Polity Set 141
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📌 Polity • Delhi Administration
Q.1) Article 239AA limits the size of the Council of Ministers in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to what percentage of the total strength of its Legislative Assembly?
Ans > 10%
- The 69th Constitutional Amendment: Inserted into the Constitution in 1991, Article 239AA granted special administrative status to Delhi, officially redesignating it as the National Capital Territory (NCT). This amendment established a 70-member legislative assembly alongside a 7-member Council of Ministers, capping the cabinet size strictly at 10% to prevent bloated ministries.
- The S. Balakrishnan Committee: The constitutional and legislative framework for Delhi was heavily based on the recommendations of the S. Balakrishnan Committee, set up in 1987. The committee suggested retaining Delhi’s Union Territory status while providing it with a representative legislative assembly to balance local democratic aspirations with overarching national interests.
- Exceptions to the Standard Cabinet Rule: While Article 164(1A) of the Constitution limits regular state cabinets to 15% of their legislative assembly’s total strength (mandating a minimum of 12 ministers), Article 239AA creates a much stricter, specific 10% ceiling exclusively tailored for the unique administrative architecture of Delhi.
📌 Polity • Union Territories
Q.2) Under Article 240, the President can make regulations for the peace, progress, and good government of certain Union Territories. A regulation made by the President under this Article has the same force and effect as:
Ans > An Act of Parliament
- Scope of Presidential Power: Article 240 grants the President of India extraordinary legislative powers over specific Union Territories, notably the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Puducherry. The President can effectively bypass standard parliamentary procedures to enact laws for these regions directly.
- Equivalence to Parliamentary Law: Any regulation drafted and promulgated by the President under this specific constitutional provision holds the exact same legal weight, authority, and enforceability as an Act formally passed by both houses of Parliament. It is not merely an executive order or administrative guideline, but a fully binding statute.
- Power to Repeal and Amend: The strength of this Presidential regulation is so profound that it can actively repeal or amend any existing Act of Parliament that currently applies to that specific Union Territory. This ensures that the administration of these vulnerable or strategically important territories remains highly responsive to immediate needs.
📌 Polity • Judiciary
Q.3) Which Article of the Constitution provides for the establishment of a High Court for a Union Territory?
Ans > Article 241
- Parliamentary Authority: Article 241 explicitly empowers the Parliament of India to constitute, by law, a High Court for any Union Territory. Alternatively, the Parliament can use this provision to declare any existing court within a Union Territory to be a High Court for all or any specific constitutional purposes.
- The Case of Delhi: For decades, the National Capital Territory of Delhi stood as the only Union Territory in India possessing its own independent High Court, which was established in 1966. Other Union Territories traditionally fell under the judicial jurisdiction of neighboring state High Courts (e.g., Lakshadweep under the Kerala High Court, or Andaman and Nicobar under the Calcutta High Court).
- The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation: Following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019, the region was bifurcated into two distinct Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. The existing Jammu and Kashmir High Court was retained to serve both newly formed Union Territories, expanding the list of UTs serviced by dedicated regional High Courts.
📌 Polity • Administration
Q.4) The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) functions under the administrative control of which Union Ministry?
Ans > Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
- Nodal Agency for Reforms: The DARPG serves as the primary nodal agency of the Government of India for implementing administrative reforms and facilitating public grievance redressal across central government ministries, departments, and organizations. Its mandate is to foster citizen-centric governance and improve public service delivery mechanisms.
- The CPGRAMS Platform: One of the most significant initiatives managed by the DARPG is the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). This online web-enabled system allows citizens from anywhere in the country to lodge complaints directly against any government organization, ensuring accountability and tracking the resolution process in real-time.
- Prime Ministerial Oversight: The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions is considered a highly crucial portfolio and is almost universally kept under the direct overall charge of the Prime Minister of India. A Minister of State (MoS) is typically appointed to handle the day-to-day administrative affairs of the ministry.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.5) Which Parliamentary Committee is responsible for examining whether the powers to make rules, regulations, sub-rules, and bylaws delegated by Parliament are being properly exercised?
Ans > Committee on Delegated Legislation / Subordinate Legislation
- The Concept of Delegated Legislation: Parliament frequently passes broad, framework-level laws (parent acts) and delegates the authority to the executive branch to draft detailed rules, regulations, and bylaws necessary for implementation. This is known as delegated or subordinate legislation, which saves parliamentary time for debating core principles rather than minutiae.
