CBSE 8 Polity Ch 3 Parliament and the Making of Laws Questions and Answers

Ch 3 – Parliament and the Making of Laws Questions and Answers

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Exercise questions & answers

1. Why do you think our national movement supported the idea that all adults have a right to vote?
Ans: The national movement succeeded because people from diverse backgrounds united in the struggle for independence. After gaining independence, it was believed that every adult should have the right to participate in decision-making. A democratic government must be responsive to the needs and demands of its people. To uphold this principle, the Constitution of independent India established universal adult suffrage, granting all adult citizens the right to vote. This right allows citizens to take part in governance by electing their representatives, which is the foundation of a democratic system.

2. In this 2004 map of Parliamentary constituencies, roughly identify the constituencies in your State. What is the name of the MP from your constituency? How many MPs does your state have? Why are certain constituencies coloured green while others are coloured blue?
Ans: I live in Delhi. The total number of constituencies is 7. They are:
(i) East Delhi 
(ii) Chandni Chowk 
(iii) North-East Delhi
(iv) New Delhi
(v) North-West Delhi 
(vi) West Delhi 
(vii) South Delhi

The name of the MP from my constituency (East Delhi) is Mr Sandeep Dixit. There are seven MPs in my state.
Certain constituencies are coloured green while others are coloured blue because they are reserved constituencies for ST and SC respectively.

3. You have read in Chapter 1 that the ‘Parliamentary form of government’ that exists in India has three tiers. This includes the Parliament (central government) and the various State Legislatures (state governments). Fill in the following table with information on the various representatives from your area: State

State GovernmentCentral Government
Which political party/parties is/are currently in power?
Who (name) is the current representative from your area?
Which political parties currently form the Opposition?
When were elections last held?
When will the next elections be held?
How many women representatives are there (from your state)?

Ans: 

State GovernmentCentral Government
Which political party/parties is/are currently in power?As per your stateBhartiya Janta party
Who (name) is the current representative from your area?As per your state 
Which political parties currently form the Opposition?As per your stateIndian National Congress
When were elections last held?As per your state2024
When will the next elections be held?As per your state2029
How many women representatives are there (from your state)?

4. Re-read the storyboard on how a new law on domestic violence got passed. Describe in your own words the different ways women’s groups worked to make this happen.
Ans: 

  • If domestic violence increases, the government will introduce a new law, which can develop in different ways.
  • The group of lawyers, law students, and activists, took the lead in drafting the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill after nationwide consultations. This draft was widely circulated. The Bill was introduced in Parliament in 2002.
  • Several women’s organizations and the National Commission for Women made submissions to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
  • In December 2002, the Parliamentary Standing Committee submitted its recommendations to the Rajya Sabha, and these were also tabled in the Lok Sabha.
  • Finally, a new bill was introduced in Parliament. After being passed in both Houses of Parliament, it was sent to the President for approval.
  • The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act came into effect in 2006.

Additional questions & answers 

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Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. The Parliament of India is also known as – 
(a) Sansad 
(b) Parliament House 
(c) Lok Sabha 
(d) None of the above

Ans: (a) Sansad

2. The total number of the members of Rajya Sabha is – 
(a) 545 
(b) 543
(c) 212
(d) 245

Ans: (d) 245

3. EVMs were used throughout the country for the first time in the general elections held in
(a) 1962
(b) 2004
(c) 1977
(d) 1999

Ans: (b) 2004

4. The Supreme law-making institution is – 
(a) Lok Sabha 
(b) Rajya Sabha 
(c) Parliament 
(d) Judiciary

Ans: (c) Parliament

5. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act came into effect in:
(a) 1919
(b) 2006
(c) 2004
(d) 2005

Ans: (b) 2006

6. The Lok Sabha is presided over by the 
(a) Vice-President of India
(b) Prime minister
(c) Finance minister
(d) Speaker

Ans: (d) Speaker 

7. Abuse of the woman is – 
(a) Verbal abuse 
(b) Sexual abuse 
(c) Economic abuse 
(d) All of these

Ans: (d) All of these

8. The lok sabha total strength is – 
(a) 540
(b) 543
(c) 545
(d) 544

Ans: (b) 543

9. The Rajya Sabha’s total strength is – 
(a) 240
(b) 244
(c) 247
(d) 245

Ans: (d) 245

10. Which acts show British arbitrariness? 
(a) The Sedition Act of 1870
(b) The Rowlatt Act of 1919 
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

Ans: (c) Both (a) and (b)

11. Which one is the law in India? 
(a) The governor of Delhi
(b) The speaker of the Lok Sabha
(c) The Prime Minister
(d) None of these

Ans: (d) None of these

12. After being passed the new bill in both Houses of Parliament, is then sent to the 
(a) President
(b) Prime Minister
(c) Home Minister 
(d) Supreme Court

Ans: (a) President

13. The India independent on – 
(a) 25 August 1947
(b) 15 August 1948
(c) 15 August 1947
(d) 25 August 1948

Ans: (c) 15 August 1947

14. Which of these is not a part of the Parliament?
(a) Lok Sabha
(b) Rajya Sabha
(c) The Supreme Court
(d) The President

Ans: (c) The Supreme Court

15. What does Parliament do to make laws?
(a) Approves laws by the Supreme Court
(b) Discusses and passes bills
(c) Enforces laws
(d) Writes state laws

Ans: (b) Discusses and passes bills

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Fill in the blanks 

1. The Parliament in India consists of the ______________ , the Rajya Sabha and the _____________. 
2. The executive is a group of persons who work together to implement the laws made by ______________. 
3. The South Block of the Central Secretariat houses the Prime Minister’s office, the Ministry of ________________ and the Ministry of _____________________. 
4. The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the _________________ Assemblies of various states.
5. The Prime Minister of India is the _______________ of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha. 
6. The Rajya Sabha helps make and _______________ the laws.
7. After being passed by the _____________ and receiving the ______________ approval, the bill became an act.
8. MPs play an important role in ____________, ______________, and _____________ parliament. 
9. The Domestic Violence Act was passed by the _______________. 
10. Rajya Sabha members are elected by _______________________.

Ans:
1. President, Lok Sabha 
2. Parliament
3. Defence, External Affairs
4. Legislative Assemblies
5. Leader
6. Review 
7. Parliament, President’s 
8. controlling, guiding, informing. 
9. Parliament
10. state Legislative Assemblies

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True / False 

1. When the Parliament is in session, it begins with a question hour. 
Ans: True.

2. The Constitution of Independent India adopted the principle of Universal Adult Franchise.
Ans: True.

3. Not a single seat is reserved in the Parliament for SCs and STs. 
Ans: False.

4. The Opposition parties play no role in the functioning of a government. 
Ans: False.

5. The Lok Sabha’s main job is to choose the leaders who run the government.
Ans: True.

6. The total membership of the Lok Sabha is 500.
Ans: False.

7. The Prime Minister of India is the leader of the ruling party in the Rajya Sabha.
Ans: False.

8. Domestic violence law prepared for women’s safety. 
Ans: True.

9. People may criticize the controversial law and talk about it together.
Ans: True. 

10. After independence, the Constitution of India ensured that all adult citizens were granted the right to vote. 
Ans: True.

Match the following

Column AColumn B
(i)The Rajya Sabha (a) 2
(ii) The Lok Sabha(b) The Council of the State
(iii) Number of nominated members in the Lok Sabha(c) Right to vote
(iv) Numbers of nominated members in Rajya Sabha(d) The House of the People
(v) versal adult Franchise(e) 12
(vi) Local Law(f) A civil Law
(vii) The Sedition Act of 1870(g) Evolution
(viii) Process of development(h) Overlapping
(ix) The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act(i)Lead to Conflict
(x) Controversial laws(j) An Arbitrary law

Ans:

Column AColumn B
(i)The Rajya Sabha(b) The Council of the State
(ii) The Lok Sabha(d) The House of the People
(iii) Number of nominated members in the Lok Sabha(a) 2
(iv) Numbers of nominated members in Rajya Sabha(e) 12
(v) Universal adult Franchise(c) Right to vote
(vi) Local Law(h) Overlapping
(vii) The Sedition Act of 1870(j) An Arbitrary law
(viii) Process of development(g) Evolution
(ix) The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act(f) A civil Law
(x) Controversial laws(i) Lead to Conflict 

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Short questions & answers

1. What is the advantage of the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)?
Ans: The advantages of the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are:

  • A. EVMs make the voting process faster and more accurate.
  • B. They prevent cheating and make voting secure.

