Q41. If an Ordinary Bill passed by the Lok Sabha is rejected by the Rajya Sabha, what is the constitutional mechanism provided to resolve this deadlock?
Parliament: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha: RAS Prelims MCQs
100 RAS Prelims MCQs on Parliament cover the composition of both Houses, the election of members, the legislative process, Money Bills and Financial Bills, the no-confidence motion and Parliament’s power to make laws on State subjects. The articles and numbers are asked directly, and the statements test the exact difference between the Houses.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
Showing 41–50 of 100 questions
Q42. Who presides over a joint sitting of Parliament if the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is absent?
Explanation
During a joint sitting of Parliament, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the primary presiding officer. If the Speaker is unavailable, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha takes over the responsibility. If both are absent, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha presides. Importantly, the Vice- President never presides over a joint sitting because they are not a member.
Q43. Which of the following bills cannot be subjected to a joint sitting of Parliament under Article 108?
Explanation
Joint sittings under Article 108 are restricted to Ordinary Bills and Financial Bills. The Constitution explicitly excludes Money Bills and Constitution Amendment Bills from this procedure. For a Constitution Amendment Bill to pass, it must be approved by each House separately with a special majority. There is no provision to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses for such changes.
Q44. Read the following statements regarding joint sittings carefully:
Statement I: If the President has notified his intention to summon a joint sitting, the bill does not lapse even if the Lok Sabha is dissolved subsequently.
Statement II: A joint sitting is governed by the Rules of Procedure of the Rajya Sabha.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Statement I: If the President has notified his intention to summon a joint sitting, the bill does not lapse even if the Lok Sabha is dissolved subsequently.
Statement II: A joint sitting is governed by the Rules of Procedure of the Rajya Sabha.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
If the President notifies the intention to summon a joint sitting, the bill survives even if the Lok Sabha is dissolved later. This ensures that the legislative effort is not wasted due to the House’s dissolution. However, joint sittings are governed by the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha, not the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, only the first statement is correct.
Q45. Match the items in List I with those in List II:
| Scenario in Joint Sitting | Presiding Officer |
|---|---|
| A. Speaker is present | i. Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha |
| B. Speaker is absent | ii. Any member chosen by the members present at the joint sitting |
| C. Both Speaker and Deputy Speaker are absent | iii. Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha |
| D. Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Deputy Chairman are absent | iv. Speaker of Lok Sabha |
Explanation
The presiding officer of a joint sitting is determined by a specific hierarchy. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is first in line. If the Speaker is absent, the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides. The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is next. If none of these are available, any member chosen by those present at the sitting presides.
Q46. What is the quorum required to constitute a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament?
Explanation
A quorum is the minimum number of members required to conduct the business of a meeting. For a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, the quorum is set at one-tenth of the total number of members from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. This ensures that the proceedings have sufficient representation from the combined legislative body before decisions are made.
Q47. Identify the incorrect pair regarding the conditions that provoke a joint sitting under Article 108.
Explanation
Article 108 identifies three conditions that signify a deadlock between the Houses, triggering a joint sitting. These include rejection by the other House, final disagreement on amendments, or more than six months elapsing without the bill being passed. The mention of "three months" as a deadlock condition is incorrect, as the Constitution specifies a six-month period for this situation.
Q48. Consider the following statements regarding the Question Hour in Parliament:
I. Starred questions require an oral answer and supplementary questions can follow.
II. Unstarred questions require a written answer and no supplementary questions can be asked.
III. Short notice questions are asked by giving a notice of less than ten days and are answered in writing only.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. Starred questions require an oral answer and supplementary questions can follow.
II. Unstarred questions require a written answer and no supplementary questions can be asked.
III. Short notice questions are asked by giving a notice of less than ten days and are answered in writing only.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Question Hour features different types of inquiries. Starred questions require oral answers, allowing for immediate supplementary questions. Unstarred questions need written responses, and no supplementaries can follow. Short notice questions are asked with less than ten days’ notice and are also answered orally, not just in writing. Therefore, the statements concerning starred and unstarred questions are the only correct ones.
Q49. The ‘Zero Hour’ in parliamentary procedures is an Indian innovation in the field of parliamentary proceedings. Since which year has it been in existence?
Explanation
The ‘Zero Hour’ is an informal parliamentary procedure unique to the Indian system. It follows the Question Hour and allows members to raise matters of importance without prior notice. This practice started in 1962 and has become a regular feature of parliamentary daily business. It provides a flexible platform for addressing urgent issues that may not be covered in schedule.
Q50. Given below are two statements, one labeled as
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): An Adjournment Motion is an extraordinary procedure which, if admitted, leads to setting aside the normal business of the House.
Reason (R): It is introduced in the Parliament to draw the attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance and involves an element of censure against the government.
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): An Adjournment Motion is an extraordinary procedure which, if admitted, leads to setting aside the normal business of the House.
Reason (R): It is introduced in the Parliament to draw the attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance and involves an element of censure against the government.
Explanation
An Adjournment Motion is considered an extraordinary tool because it interrupts the regular business of the House. It is admitted only to discuss a definite matter of urgent public importance. Because it implies a failure of the government to handle a specific situation, it carries an element of censure. Both the assertion and the reason are true and correctly linked.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 41 | (c) The President can summon a joint sitting of both Houses. |
| 42 | (a) The Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha |
| 43 | (d) Constitution Amendment Bills |
| 44 | (a) Statement I is correct, and Statement II is incorrect. |
| 45 | (a) A-iv, B-i, C-iii, D-ii |
| 46 | (d) One-tenth of the total number of members of both Houses. |
| 47 | (a) More than three months have elapsed without the bill being passed by the other House - Deadlock condition |
| 48 | (a) I and II only |
| 49 | (b) 1962 |
| 50 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
Key facts from Parliament: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
- Article 79 provides for a Parliament consisting of the President and two Houses; the maximum strength of the Lok Sabha is 550.
- Elected members of the Rajya Sabha are chosen by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies, and the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body not subject to dissolution.
- A successful no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha forces the whole Council of Ministers to resign.
- Article 110 defines a Money Bill; every Money Bill is a Financial Bill, but not every Financial Bill is a Money Bill.
- Under Article 249, a two-thirds majority resolution of the Rajya Sabha lets Parliament legislate on a State List subject for one year at a time.
- The constituent power of Parliament is its power to amend the Constitution.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Parliament: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?
This page has 100 practice MCQs on Parliament: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (Indian Polity and Governance). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Which Article defines a Money Bill?
Article 110. It lists the matters, such as taxation and borrowing, that make a bill a Money Bill. The Lok Sabha Speaker decides whether a bill is a Money Bill, and the Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations.
What happens if a no-confidence motion is passed?
The entire Council of Ministers must resign, because under Article 75 it is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister tenders the resignation of the government to the President.
Can the Rajya Sabha be dissolved?
No. The Rajya Sabha is a permanent House. One-third of its members retire every second year, so it continues without being dissolved, unlike the Lok Sabha, which can be dissolved.