Question

This picture is a symbol of our democratic rule. In this context, answer the following questions:

1. How does the Parliament work to ensure that the people of India make laws for themselves?
2. How does the Parliament exercise control over the Executive?
3. When you grow up, you will have a chance to become an MP. Would you like to be an MP in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha? Why?

Answer 1

1. People from India make their own rules, which are shown by the Parliament. Both houses of the Parliament are made up of Indian citizens.
   
   1. Lok Sabha: The Lok Sabha is the House of the People. Its members are chosen directly by the Indian people.
   2. Rajya Sabha: There are two kinds of members of the Rajya Sabha: nominated and elected. The 12 members are chosen by the President from people with special knowledge or experience in areas such as art, science, writing, or social work. With a single transferable vote, the elected members of the Legislative Assembly of each State choose the other 238 representatives for each State in the Rajya Sabha. This is done according to the proportional representation method.
2. The Parliament exercises control over the Executive (the government) through several mechanisms:
   1. Question Hour: During Question Hour, MPs can ask the Executive (Ministers) questions about their policies, actions, and decisions. This helps make the Executive responsible for how it works.
   2. Debates and Discussions: Parliament holds discussions and debates on laws, government policies, and important issues. Members of Parliament can ask the Executive to clarify things, voice concerns, and give their views.
   3. No-Confidence Motion: A ‘No-Confidence Motion’ can be brought by the Lok Sabha (lower house) against the Council of Ministers. If the move gets a majority vote, the whole Executive has to resign. This makes sure that everyone is responsible.
   4. Approval of Budget: The Union Budget is given to the Parliament by the Executive. Before the budget is passed, it is discussed, changed, and approved by Parliament. This lets Parliament decide how much money the Executive gets and how it spends it.
3. I would like to be an MP in the Lok Sabha because its members are directly elected by the people of the country. This gives the Lok Sabha special rights that make it stronger than the Rajya Sabha.