Working of Institutions

Working of Institutions

• President is the head of the state and is the highest formal authority in the country.

• Prime Minister is the head of the government and actually exercises all governmental powers. He takes most of the decisions in the Cabinet meetings.

• Parliament consists of the President and two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Prime Minister must have the support of a majority of Lok Sabha members

Multiple Choice

The President of India is the

• head of the state

• head of the government

Multiple Choice

The President of India is the

• head of the state

• head of the government

Mandal Commission

• The Government of India had appointed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979. It was headed by B.P. Mandal. Hence it was popularly called the Mandal Commission. 

•  It was asked to determine the criteria to identify the socially and educationally backward classes in India and recommend steps to be taken for their advancement.

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Recommendations - Mandal Commission

•  The Commission gave its Report in 1980 and made many recommendations. 

• One of these was that 27 percent of government jobs be reserved for the socially and educationally backward classes

Implementation

• For several years, many parliamentarians and parties kept demanding the implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.

• Then came the Lok Sabha election of 1989. In its election manifesto, the Janata Dal promised that if voted to power, it would implement the Mandal Commission report.

• The Janata Dal did form the government after this election. Its leader V. P. Singh became the Prime Minister.

Implementation

• The President of India in his address to the Parliament announced the intention of the government to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission.

•  On 6 August 1990, the Union Cabinet took a formal decision to implement the recommendations.

• Next day Prime Minister V.P. Singh informed the Parliament about this decision through a statement in both the Houses of Parliament.

• The decision of the Cabinet was sent to the Department of Personnel and Training. The senior officers of the Department drafted an order in line with the Cabinet decision and took the minister’s approval. An officer signed the order on behalf of the Union Government.

Controversy

• For the next few months, this was the most hotly debated issue in the country. Newspapers and magazines were full of different views and opinions on this issue. 

•  It led to widespread protests and counterprotests, some of which were violent.

• People reacted strongly because this decision affected thousands of job opportunities. 

• Some felt that existence of inequalities among people of different castes in India necessitated job reservations. They felt, this would give a fair opportunity to those communities who so far had not adequately been represented in government employment.

• Others felt that this was unfair as it would deny equality of opportunity to those who did not belong to backward communities. They would be denied jobs even though they could be more qualified. 

Resolution of Dispute

• Some persons and associations opposed to this order filed a number of cases in the courts. They appealed to the courts to declare the order invalid and stop its implementation.

• The Supreme Court of India bunched all these cases together. This case was known as the ‘Indira Sawhney and others Vs Union of India case’. 

• Eleven judges of the Supreme Court heard arguments of both sides. By a majority, the Supreme Court judges in 1992 declared that this order of the Government of India was valid.

•  At the same time the Supreme Court asked the government to modify its original order. It said that well-todo persons among the backward classes should be excluded from getting the benefit of reservation.

Power and Function of Institutions

• The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are institutions that take all important policy decisions.

• The Civil Servants, working together, are responsible for taking steps to implement the ministers’ decisions.

• Supreme Court is an institution where disputes between citizens and the government are finally settled.

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Multiple Choice

What is the power of the Supreme Court to judge the constitutional validity of a law passed by the Parliament or an action of the Executive called?

• Judicial Revision

• Judicial Review

• Judicial Consent

• Judicial Permission

Multiple Choice

What is a Public Interest Litigation?

• Filing a case in the court in the interest of the public

• Reviewing of Supreme Court judgements

• Procedure of removal of a judge

• None of the above

Multiple Choice

What percentage of reservations were given to SEBC?

• 30%

• 29%

• 28%

• 27%

Multiple Choice

Who was the head of Mandal Commission?

• V.P. Mandal

• V.P. Singh

• B.P. Mandal

• None of the above

Multiple Choice

What do the Civil Servants to?

• they take important policy decisions

• they implement the ministers decisions

• they settle the disputes

• none of the above

Multiple Choice

The outcome of the Indira Sawhney and others Vs the Government of India case was the

• withdrawal of the Mandal Commission
• Supreme Court's support given to the Mandal Commission.

Multiple Choice

The Mandal Commission was appointed to identify the

• scheduled castes and tribes

• other backward classes

Multiple Choice

The Mandal Commission was appointed to identify the

• scheduled castes and tribes

• other backward classes

Parliament

In all democracies, an assembly of elected representatives exercises supreme political authority on behalf of the people. In India such a national assembly of elected representatives is called Parliament. At the state level this is called Legislature or Legislative Assembly.

Parliament - Supreme law-making authority

Parliament is the final authority for making laws in any country. This task of law making or legislation is so crucial that these assemblies are called legislatures. Parliaments all over the world can make new laws, change existing laws, or abolish existing laws and make new ones in their place. 

Parliament - Controls Government

Parliaments all over the world exercise some control over those who run the government. In some countries like India, this control is direct and full. Those who run the government can take decisions only so long as they enjoy the support of the Parliament.

Parliament Controls - Public money

Parliaments control all the money that governments have. In most countries any the public money can be spent only when the Parliament sanctions it.

Parliament - Debate and Discussion on National Issues

Parliament is the highest forum of discussion and debate on public issues and national policy in any country. Parliament can seek information about any matter.

Two Houses of the Parliement

In our country, the Parliament consists of two Houses. The two Houses are known as the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha). The President of India is a part of the Parliament, although she is not a member of either House. That is why all laws made in the Houses come into force only after they receive the assent of the President.

Which is more powerful House - Lokha Sabha or Rajya Sabha

•  Lok Sabha exercises supreme power. 

• Any ordinary law needs to be passed by both the Houses. But if there is a difference between the two Houses, the final decision is taken in a joint session in which members of both the Houses sit together. Because of the larger number of members, the view of the Lok Sabha is likely to prevail in such a meeting.

• Lok Sabha exercises more powers in money matters. Once the Lok Sabha passes the budget of the government or any other money related law, the Rajya Sabha cannot reject it. The Rajya Sabha can only delay it by 14 days or suggest changes in it. The Lok Sabha may or may not accept these changes.

Which house is more powerful

Most importantly, the Lok Sabha controls the Council of Ministers. Only a person who enjoys the support of the majority of the members in the Lok Sabha is appointed the Prime Minister. If the majority of the Lok Sabha members say they have ‘no confidence’ in the Council of Ministers, all ministers including the Prime Minister, have to quit. The Rajya Sabha does not have this power.

Multiple Choice

The Rajya Sabha can delay the money bill by ________ days or suggest changes in it.

• 30

• 14

Multiple Choice

WHO CONTROLS GOVERNMENT S MONEY ?

• RESERVE BANK OF INDIA

• PARLIAMENT

• FINANCE MINISTER

• PRESIDENT

Multiple Choice

WHO AMONG THE FOLLOWING DOES NOT HAVE A FIXED TENURE ?

• PRIME MINISTER

• STATE MINISTER

• DEFENCE MINISTER

• ALL THE ABOVE

Multiple Choice

PARLIAMENT IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY FOR MAKING ______IN ANY COUNTRY .

• PRESIDENT

• SUPREME COURT

• LAW

• NONE

Multiple Choice

________IN THE HIGHEST FORMAL AUTHORITY IN THE COUNTRY .

• PRESIDENT

• HEAD

• SUPREME

• NONE

Multiple Choice

APART FROM LOK SABHA AND RAJYA SABHA WHO ELSE CONSTITUTES THE PARLIAMENT ?

• PRESIDENT

• PRIME MINISTER

• GOVERNOR

• NONE

Multiple Choice

WHICH INSTITUTION SETTLES DISPUTES BETWEEN CITIZENS AND THE GOVERNMENT .

• SUPREME COURT

• DISTRICT COURT

• HIGH COURT

• NONE OF THESE

Multiple Choice

WHO HOLED THE MOST IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT ?

• PRIME MINSTER

• PRESIDENT

• SUPREME COURT

• NONE OF THESE

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS PARLIAMENT ?

• ASSEMBLY OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

• GROUP OF LEADERS

• ACTIVE POLITICAL PARTIES

• NONE OF THESE

Multiple Choice

WHEN WAS THE SECOND BACKWARD CLASS COMMISSION APPOINTED ?

• 1969

• 1979

• 1959

• 1989

Multiple Choice

WHAT IS MEANT BY OFFICE MEMORANDUM ?

• ORDER ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.

• ORDER ISSUED BY THE SCHEDULED CASTE OFFICER .

• ORDER ISSUED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT .

• ALL OF THESE

Multiple Choice

A parliamentary form of government is also known as a cabinet form of government because

• the cabinet takes all the major decisions.
• the PM has no real power while the cabinet has been given authority by the people to take decisions.

Multiple Choice

The permanent executive is less powerful than the political executive 

• False
• True

Multiple Choice

The government is also referred to as the

• Prime Minister

• Executive

Multiple Choice

The government is also referred to as the

• Prime Minister

• Executive