The Parliament

Which of the following statements regarding Rajya Sabha is / are correct ?

• 1. The maximum permissible strength of Rajya Sabha is 250
• 2. In Rajya Sabha, 238 members are elected indirectly from the States and Union Territories
• 3. It shares legislative powers equally with Lok Sabha in matters such as creation of All India Services

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 2 only” option2=”1, 2 and 3″ option3=”2 and 3 only” option4=”1 only” correct=”option2″]

The correct option is A) 1 and 2 only.

Statements 1 and 2 accurately describe the maximum strength and the method of election/nomination for the Rajya Sabha. Statement 3 is incorrect because the power to initiate the creation of All India Services is a special power of the Rajya Sabha (under Article 312), where it does not share equal legislative power for *initiation* with the Lok Sabha.

The Rajya Sabha is composed of not more than 250 members (238 elected from States and Union Territories and 12 nominated by the President). While general legislative powers are shared, Article 312 grants the Rajya Sabha the exclusive power to initiate the creation of new All India Services by passing a resolution with a special majority.

Who among the following Prime Ministers of India were defeated by a vote of No Confidence ?

• 1. Morarji Desai
• 2. Viswanath Pratap Singh
• 3. H.D. Deve Gowda
• 4. Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1, 2, 3 and 4″ option2=”1, 2 and 3 only” option3=”2, 3 and 4 only” option4=”1 and 4 only” correct=”option1″]

The correct option is C) 2, 3 and 4 only.

V.P. Singh (1990), H.D. Deve Gowda (1997), and Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999) all lost a vote of No Confidence in the Lok Sabha, leading to their defeat as Prime Ministers. Morarji Desai resigned before the scheduled vote of No Confidence in 1979, thus not being technically ‘defeated by a vote’.

A motion of No Confidence can be moved against the Council of Ministers in the Lok Sabha. If it is passed by a simple majority, the Council of Ministers must resign.

Which among the following is not a condition for the disqualification of a Member of Parliament?

[amp_mcq option1=”Voluntary acquisition of citizenship of a foreign country” option2=”Holding the office of the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women” option3=”The Member abstains from voting in the House without prior permission” option4=”The Member holds the office of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Coal Development Corporation Ltd.” correct=”option3″]

Disqualification of a Member of Parliament can occur on several grounds listed in the Constitution (Article 102) and the Representation of the People Act, 1951, including voluntarily acquiring foreign citizenship (A) and holding an office of profit under the government (B and D could potentially be offices of profit depending on their specific nature and whether they are exempted by law). Abstaining from voting in the House *without prior permission* is relevant to disqualification under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law), but the strict condition is voting or abstaining contrary to any direction (whip) issued by the political party, *unless* such vote or abstention is condoned by the party within fifteen days. Merely abstaining without permission, without violating a whip, is not a ground for disqualification. Thus, the phrasing in C is not an independent, always applicable condition for disqualification.

While violating a party whip by abstaining *can* lead to disqualification under the anti-defection law, simply abstaining without permission is not a direct, universally applicable ground without reference to a whip or other rules. Acquisition of foreign citizenship (A) and holding certain offices (like potential offices of profit in B and D) are more direct grounds unless exempted.

Office of Profit is a complex concept; holding a position is disqualifying if it is considered an office of profit under the government and is not exempted by Parliament. Acquiring foreign citizenship automatically leads to cessation of Indian citizenship and thus disqualification. Defection grounds relate to changing parties or violating party directives/whips on voting/abstention.