POLITY QUIZ

CONSOLIDATED FUND OF INDIA

● The Consolidated Fund of India was constituted under Article 266(1) of the Constitution of India.

● It is the most important of all Government accounts.

● All revenues received by the government by way of direct taxes and indirect taxes, money borrowed and receipts from loans given by the government flow into the Consolidated Fund of India.

● All Government expenditure is made from this fund, except exceptional items, which are met from the Contingency Fund or the Public Account of India.

● No money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India without the Parliament’s approval.

WHEN IS JOINT SITTING OF THE PARLIAMENT HELD ?

● Joint sitting is an extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill.

● A deadlock happens in one of the three situations after a bill has been passed by one House and transmitted to the other House :

1⃣ If the bill is rejected by the other House.

2⃣ If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in the bill.

3⃣ If more than 6 months have elapsed from the date of the receipt of the bill by the other House without the bill being passed by it.

● In the above three situations, the President can summon the joint sitting of the two Houses.

● The provision of joint sitting is applicable to ordinary bills or financial bills only and not to money bills or Constitutional Amendment Bills.

MOTION OF THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS

● President’s address is the speech delivered by the President of India to both Houses of Parliament assembled together :

1⃣ At the commencement of the first session after each General Election to Lok Sabha.

2⃣ At the commencement of the first session of each year (this is usually the budget session).

● This speech is a statement of the government policy and is approved by the cabinet.

● The President highlights legislative and policy activities of the government, achievements of the previous year and broad agenda of the upcoming year.

MOTION OF THANKS

● This address is followed by a Motion of Thanks, which is moved in each house by an MP of the ruling party.

● The deliberations on this motion last for 3-4 days.

● The deliberations allow the opposition to critically discuss the government’s vision, scope and policies.

● At the end of these discussions, the Prime Minister gives replies to the points or questions raised.

● After the reply of the Prime Minister is over, the MPs vote on this motion of thanks.

● The Motion of Thanks must be passed in both the houses.

● A failure to get the Motion of Thanks passed (which may happen rarely) amounts to defeat of the Government and leads to collapse of the Government.

COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

● It classifies bills and allocates time for the discussion on bills and resolutions introduced by private members (other than ministers).

● It is a special committee of the Lok Sabha and consists of 15 members, including the Deputy Speaker as its chairman.

● The Rajya Sabha does not have any such committee.

● The same function in the Rajya Sabha is performed by its Business Advisory Committee.

BILLS/RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY SIMPLE MAJORITY

✓ Formation of new states and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states
✓ Abolition or creation of legislative councils in states
✓ Second Schedule-emoluments, allowances, privileges and so on of the president, governors, speakers, judges, etc.
✓ Quorum in Parliament
✓ Salaries and allowances of the members of Parliament
✓ Rules of procedure in Parliament
✓ Privileges of the Parliament, its members and its committees
✓ Use of English language in Parliament
✓ Number of judges in the Supreme Court
✓ Conferment of more jurisdiction on the Supreme Court
✓ Citizenship-acquisition and termination
✓ Elections to Parliament and state legislatures
✓ Delimitation of constituencies
✓ Union territories
✓ Fifth Schedule administration of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes
✓ Sixth Schedule administration of tribal areas

BY SPECIAL MAJORITY OF THE PARLIAMENT

✓ Fundamental Rights
✓ Directive Principles of State Policy
✓ All other provisions which are not covered by the first and third categories

BY SPECIAL MAJORITY OF THE PARLIAMENT AND CONSENT OF STATES

✓ Election of the President and its manner
✓ Extent of the executive power of the Union and the states
✓ Supreme Court and high courts
✓ Distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the states
✓ Any of the lists in the Seventh Schedule
✓ Representation of states in Parliament
✓ Power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and its procedure (Article 368 itself)