2. What makes the Indian Parliament powerful?
Ans: The Indian Parliament is powerful because it has the authority to make decisions for the entire nation.

3. Name the two Houses of the Parliament.
Ans: The two Houses of the Parliament are the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

4. What is the term of the Lok Sabha?
Ans: The term of the Lok Sabha is 5 years.

5. Who is the leader of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha?
Ans: The Prime Minister is the leader of the ruling party in the Lok Sabha.

6. Who nominates the 12 members of the Rajya Sabha?
Ans: The President of India nominates the 12 members of the Rajya Sabha.

7. What do you mean by the executive?
Ans: The executive branch is the part of the government responsible for implementing laws and making key decisions.

8. Name the ministries which are housed in the North Block.
Ans: The ministries housed in the North Block are the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

9. How is the question hour an important mechanism?
Ans: The question hour is an important mechanism because it helps monitor the government’s activities and hold it accountable.

10. What has been done to give adequate representation to the communities that have been historically marginalized?
Ans: Seats have been reserved in the Parliament for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to ensure their adequate representation and reduce inequality.

11. How can you say that the Sedition Act of 1870 was arbitrary?
Ans: The Sedition Act of 1870 was arbitrary because it allowed the British government to arrest anyone protesting against them without a fair trial.

12. How is the national government formed?
Ans: The national government is formed by the party that wins the most seats in the Lok Sabha. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister and selects other ministers to form the government.

13. What is the role of the Prime Minister in India?
Ans: The Prime Minister is the leader of the Lok Sabha. They choose ministers from their party to help run the government and manage key areas like health, education, and finance.

14. What is the role of the Opposition parties?
Ans: Opposition parties play a role by pointing out problems in government policies and programs, proposing alternative solutions, and building public support for their ideas.

15. What role do citizens play in the evolution of a new law?
Ans: Citizens contribute to the creation of new laws by sharing their ideas, participating in protests, and engaging in discussions, helping the government understand public needs.

16. How do individuals approve of the government?
Ans: Individuals approve of the government by voting in elections to choose their representatives and leaders.

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Long type questions & answers 

1. What is the role of the parliament?
Ans: 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.

Some roles of the parliament are given below:

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

2. How are unpopular and controversial laws opposed by the people?
Ans: Sometimes a law may be legal but unpopular because people perceive it as harmful or unfair. In such cases, people can criticize the law, discuss it in public meetings, write about it in newspapers, or report it through television and other media. In a democracy, citizens have the right to speak against unfair laws. If enough people disagree with a law, Parliament may consider amending or changing it.
For example, some city laws make hawking and street vending illegal to keep public spaces clear. However, hawkers and vendors provide essential services and rely on this for their livelihood. If people believe a law is unjust, they can also approach the court to have it changed or cancelled.

As citizens, our responsibility doesn’t end after voting. We should monitor the actions of our MPs through newspapers and other media and speak up when necessary to demand changes to laws. Parliament functions best when citizens stay involved and active in the democratic process.

3. Describe briefly about the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. 
Ans: 
The Lok Sabha is the lower house of the Parliament, and its members are directly elected by the people. The Lok Sabha election is held based on the principle of universal adult franchise, meaning all adult citizens of the country above 18 years of age have the right to vote. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used for the first time across the country in the Lok Sabha elections of 2004.

The total membership of the Lok Sabha is 545, of which 543 are elected members, while 2 are nominated. The Speaker conducts the proceedings of the Lok Sabha and maintains order within the house. He/she may belong to any political party. In the Speaker’s absence, a Deputy Speaker oversees the proceedings of the House for a day or a few days.

The term of the Lok Sabha is five years but can be extended by the Parliament in case of an emergency. It may also be dissolved before the expiry of its term by the President if the ruling party loses its majority.

The Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Parliament, also known as the Council of States. It functions primarily as the representative body of the states of India in the Parliament. The Rajya Sabha can also initiate legislation, and a bill must pass through the Rajya Sabha to become law. In this way, it plays an important role in reviewing and amending, if necessary, the laws proposed by the Lok Sabha.

The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of various states. The total strength of the Rajya Sabha is 245, of which 233 members are elected, while 12 members are nominated by the President. The Vice-President of India serves as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

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