2 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Parliament (Polity). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–2 of 2 questions
UPSC 2015Polity · Parliament
Q1. Consider the following statements: 1. The Rajya Sabha has no power either to reject or to amend a Money Bill. 2. The Rajya Sabha cannot vote on the Demands for Grants. 3. The Rajya Sabha cannot discuss the Annual Financial Statement. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: According to Article 109 of the Constitution of India Rajya Sabha cannot amend or reject the Money Bill.The Rajya Sabha can keep the Money Bill for a maximum period of 14 days. It should return the bill with or without recommendation to Lok Sabha and after which Lok Sabha may accept or reject recommendation.
Statement 2 is correct: The Demands for Grants (which are the detailed estimates of expenditure) are voted in the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha does not have the power to vote on these demands, although it can discuss them. According to Article 113 of the Constitution, only the Lok Sabha has the power to approve or reject the Demands for Grants. No demand for a grant shall be made except on the recommendation of the President.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Rajya Sabha enjoys equal status with the Lok Sabha on the matter of discussion of Annual Financial Statement (Article 112). While the Rajya Sabha can discuss the budget, it cannot vote on it or pass it. The Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations, which the Lok Sabha can either accept or reject. The main power to approve the budget lies with the Lok Sabha.
Exam tip:
For S3, The word "discuss" is the key trap. Ask yourself: "Even if Rajya Sabha has no power to vote on money matters, does that mean it can’t even discuss them?" Clearly No! as it would be extreme, hence likely false.
UPSC 2015Polity · Parliament
Q2. When a bill is referred to a joint sitting of both the Houses of the Parliament, it has to be passed by
Explanation
As per Article 108. The President of India can call for a joint sitting if the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha disagree on a bill). In the case of a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, the bill is required to be passed by a simple majority of the members present and voting. It is extraordinary machinery provided by the Constitution to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses over the passage of a bill:-
1. If the bill is rejected by the other House;
2. If the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in the bill; or
3. If more than six months have elapsed from the date of the receipt of the bill by the other House without the bill being passed by it.
Additional insight:
Joint sitting applies only to ordinary and financial bills, not money bills or constitutional amendment bills. If the bill (under dispute) has already lapsed due to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, no joint sitting can be summoned. But, the joint sitting can be held if the Lok Sabha is dissolved after the President has notified his intention to summon such a sitting (as the bill does not lapse in this case). The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over the joint sitting. In their absence, the Deputy Speaker takes charge, followed by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. If none are available, members present elect a presiding officer. A joint sitting requires a quorum of one-tenth of the total members of both Houses and is governed by the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. The Constitution has specified that at a joint sitting, new amendments to the bill cannot be proposed except in two cases:
Those amendments that have caused final disagreement between the Houses; and Those amendments that might have become necessary due to the delay in the passage of the bill. Joint sitting of the two Houses has been invoked only thrice. The bills that have been passed at joint sittings are:
Dowry Prohibition Bill, 1960.
Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill, 1977.
Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2002.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2015
(b) 1 and 2 only
2
2015
(a) a simple majority of members present and voting
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Parliament?
This page covers 2 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Parliament (Polity), asked from 1997 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Parliament?
Questions on Parliament (Polity) are available for 23 years, from 1997 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
