CHAPTER 4

IMPORTANT POINTS

- Once the Lok Sabha passes the budget or money bill, Rajya Sabha only can delay it by 14 days
- Who exercises more powers in money matters?-  The Lok Sabha
- The Chief Justice of India,  The Election Commissioner,  The Governors of States are appointed by the President of India.
- President is the Supreme Commander of the defence forces of India.
- Second Backward Class Commission was appointed in 1979.
- President is the highest formal authority in the country (India).
- Supreme Court has the power to interpret the constitution.
- (a) Political Executive (b) Permanent Executive  are two types of ‘Executives’ in India.
- Full form of PIL is  Public Interest Litigation (means Filing a case in the Court in the interest of the Public)
- Speaker is  the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha.
- Government formed by an alliance of two or more political parties called-  Coalition government
- SEBC is Socially and Economically Backward Classes. SEBC is another name for all those people who belong to castes that are considered backward by the government.
- President is the head of state.
- Prime Minister is the head of ‘Government’.
- There are two houses in parliament.
- The disputes between citizen and government is resolved by Supreme Court
- Mandal Commission was headed by  B.P. Mandal.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. Name the three organs of the Government.
Answer: 
(i) Executive
(ii) Legislature
(iii) Judiciary

2. What do you know about Mandal Commission?
Answer: 
Mandal Commission was asked to determine the criteria to identify the social and educationally backward classes in India and recommend steps to be taken for their advancement.

3. What is a Parliament? Name the two houses of the Parliament.
Answer: 
It is the supreme law making body of India. It has two houses  Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

4. What are institutions?
Answer: 
The arrangements like Parliament, the Cabinet, and the Supreme Court which are made in modem democracies to run the government.

5. State any two powers of the Supreme Court.
Answer: 
(i) It acts as the guardian of fundamental rights.
(ii) It acts as a guardian of the Constitution.

6. What is the role of Parliament in law making?
Answer: 
It is the final authority for making laws in any country. Parliaments all over the world can make new laws, change existing laws or abolish existing laws.

7. Explain ‘No Confidence Motion’.
Answer: 
Only a person who enjoys the support of the majority of the members of the Lok Sabha is appointed as the Prime Minister. If a No Confidence Motion is moved in the Lok Sabha, and passed then, the Government has to resign.

8. Which courts are covered under Indian Judiciary?
Answer: 
The Indian Judiciary consists of a Supreme Court for the entire nation, High courts in the states and District courts and the courts at the local level.

9. What do you understand by institution? Why democratic governments insist on institutions?
Answer: 
Governing  a country involves various types of activites such as formulating policies and implementing them. To attend these activites several arrangements are made in all modern democracies. Such arrangements are known as institutions. 
A democracy works well when these institutions work well.
1.	The success of democracy and nation depends on the success of institutions.
2.	Through these institutions government can achieve its desired goals.
3.	Good decisions are taken by debate and discussions.

10. Mention the role of various institutions in Indian democracy.
Answer: 
1.	The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are institutions that take all important policy decisions.
2.	The Civil Servants, working together, are responsible for taking steps to implement the ministers’ decisions.
3.	The Supreme Court is an institution where disputes between citizens and the government are finally settled.

11. Why was the mandal commission appointed by the Indian Government?
Answer: 
1.	The government of India had appointed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979. It was headed by B.P. Mandal.
2.	Hence, it was popularly called the Mandal Commission.
3.	It was asked to determine the criteria to identify the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes in India and recommend steps to be taken for their advancement.
4.	The Commission gave a report in 1980 and made many recommendations. Atleast 27% of the government jobs to be reserved for the socially and educationally backward classes.

12. How the powers of Parliament is divided?
Answer: 
    1.	Most large countries divide the role and powers of the Parliament in two parts.
    2.	They are called Chambers or Houses.
    3.	One house is usually directly elected by the people and exercise real power on behalf of      the people.
    4.	The Second House is usually elected indirectly and perform some special function. The most common work for the Second House is to look after the interests of various states, regions and federal units.

13. Classify the executives in a democratic country.
Answer: 
Executives can be classified in two categories
(i) Political Executives.
(ii) Permanent Executives.

(i) Political Executive:
One that is elected by the people for a specific period is called the ‘political executive’. Political leaders who take big decisions fall in this category.

(ii) Permanent Executive:
In this category, people are appointed on a long term basis. They are called the permanent executives or civil servants. They remain in office even when the ruling party changes. These officers work under ministers and assist them in carrying out the day to day administration.

14. Explain the functions and powers of Parliament. 
Answer: 
Following is the major functions and powers of parliament 
A. Legislative power: 
The Parliament can make law on all subjects given in the Union List and Concurrent List. But in some circumstances, it can also make laws on the subjects listed in the state list. It can also make laws on residual matters.
B. Control on finance: 
The annual budget of the federal government is passed by the Parliament. The government can neither levy any tax nor spend anything without the approval of parliament.
C. Executive control: 
Parliament can pass a motion of no confidence against a ministry or government and ask it to resign. Several questions are asked by parliament in order to keep control on the government and its cabinet.
D. Election related work: 
The Parliament elects the President, the Vice¬President, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
E. Other work:
1.	Parliament can make amendment in constitution.
2.	The Parliament approves the President’s emergency declaration.
3.	It can pass the impeachment motion and remove the President, the Vice , President, the judges of the Supreme Court.

15. Discuss the powers and functions of the Supreme Court.
Or
Discuss the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
Answer: 
Powers and functions of Supreme Court
A. Initial jurisdiction: 
The initial jurisdiction includes those disputes which can be submitted directly to the Supreme Court. These disputes are.
1.	Between citizens of the country;
2.	Between two or more state government;
3.	Between citizens and government; and
4.	Between governments at the union and state level.
B. Appellate jurisdiction: 
The Supreme Court is the apex body for appeals in criminal and civil cases. It can hear appeals against the decisions of the High Courts.
C. Consultancy rights: 
The President has right to take advice from Supreme Court, but he is not bound to accept the advice given by it.
D. Guardian of Constitution: 
The Supreme Court also acts as the Protector of the Constitution. They can declare invalid any law of the legislature or the actions of the executive, whether at the Union level or at the state level, if they find such a law or action is against the Constitution.
E. Guardian of Fundamental Rights: 
the Supreme Court also acts as guardian of the Fundamental rights. The citizens have a right to approach the courts to
seek remedy in case of any violation of their rights.