
Lok Sabha
under:
Article 75(3)
"Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to both Houses."
False
It is collectively responsible to:
Lok Sabha
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha generally have equal powers in:
They do not have equal powers in:
The Basic Structure Doctrine was established in:
Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, 1973
Parliament can amend the Constitution but cannot:
Destroy its Basic Structure
In:
Minerva Mills v. Union of India, 1980
the Supreme Court reaffirmed:
Limited amending power
and the importance of balance between:
Fundamental Rights + Directive Principles
In:
Kihoto Hollohan v. Zachillhu, 1992
the Supreme Court upheld the Anti-Defection Law while recognising:
Judicial Review of decisions under the Tenth Schedule
In:
Raja Ram Pal v. Speaker, Lok Sabha, 2007
the Supreme Court held that parliamentary privileges are not completely beyond:
Judicial Review
Important cases concerning Money Bills include:
They are relevant to:
Article 110 + Money Bill classification + Rajya Sabha's role
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| Article 79 | Constitution of Parliament |
| Article 80 | Rajya Sabha |
| Article 81 | Lok Sabha |
| Article 83 | Duration of Houses |
| Article 84 | Qualifications |
| Article 89 | Chairman and Deputy Chairman |
| Article 93 | Speaker and Deputy Speaker |
| Article 105 | Parliamentary Privileges |
| Article 108 | Joint Sitting |
| Article 109 | Money Bill Procedure |
| Article 110 | Money Bill Definition |
| Article 112 | Annual Financial Statement |
| Article 113 | Demands for Grants |
| Article 114 | Appropriation Bill |
| Article 115 | Supplementary, Additional and Excess Grants |
| Article 116 | Vote on Account, Credit and Exceptional Grant |
| Article 117 | Financial Bills |
| Article 123 | Ordinances |
| Article 249 | Rajya Sabha and State List |
| Article 312 | All India Services |
| Article 368 | Constitutional Amendment |
Rajya Sabha nominated members → 12
Rajya Sabha member term → 6 years
Lok Sabha normal term → 5 years
Rajya Sabha minimum age → 30 years
Lok Sabha minimum age → 25 years
Money Bill return period → 14 days
PAC → 22 members
Estimates Committee → 30 members
COPU → 22 members
Merger under Anti-Defection → 2/3
Token Cut → Rs. 100
65. High-Value Constitutional Amendment Revision
52nd Amendment, 1985
→ Anti-Defection Law
→ Tenth Schedule
91st Amendment, 2003
→ Removed Split Exception
→ Retained 2/3 Merger Exception
42nd Amendment, 1976
→ Major constitutional changes
→ Subject to Basic Structure review
66. Most Important Prelims Pairs
Article 79 → Parliament
Article 80 → Rajya Sabha
Article 81 → Lok Sabha
Article 83 → Duration
Article 89 → Rajya Sabha Presiding Officers
Article 93 → Lok Sabha Presiding Officers
Article 105 → Parliamentary Privileges
Article 108 → Joint Sitting
Article 110 → Money Bill
Article 112 → Annual Financial Statement
Article 113 → Demands for Grants
Article 114 → Appropriation Bill
Article 115 → Supplementary/Additional/Excess Grants
Article 116 → Vote on Account/Credit/Exceptional Grant
Article 117 → Financial Bills
Article 123 → Ordinance
Article 249 → State List in National Interest
Article 312 → All India Services
Article 368 → Constitutional Amendment
67. Top UPSC Prelims Traps
Trap 1
Parliament = Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha only.
False
President is also a component of Parliament.
Trap 2
Rajya Sabha can be dissolved.
False
It is a permanent House.
Trap 3
Rajya Sabha has no special powers.
False
Articles 249 and 312 provide important special powers.
Trap 4
Rajya Sabha can reject a Money Bill.
False
It can only recommend amendments.
Trap 5
Joint Sitting can resolve Constitutional Amendment deadlock.
False
No Joint Sitting is available for Constitutional Amendment Bills.
Trap 6
Charged expenditure is not discussed.
False
It is not voted upon but can be discussed.
Trap 7
Zero Hour is mentioned in the Constitution.
False
It developed through parliamentary practice.
Trap 8
One-third split is still an Anti-Defection exception.
False
The split exception was removed by the 91st Amendment.
Trap 9
Two-thirds split is the correct term under the Tenth Schedule.
False
The constitutional exception is:
Merger
Trap 10
The Speaker's Anti-Defection decision cannot be reviewed by courts.
False
Judicial review is available.
Trap 11
The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to Rajya Sabha.
False
It is collectively responsible to:
Lok Sabha
Trap 12
All Financial Bills are Money Bills.
False
Money Bills are a specific category under Article 110.
68. Final One-Page Revision
PARLIAMENT
↓
President + Rajya Sabha + Lok Sabha
RAJYA SABHA
→ Permanent
→ 6 years
→ 30 years
→ 12 nominated
→ Federal representation
→ Articles 249 and 312
LOK SABHA
→ 5 years
→ 25 years
→ Direct election
→ Financial supremacy
→ Government responsible to it
BILLS
→ Ordinary → Either House
→ Money → Lok Sabha only
→ Constitutional Amendment → Either House
→ Joint Sitting → Article 108
BUDGET
→ Article 112
→ Demands for Grants → Lok Sabha
→ Appropriation → Article 114
PARLIAMENTARY CONTROL
→ Questions
→ Motions
→ Committees
→ Budget
→ Debates
ANTI-DEFECTION
→ 52nd Amendment
→ Tenth Schedule
→ Merger = 2/3
→ Split exception removed
JUDICIAL REVIEW
→ Kesavananda → Basic Structure
→ Kihoto Hollohan → Anti-Defection
→ Raja Ram Pal → Parliamentary Privileges
→ Rojer Mathew → Money Bill
69. Final Prelims Strategy
For Parliament-related questions, focus especially on:
Articles + Numbers + Powers + Exceptions + Constitutional Amendments + Supreme Court Judgments
The highest-value areas for revision are:
Money Bill vs Financial Bill
Rajya Sabha vs Lok Sabha
Joint Sitting
Parliamentary Committees
Budget and Grants
Anti-Defection Law
Special powers of Rajya Sabha
Parliamentary Privileges
Basic Structure Doctrine
Important Supreme Court judgments