40. A parliamentary Council of Ministers continues in office while supported by which group?
[WBCS Mains 2021 Cycle, held May 2022, Paper V]
(A) Minority in upper House
(B) Majority in upper House
(C) Minority in lower House
(D) Majority in lower House
Answer: (D) Majority in lower House
Explanation: The ministry’s survival depends on majority confidence in the Lok Sabha, the lower House. This follows the principle of collective responsibility in Article 75(3). It does not require a separate confidence majority in Rajya Sabha.
39. The Union Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to which body?
[WBCS Mains 2021 Cycle, held May 2022, Paper V]
(A) Judiciary
(B) House of the People
(C) Council of States
(D) President
Answer: (B) House of the People
Explanation: The House of the People is the Lok Sabha, and Article 75(3) gives it the power of ministerial accountability. If the House passes a no-confidence motion, the ministry as a whole must leave office rather than only individual ministers.
38. What is the Council of States called in India?
[WBCS Mains 2021 Cycle, held May 2022, Paper V]
(A) Lok Sabha
(B) Parliament
(C) Rajya Sabha
(D) Vidhan Sabha
Answer: (C) Rajya Sabha
Explanation: Rajya Sabha literally means Council of States and is the upper House of India’s Parliament. Lok Sabha means House of the People. Vidhan Sabha refers to a state Legislative Assembly, not the national Council of States.
37. Which statement accurately describes the selection of Lok Sabha Speaker?
[WBCS Mains 2021 Cycle, held May 2022, Paper V]
(A) Elected by all MPs of both Houses
(B) Appointed as Prime Minister
(C) Elected by the ruling party alone
(D) None of these
Answer: (D) None of these
Explanation: The Speaker is elected by the Lok Sabha itself from among its members, not by both Houses together or by the governing party alone. Article 93 provides for the House to choose its Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
36. When can the President exercise judgment in appointing a Prime Minister?
[WBCS Mains 2021 Cycle, held May 2022, Paper V]
(A) No party holds a clear Lok Sabha majority
(B) Only after Lok Sabha dissolution
(C) In every appointment regardless of majority
(D) Never
Answer: (A) No party holds a clear Lok Sabha majority
Explanation: Where an election produces a hung Lok Sabha, the President must identify a person reasonably able to command confidence in the House. When a clear majority leader exists, the constitutional choice is normally straightforward and discretionary space is limited.
35. What is the normal term of the Estimates Committee?
[UKPSC RO/ARO, 2022]
(A) One year
(B) Two years
(C) Three years
(D) Five years
Answer: (A) One year
Explanation: The Estimates Committee is reconstituted annually, and its members serve one-year terms. It has thirty members from Lok Sabha. Its continuing institutional role is compatible with yearly changes in membership, allowing regular scrutiny of governmental spending estimates.
34. Who was the Lok Sabha Speaker at the time of the 2021 Kolkata Police SI examination cycle?
[Kolkata Police SI and Sergeant 2021 Cycle, held 27 March 2022]
(A) Biman Banerjee
(B) Om Birla
(C) Meira Kumar
(D) M. Venkaiah Naidu
Answer: (B) Om Birla
Explanation: Om Birla became Speaker of the seventeenth Lok Sabha in 2019 and was in office at the time examined. The Speaker presides over Lok Sabha proceedings, while the Vice-President chairs Rajya Sabha. This is a time-specific PYQ.
33. Under Article 123, who can promulgate an Ordinance?
[RRB Group D, 19 September 2022, Shift 3]
(A) Vice-President
(B) Prime Minister
(C) President
(D) Lok Sabha Speaker
Answer: (C) President
Explanation: Article 123 empowers the President to promulgate ordinances when constitutional conditions relating to Parliament not being fully in session are met and immediate action is necessary. Such ordinances have temporary legislative force and require subsequent parliamentary consideration.
32. On parliamentary joint sittings:
(i) they cover constitutional amendment Bills;
(ii) Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha can never preside;
(iii) quorum is one-sixth. Which statements are true?
[CGPSC State Services Prelims 2021 Cycle, held 13 February 2022]
(A) All three
(B) Only (i) and (ii)
(C) Only (i) and (iii)
(D) None of these
Answer: (D) None of these
Explanation: None is correct. Constitutional amendment Bills cannot be decided by joint sitting. The Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha can preside if the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are unavailable. A joint sitting requires a quorum of one-tenth, not one-sixth.
31. About the Indian Parliamentary Group:
(i) it is not autonomous;
(ii) former MPs can join;
(iii) Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman are ex-officio vice-presidents.
[CGPSC State Services Prelims 2021 Cycle, held 13 February 2022]
(A) All three
(B) (i) and (ii)
(C) Only (i)
(D) (ii) and (iii) only
Answer: (D) (ii) and (iii) only
Explanation: The Indian Parliamentary Group is autonomous, so statement (i) is false. Its membership may include former parliamentarians, and the stated presiding officers serve as ex-officio vice-presidents. It promotes parliamentary exchanges and links with inter-parliamentary organisations.