- The Committee’s Primary Role: The Committee on Subordinate Legislation acts as a vital parliamentary watchdog. Its primary function is to meticulously scrutinize the rules framed by the executive branch to ensure they strictly conform to the scope, intent, and boundaries explicitly authorized by the parent Act passed by Parliament.
- Preventing Executive Overreach: This committee ensures that the executive does not usurp legislative powers by creating rules that impose new taxes, create unseen penalties, or contravene the fundamental rights of citizens—actions that only the legislature has the constitutional authority to undertake directly.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.6) What is the total membership of the Committee on Subordinate Legislation in the Lok Sabha?
Ans > 15 members
- Independent Chambers: Unlike Joint Parliamentary Committees, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha maintain their own completely distinct Committees on Subordinate Legislation. The Lok Sabha committee consists of 15 members, who are nominated directly by the Speaker to represent the diverse political composition of the lower house.
- Rajya Sabha Equivalence: The Rajya Sabha also maintains an identical counterpart committee, which similarly consists of 15 members. In the upper house, these members are nominated by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Both committees perform parallel functions of scrutinizing delegated legislation related to their respective chambers.
- Historical Establishment: The Committee on Subordinate Legislation was officially constituted in the Lok Sabha in the year 1953. Its creation marked a significant institutional step in strengthening parliamentary oversight over the growing administrative state and the increasing volume of rules being churned out by various government ministries.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.7) Which committee scrutinizes and reports to the House on whether the executive has implemented the promises, assurances, and undertakings given by Ministers on the floor of the House?
Ans > Committee on Government Assurances
- Holding Ministers Accountable: During parliamentary debates, Question Hour, or debates on bills, Ministers frequently make promises, such as “the matter is under consideration,” “I will look into it,” or “data will be collected.” The Committee on Government Assurances exists specifically to track these verbal commitments and ensure they translate into actual executive action.
- Institutional Structure: Similar to several other parliamentary watchdogs, this committee exists independently in both houses. The Lok Sabha committee consists of 15 members appointed by the Speaker, while the Rajya Sabha committee consists of 10 members appointed by the Chairman, ensuring bipartisan oversight of executive promises.
- Reporting Mechanisms: The committee routinely reviews pending assurances and demands explanations from respective ministries if a promise remains unfulfilled beyond a reasonable timeframe (typically three months). It subsequently tables reports in the House detailing the extent to which the government has honored its floor commitments, preventing ministers from making hollow statements.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.8) Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs) were first set up in 1993. Currently, how many DRSCs function in the Parliament of India?
Ans > 24
- The 1993 Paradigm Shift: The introduction of Department-related Standing Committees in 1993 marked a massive structural reform in the Indian Parliament. Initially, 17 such committees were established to ensure specialized, round-the-year legislative scrutiny of various government departments, moving beyond the limitations of limited floor debate time.
- Expansion in 2004: Recognizing the growing complexity of governance and the need for even more granular oversight, the system was expanded in the year 2004. The total number of DRSCs was increased from 17 to the current 24, allowing them to cover every single ministry and department within the Government of India.
- Administrative Jurisdiction: To manage the administrative workload efficiently, these 24 committees are divided between the two houses. 16 of the DRSCs function under the administrative control of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, while the remaining 8 operate under the jurisdiction of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.9) Each Department-related Standing Committee (DRSC) consists of 31 members. What is the distribution of these members between the two Houses?
Ans > 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha
- Proportional Representation: The 31-member composition of every DRSC is carefully structured to reflect the broader numerical strength of the two houses of Parliament. With 21 members drawn from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha, the roughly 2:1 ratio mirrors the actual capacity difference between the lower and upper chambers.
- Nomination Process: Members are not elected to these committees; rather, they are nominated. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha nominates the 21 members from the lower house, while the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha nominates the 10 members from the upper house, usually in consultation with party leaders to ensure proportional party representation.
- Joint Nature: Despite being under the administrative control of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, all 24 DRSCs function as joint committees. The presence of members from both houses ensures that detailed legislative scrutiny and budgetary reviews incorporate perspectives from both directly elected representatives and state representatives.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.10) Are Ministers eligible to be nominated as members of any Department-related Standing Committee (DRSC)?
Ans > No, Ministers are strictly ineligible
- The Principle of Scrutiny: The fundamental purpose of any parliamentary committee is to act as a check on the executive branch. If a Minister (who is a part of the executive) were allowed to sit on a committee meant to scrutinize their own ministry’s functioning, it would create an immediate and severe conflict of interest.
- Immediate Disqualification: The rules governing DRSCs are exceptionally strict regarding this separation of powers. Not only are Ministers barred from initial nomination, but if a sitting member of a DRSC is subsequently appointed as a Minister during their tenure, their membership in the committee terminates instantly.
- Ensuring Candid Debates: By keeping Ministers entirely out of committee meetings, Parliament ensures an environment where Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the ruling party and the opposition can question bureaucrats and scrutinize government policies freely, candidly, and without fear of immediate executive reprisal or interference.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.11) What is the term of office for members of the Department-related Standing Committees?
Ans > 1 year
- Annual Reconstitution: To maintain dynamic representation and allow different Members of Parliament to gain experience across various domains, the Department-related Standing Committees are reconstituted on an annual basis. Every member’s tenure strictly lasts for a maximum of one year from the date of their official nomination.
- Continuity Through Renomination: While the formal term is only one year, a strong parliamentary convention exists where many members are frequently renominated to the same committee for successive terms. This practice helps build institutional memory, allows MPs to develop deep subject-matter expertise, and ensures consistent long-term scrutiny of specific ministries.
- Timing of Formation: These committees are generally reconstituted in the month of August every year. This specific timing aligns with the parliamentary calendar, ensuring that fully functional committees are ready to examine the detailed demands for grants when the Union Budget is presented and debated in the subsequent session.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.12) The Committee on Public Undertakings consists of 22 members (15 from Lok Sabha and 7 from Rajya Sabha). Who appoints its Chairman?
Ans > The Speaker of the Lok Sabha (from among its Lok Sabha members)
- Creation of the Committee: The Committee on Public Undertakings (CoPU) was created in 1964 on the sweeping recommendation of the Krishna Menon Committee. It was explicitly established to relieve the Public Accounts Committee and the Estimates Committee from the heavy burden of auditing the rapidly expanding network of government-owned public sector enterprises.
- Speaker’s Prerogative: Despite the committee being a joint body comprising members from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the authority to appoint the Chairman vests exclusively with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Chairman must invariably be chosen from among the 15 Lok Sabha members serving on the committee.
- Exclusion of Rajya Sabha Chairs: The rules governing the Committee on Public Undertakings strictly prohibit a member from the Rajya Sabha from being appointed as its Chairman. This reinforces the core constitutional principle that the Lok Sabha, as the directly elected house of the people, holds primary authority over matters of national finance and expenditure.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.13) The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was first set up in India in 1921 under the provisions of which Act?
Ans > Government of India Act, 1919
- Colonial Origins: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is the oldest functioning parliamentary committee in India, boasting a legacy of over a century. It was officially constituted in 1921 following the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, which were formally legislated as the landmark Government of India Act, 1919.
- The Post-Independence Transition: Before India achieved independence, the PAC was heavily dominated by the executive, with the Finance Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council acting as its Chairman. However, after the Constitution came into effect in 1950, the PAC was radically transformed into a fully autonomous parliamentary body under the control of the Speaker.
- The Role of the CAG: The PAC is often described as the “friend, philosopher, and guide” of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. The committee relies heavily on the detailed audit reports submitted by the CAG to expose financial irregularities, uncover unauthorized expenditures, and ensure government accountability.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.14) Since 1967, a healthy parliamentary convention has developed whereby the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee is selected from:
Ans > The Opposition Party
- The 1967 Milestone: From the inception of the Republic in 1950 until 1967, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) invariably belonged to the ruling party (the Indian National Congress). However, following the 1967 general elections, a profound institutional convention was established to appoint a senior member of the opposition as the Chair.
- Enhancing Democratic Accountability: This convention was adopted to ensure rigorous, unbiased, and fearless scrutiny of government spending. By placing an opposition leader at the helm of the most critical financial oversight body, Parliament guarantees that the ruling executive’s financial improprieties cannot be easily swept under the rug.
- Appointment by the Speaker: Despite the convention mandating an opposition leader for the role, the formal power of appointment still rests firmly with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Speaker traditionally selects a prominent, experienced parliamentarian suggested by the principal opposition party to fulfill this vital democratic responsibility.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.15) Which is the largest committee of Parliament in terms of member strength?
Ans > Estimates Committee (30 members)
- Numerical Dominance: The Estimates Committee holds the distinction of being the absolute largest single parliamentary committee in the Indian legislature. With a formidable strength of exactly 30 members, it numerically outweighs all other major financial and departmental committees, reflecting the sheer volume of work involved in its mandate.
- John Mathai’s Recommendation: In the post-independence era, the first iteration of the Estimates Committee was constituted in the year 1950. This creation was driven by the strong recommendation of John Mathai, who was serving as the Finance Minister of India at the time, to ensure systemic reviews of government economic policies.
- The “Continuous Economy” Mandate: The primary job of the Estimates Committee is to examine the estimates included in the Union Budget. It suggests alternative policies in order to bring about efficiency and economy in administration, earning it the moniker of the “continuous economy committee” of the Parliament.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.16) Members of the Estimates Committee are elected every year exclusively from amongst the members of the:
Ans > Lok Sabha only
- Exclusive Lower House Domain: Unlike the Public Accounts Committee or the Committee on Public Undertakings, which are joint committees containing members from both chambers, the Estimates Committee is completely exclusive to the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha is deliberately granted zero representation in this specific body.
- The Principle of Taxation and Representation: This exclusivity stems directly from the constitutional principle that the Lok Sabha, being the directly elected representative body of the Indian populace, holds absolute supremacy over matters of national taxation, budget approval, and the authorization of government expenditure.
- System of Election: The 30 members of the Estimates Committee are not merely nominated; they are actively elected by the Lok Sabha every single year from amongst its own members. This election is conducted according to the complex principle of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, ensuring minority party voices are heard.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.17) Who appoints the Chairman of the Estimates Committee?
Ans > The Speaker of the Lok Sabha (invariably from the ruling party)
- The Ruling Party Convention: In stark contrast to the Public Accounts Committee—where the chairmanship is traditionally reserved for a leader from the opposition—an equally rigid parliamentary convention dictates that the Chairman of the Estimates Committee is invariably selected from the ranks of the ruling party or its ruling coalition.
- Speaker’s Discretionary Power: The absolute authority to appoint the Chairman rests with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. The Speaker must choose the Chair from among the 30 elected members of the committee. If the Deputy Speaker happens to be elected as a member of the committee, they automatically assume the chairmanship.
- Focus on Constructive Policy: Because the Estimates Committee’s primary mandate is to suggest alternative policies to improve administrative efficiency rather than conduct post-mortem audits of financial scandals, having a chairman from the ruling party facilitates a more constructive, reform-oriented dialogue with the executive ministries being examined.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.18) The Ethics Committee of the Rajya Sabha was constituted in 1997. When was the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha constituted?
Ans > 2000
- Late Adoption by Lok Sabha: While the Rajya Sabha took the pioneering step of constituting its Ethics Committee in 1997 under the initiative of then-Chairman K.R. Narayanan, the Lok Sabha was slightly slower to adopt this reform. The lower house officially established its own distinct Ethics Committee in the year 2000.
- Enforcing Moral Conduct: The primary mandate of the Ethics Committee is to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of the Members of Parliament. It examines specific cases of misconduct, indiscipline, or unethical behavior by MPs, functioning as an internal disciplinary mechanism to preserve the dignity and reputation of the institution.
- Code of Conduct Enforcement: The committee is also responsible for formulating and enforcing a comprehensive Code of Conduct for members. Depending on the severity of the ethical violation investigated, the committee possesses the authority to recommend strict punitive actions, ranging from a formal censure to outright suspension or even expulsion from the House.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.19) A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is an ad-hoc body set up for a specific purpose. Its composition ratio between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members is typically:
Ans > 2:1
- Ad-Hoc Investigative Bodies: Joint Parliamentary Committees (JPCs) are not permanent standing bodies. They are strictly ad-hoc, temporary committees set up by Parliament either to investigate complex, high-profile cases of government corruption (like the Bofors scandal or the 2G spectrum case) or to analyze highly technical and controversial legislative bills.
