CBSE 8 Polity Ch 3 Parliament and the Making of Laws Notes

Ch 3 – Parliament and the Making of Laws Notes

→ Click for Parliament and the Making of Laws Questions and Answers

Why should People Decide?

India became independent on 15 August 1947 after a long and difficult struggle. People from various backgrounds joined this struggle and shared their ideas of freedom, equality, and participation in decision-making. Before independence, people couldn’t make their own decisions as they lived under British rule. However, during the freedom movement, the situation changed, and nationalists began to criticize the British government and voice their demands.
In 1885, the Indian National Congress asked for elected members in the legislature who could talk about the budget and ask questions. However, the Government of India Act of 1909 did not give all adults the right to vote or allow everyone to participate in decision-making.
After independence, the Constitution of India ensured that all adult citizens were granted the right to vote, establishing a foundation for universal adult suffrage.

People and their Representatives

Democracy begins with the concept of consent, which means people’s choice, support, and participation. People create a democratic government and decide how it functions. In a democracy, the individual citizen is the most important person. In principle, however, the government and other public institutions must have the trust of these citizens.

People choose their leaders through elections by voting for representatives in the Parliament. From these representatives, one group forms the government. The Parliament, which is made up of all the representatives, helps to guide and check the government. In this way, people choose their leaders, form the government, and make sure it works properly.

→ Click for Parliament and the Making of Laws Questions and Answers

The Role of the Parliament

After 1947, the Indian Parliament became a symbol of the people’s faith in the principles of democracy, which include participation in decision-making and government by consent. The Parliament has significant powers because it represents the people.
Elections for the Parliament (Lok Sabha) are conducted in the same way as elections for the state legislature (Vidhan Sabha), which are held every five years. Once elected, these candidates become Members of Parliament (MPs), and together, these MPs make up the Parliament.

A. To Select the National Government

1. The Parliament of India has a President, Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha. After the Lok Sabha elections, a list shows how many MPs each party has to form the government, a party needs a majority, which means at least 272 out of 543 members.
2. The Lok Sabha’s main job is to choose the leaders who run the government. These leaders work together to follow and apply the laws made by the Parliament this group is called the government.
3. The Prime Minister of India is the leader of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha. They choose ministers from their party to help run the government and manage areas like health, education, and finance.
4. Single parties join with other parties with similar ideas to form a coalition government.
5. The Rajya Sabha represents the states of India in Parliament. It helps make and review laws and every bill must pass through the Rajya Sabha. Its members are elected by state Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan sabha ) with 233 elected members and 12 members chosen by the President.

B. To Control, Guide and Inform the Government

Parliament sessions start with a question hour, where MPs ask questions to learn about the government’s work. This helps monitor the government’s activities. Opposition parties help by pointing out problems in government policies and programs and sharing their own ideas to get public support.
MPs represent the people and play an important role in guiding, controlling, and informing Parliament. This is a key part of how Indian democracy works.

→ Click for Parliament and the Making of Laws Questions and Answers

How Do New Laws Come? 

The Parliament plays a crucial role in making laws. For example, the issue of domestic violence was brought to the attention of Parliament through public advocacy and media discussions. Citizens contribute to the law-making process by sharing their concerns through platforms such as television, newspapers, radio, and public meetings. This active participation helps highlight important issues and ensures that Parliament’s work remains transparent and accessible to everyone.

Domestic violence 
Domestic violence means hurting someone in the family. For example, a husband might hurt his wife by hitting her, saying unkind words, or not giving her money to take care of herself. Abuse can also happen in other ways, like making someone feel very sad or scared, using bad language, or being mean sexually.
The Domestic Violence Act, of 2005, is a law that protects women who live or used to live in the same house as the person causing harm. This law helps women stay safe and get the help they need.

Unpopular and Controversial Laws

Sometimes, a law can be legal but still unpopular because people believe it is harmful. People may criticize the law, discuss it in public meetings, write about it in newspapers, or report it on TV. In a democracy, people can speak out against unfair laws. If many people disagree with a law, Parliament can change it.
For example, some city laws make hawking and street vending illegal to keep public spaces clear. However, hawkers and vendors provide important services and earn their livelihood this way. If people believe a law is unfair, they can ask the court to change or cancel it.
As citizens, our responsibility doesn’t end after voting. We should stay informed about our MPs’ work through newspapers and media and speak up when necessary to push for changes in the law. Parliament functions best when people remain involved and active.

→ Click for Parliament and the Making of Laws Questions and Answers

Related Links

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *