PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGES Meaning Parliamentary privileges are special rights, immunities and exemptions enjoyed by the two Houses of Parliament, their committees and their members. They are necessary in order to secure the independence and effectiveness of their actions. Without these privileges, the Houses can neither maintain their authority, dignity and honour nor can protect their members […]

Special Powers of Rajya Sabha Due to its federal character, the Rajya Sabha has been given two exclusive or special powers that are not enjoyed by the Lok Sabha: It can authorise the Parliament to make a law on a subject enumerated in the State List (Article 249). It can authorise the Parliament to create […]

POSITION OF RAJYA SABHA The Constitutional position of the Rajya Sabha (as compared with the Lok Sabha) can be studied from three angles: Where Rajya Sabha is equal to Lok Sabha. Where Rajya Sabha is unequal to Lok Sabha. Where Rajya Sabha has special powers that are not at all shared with the Lok Sabha. […]

MULTIFUNCTIONAL ROLE OF PARLIAMENT In the ‘Indian politico-administrative system’, the Parliament occupies a central position and has a multifunctional role. It enjoys extensive powers and performs a variety of functions towards the fulfilment of its constitutionally expected role. Its powers and functions can be classified under the following heads: Legislative Powers and Functions Executive Powers […]

  BUDGET IN PARLIAMENT The Constitution refers to the budget as the ‘annual financial statement’. In other words, the term ‘budget’ has nowhere been used in the Constitution. It is the popular name for the ‘annual financial statement’ that has been dealt with in Article 112 of the Constitution. The budget is a statement of […]

JOINT SITTING OF TWO HOUSES 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 is deemed to have taken place under any one of the following three situations after a bill has been passed by one House and […]

LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE IN PARLIAMENT The legislative procedure is identical in both the Houses of Parliament. Every bill has to pass through the same stages in each House. A bill is a proposal for legislation and it becomes an act or law when duly enacted. Table 22.3 Public Bill vs Private Bill Public Bill Private Bill […]

DEVICES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS Question Hour The first hour of every parliamentary sitting is slotted for this. During this time, the members ask questions and the ministers usually give answers. The questions are of three kinds, namely, starred, unstarred and short notice. A starred question (distinguished by an asterisk) requires an oral answer and hence […]

LEADERS IN PARLIAMENT Under the Rules of Lok Sabha, the ‘Leader of the House’ means the prime minister, if he is a member of the Lok Sabha, or a minister who is a member of the Lok Sabha and is nominated by the prime minister to function as the Leader of the House. There is […]

SPEAKER OF LOK SABHA Election and Tenure The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members (as soon as may be, after its first sitting). Whenever the office of the Speaker falls vacant, the Lok Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy. The date of election of the Speaker is fixed […]