- Reflecting House Strengths: The composition of a JPC is carefully calibrated to maintain a strict 2:1 ratio between the two houses. Because the Lok Sabha (543 members) is approximately twice the size of the Rajya Sabha (245 members), a JPC usually features twice as many members from the lower house to accurately reflect legislative reality.
- Dissolution Upon Reporting: The authority of a JPC is immense, as it can summon ministers, top bureaucrats, and private citizens to testify and demand highly classified government documents. However, its existence is entirely tied to its mandate; the moment a JPC submits its final investigative report to Parliament, it ceases to exist.
📌 Polity • Constitutional Bodies
Q.20) Which Article of the Constitution empowers the President to appoint a Commission to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes?
Ans > Article 340
- Constitutional Mandate for Equity: Article 340 of the Indian Constitution grants the President the explicit authority to appoint a commission to investigate the living conditions, difficulties, and socio-economic hurdles faced by socially and educationally backward classes (OBCs) operating anywhere within the territory of India.
- The Mandal Commission Precedent: This exact constitutional provision was the legal basis for the formation of the highly consequential Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979, popularly known worldwide as the Mandal Commission. Its explosive report eventually led to the implementation of a sweeping 27% reservation quota in central government jobs for OBCs.
- Action Taken Reports: When a commission appointed under Article 340 submits its final findings, the Constitution mandates that the President must ensure a copy of the report—along with a detailed memorandum explaining the specific actions taken by the government in response to its recommendations—is formally laid before both Houses of Parliament.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.21) In the Rajya Sabha, the Business Advisory Committee consists of 11 members and is chaired by the:
Ans > Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Vice-President)
- Managing Parliamentary Time: The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) is the central nerve center for time management within the legislature. Its crucial role is to allocate precise time limits for the discussion of legislative bills and other government business that the Leader of the House proposes to bring before the chamber.
- Ex-Officio Leadership: In the Rajya Sabha, the Business Advisory Committee is a compact body consisting of exactly 11 members. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (who is simultaneously the Vice-President of India) serves as the ex-officio Chairman of this committee, ensuring the highest level of authority presides over scheduling disputes.
- Consensus Building: The BAC operates highly on the principle of cross-party consensus. It includes leaders from all major political parties represented in the Rajya Sabha, ensuring that the scheduling of controversial debates and important bills is agreed upon smoothly, preventing spontaneous logistical chaos on the floor of the house.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.22) In the Lok Sabha, the Business Advisory Committee consists of 15 members and is chaired by the:
Ans > Speaker of the Lok Sabha
- A Larger Body for the Lower House: Reflecting the larger size and more intense legislative workload of the lower chamber, the Business Advisory Committee of the Lok Sabha is slightly larger than its Rajya Sabha counterpart. It consists of 15 members, meticulously nominated to represent various political factions.
- Speaker at the Helm: The Speaker of the Lok Sabha acts as the ex-officio Chairman of the committee. Because the Speaker possesses the ultimate authority over floor management and the admission of motions, their leadership of the BAC is vital for translating the committee’s time-allocation decisions into actual parliamentary proceedings.
- Binding Recommendations: Once the Business Advisory Committee allocates specific time limits for various bills and debates, these recommendations are presented to the entire House in the form of a formal motion. Once the House adopts this motion, the time limits become strictly binding, and the Speaker enforces them relentlessly.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.23) The Rules Committee of the Lok Sabha consists of how many members, including the Speaker as its ex-officio Chairman?
Ans > 15
- The Evolution of Parliamentary Procedure: The Rules Committee plays a foundational role in shaping how democracy physically operates on a daily basis. It considers matters of parliamentary procedure and conducts the continuous work of amending or adding to the intricate “Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.”
- Structural Composition: The Lok Sabha’s Rules Committee is composed of exactly 15 members. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha not only nominates these members but also serves as the ex-officio Chairman of the committee, ensuring that the presiding officer has direct input into the rules they must enforce daily.
- Mechanism of Rule Changes: When the Rules Committee formulates a new procedure or amends an existing one, the proposed changes must be formally laid on the table of the House. If no Member of Parliament raises an objection or proposes an amendment within seven days, the new rules are officially promulgated.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.24) The Rules Committee of the Rajya Sabha consists of how many members, including the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha as its ex-officio Chairman?
Ans > 16
- Distinct Upper House Procedures: Just like the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha relies on a Rules Committee to govern its internal mechanisms, recognizing that the upper house has distinct procedural needs, particularly concerning its role as the Council of States and its representation of federal interests.
- Slightly Larger Membership: Interestingly, while the Business Advisory Committee is smaller in the Rajya Sabha compared to the Lok Sabha, the Rules Committee is slightly larger. The Rajya Sabha Rules Committee consists of 16 members, including the Vice-President of India, who serves as the ex-officio Chairman.
- Ensuring Orderly Conduct: The committee focuses intensely on adapting parliamentary rules to modern challenges, such as handling disruptions, managing the zero hour efficiently, and streamlining the process of raising matters of urgent public importance without paralyzing the fundamental legislative functions of the upper house.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.25) Which committee examines petitions on bills or any matter of general public interest presented to the Lok Sabha?
Ans > Committee on Petitions
- Direct Citizen Engagement: The Committee on Petitions serves as a vital, direct constitutional link between the ordinary citizens of India and the supreme legislative body. It provides a structured, formal mechanism for citizens to voice their grievances, highlight systemic administrative failures, or suggest legislative interventions directly to the Parliament.
- Scope of Petitions: The committee is authorized to examine two primary types of petitions: those directly relating to a Bill or legislative matter currently pending before the House, and those relating to any matter of general public interest (provided the issue falls under the constitutional jurisdiction of the Union Government).
- Investigative Reach: When analyzing a complex public grievance, the committee has significant investigative power. It can direct various government ministries to furnish detailed factual reports on the petition, summon officials for questioning, and eventually recommend concrete remedial measures to address the citizen’s complaint.
📌 Polity • Parliamentary Committees
Q.26) The Committee on Petitions in the Lok Sabha consists of 15 members. How many members serve on the Committee on Petitions in the Rajya Sabha?
Ans > 10 members
- Different Chamber Strengths: To mirror the distinct operational scales of the two houses, their respective Committees on Petitions operate with different member counts. While the Lok Sabha maintains a 15-member body, the Rajya Sabha’s Committee on Petitions is a more compact group consisting of exactly 10 members.
- Nomination Protocols: Members to these committees are not elected but are carefully nominated by the presiding officers—the Speaker for the Lok Sabha and the Chairman for the Rajya Sabha. The nominations usually ensure adequate representation across various political parties to prevent partisan bias in handling citizen grievances.
- Ministerial Exclusion Rule: In alignment with standard parliamentary practice intended to preserve committee independence and avoid direct conflicts of interest, acting Ministers are strictly barred from being nominated to the Committee on Petitions in either house of Parliament.
📌 Polity • Civil Services
Q.27) Which Article empowers the Parliament to create new All-India Services if the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution supported by a two-thirds majority?
Ans > Article 312
- The Federal Balance: Article 312 is a unique provision that deliberately tilts the federal balance in favor of the Centre regarding civil services, but only with the explicit consent of the states. It allows Parliament to legally establish entirely new All-India Services that are common to both the Union and the States.
- The Rajya Sabha Veto: The creation of a new service cannot simply be initiated by the Lok Sabha. The process mandates that the Rajya Sabha (representing the states) must first pass a resolution declaring that it is “necessary or expedient in the national interest” to do so, supported by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.
- Current All-India Services: At the commencement of the Constitution, only the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS) were formally recognized as All-India Services. Following the procedure laid out in Article 312, the Indian Forest Service (IFS) was officially created later in the year 1966.
📌 Polity • Civil Services
Q.28) Members of the All-India Services (IAS, IPS, IFS) are recruited by the Centre, but they serve under:
Ans > Both the Central and State Governments
- The Dual Control System: A defining characteristic of the All-India Services is the mechanism of dual control. Officers are recruited, trained, and allocated cadres entirely by the Central Government (through the UPSC), but they are primarily deployed to serve within the administrative machinery of the various State Governments.
- Immediate vs. Ultimate Control: While serving in a state, the officer is subject to the immediate administrative control of that specific State Government (which can transfer or suspend them). However, the ultimate disciplinary control—including the power of dismissal or removal from service—rests exclusively with the Central Government.
- Promoting National Integration: This unique federal structural arrangement was heavily championed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It was designed to ensure high administrative standards across the country, facilitate cooperation between the Centre and states, and provide a unified, national perspective to state-level administration.
📌 Polity • Civil Services
Q.29) Which Article protects civil servants against arbitrary dismissal by guaranteeing that no civil servant shall be dismissed or removed by an authority subordinate to that by which they were appointed?
Ans > Article 311
- The Shield for Bureaucrats: Article 311 acts as a powerful constitutional shield designed to protect honest civil servants from political vindictiveness and arbitrary executive action. It provides two critical, non-negotiable safeguards to persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State.
- The Appointing Authority Rule: The first major safeguard guarantees that a civil servant can never be legally dismissed or removed from their position by an authority that is subordinate in rank to the specific authority that originally appointed them.
- The Right to be Heard: The second vital safeguard ensures that no civil servant can be dismissed, removed, or reduced in rank without a formal inquiry. During this inquiry, they must be informed of the specific charges leveled against them and given a reasonable opportunity to defend themselves (the principle of natural justice).
📌 Polity • Civil Services
Q.30) The “Doctrine of Pleasure” in relation to civil service tenure is embodied in which Article of the Indian Constitution?
Ans > Article 310
- Inheritance from English Common Law: The “Doctrine of Pleasure” is a legal concept inherited directly from English common law, where all Crown servants hold office during the pleasure of the monarch. In the Indian context, this doctrine is formally codified within the framework of Article 310 of the Constitution.
- Tenure at the Highest Level: According to this doctrine, every single person who is a member of a defense service, an All-India service, or a civil service of the Union strictly holds their office during the pleasure of the President of India. Similarly, state-level civil servants hold office during the pleasure of the Governor.
- Subject to Constitutional Safeguards: It is crucial to note that in India, the Doctrine of Pleasure is not absolute or tyrannical. While Article 310 establishes the overarching rule of “pleasure,” it is explicitly subjected to the rigorous procedural protections and safeguards enshrined in Article 311, limiting arbitrary executive power.
📌 Quick Summary — Polity Set 141
- Delhi Administration: Article 239AA limits the size of Delhi’s Council of Ministers to 10%.
- Union Territories: President’s regulation under Article 240 has the same force as an Act of Parliament.
- Judiciary: Article 241 provides for the establishment of a High Court for a Union Territory.
- Administration: DARPG functions under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
- Delegated Legislation: Committee on Subordinate Legislation examines rules made by the executive.
- Subordinate Legislation Committee: Total membership in the Lok Sabha is 15.
- Government Assurances: This committee tracks promises made by Ministers on the floor of the House.
- DRSCs Count: There are 24 Department-related Standing Committees in the Parliament of India.
- DRSC Composition: 31 members per DRSC (21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha).
- DRSC Eligibility: Ministers are strictly ineligible to be nominated as DRSC members.
- DRSC Tenure: Members of Department-related Standing Committees have a term of 1 year.
- CoPU Chairmanship: Appointed by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from among its Lok Sabha members.
- PAC Origins: Set up in 1921 under the Government of India Act, 1919.
- PAC Chairmanship: By convention since 1967, the Chairman is from the Opposition Party.
- Estimates Committee Size: Largest committee of Parliament with 30 members.
- Estimates Committee Composition: Members elected exclusively from the Lok Sabha.
- Estimates Committee Chair: Appointed by the Speaker, invariably from the ruling party.
- Lok Sabha Ethics Committee: Officially constituted in the year 2000.
- JPC Ratio: Joint Parliamentary Committees typically follow a 2:1 ratio (Lok Sabha to Rajya Sabha).
- Backward Classes Commission: Article 340 empowers the President to appoint this commission.
- Rajya Sabha BAC: Chaired ex-officio by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Vice-President).
- Lok Sabha BAC: Chaired ex-officio by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
- LS Rules Committee: Consists of 15 members, chaired by the Speaker.
- RS Rules Committee: Consists of 16 members, chaired by the RS Chairman.
- Committee on Petitions: Examines petitions on bills or general public interest matters.
- RS Petitions Committee: Consists of 10 members in the Rajya Sabha (15 in the Lok Sabha).
- All-India Services: Article 312 empowers Parliament to create new ones with a 2/3 RS majority.
- Civil Services Dual Control: All-India Services serve under both Central and State Governments.
- Arbitrary Dismissal Shield: Article 311 protects civil servants from dismissal by a subordinate authority.
- Doctrine of Pleasure: Embodied in Article 310 regarding civil service tenure.
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