In this article you will learn about the Union Parliament in Political Science.
Union Parliament
The Parliament of India plays a crucial role in the functioning of the country's democratic system. It makes laws, controls the finances of the country, and acts as a watchdog on the executive. It also has the power to remove the President, Vice-President, and Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts through impeachment.
The Parliament conducts its business through various sessions, with the Budget Session being the most important one. During this session, the government presents the annual budget and financial statements for the country. The Parliament also holds question hours, zero hours, and debates on various issues of national importance.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over the proceedings of the House and ensures that the rules and procedures of the Parliament are followed. The Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha assist the Speaker and preside over the proceedings in the absence of the Speaker.
The Parliament of India has the power to make laws on a wide range of subjects, including the national economy, foreign affairs, defence, and social justice. The Parliament also has the power to amend the Constitution of India, subject to certain limitations.
Union Parliament : Salient Features
1. The President is not a member of the Parliament but is still a part of Parliament : Although the President is not a member of either House of Parliament, still according to Article 79 of the Indian Constitution, he is considered to be its integral part. He summons the meetings of the Union Parliament. A bill passed by the President-in-Parliament just as law-making in Britain is done by the King-in-Parliament.
2. Bicameral Structure : Like the Legislature of most of the democratic countries of the world, Indian Parliament is also a bicameral legislature. It has two Houses. One House is called the Rajya Sabha and the other is the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha is a directly elected, popular and more powerful lower house and the Rajya Sabha is an indirectly elected, less-powerful upper house. The Lok Sabha is more powerful than the Rajya Sabha since it has near exclusive control over the finances of the State as well as over the Union Council of Ministers.
3. Non-Sovereign Status : The Indian Parliament is not sovereign because it can legislate only those subject matters which have been given to it by the Constitution. If the laws made by the Union Parliament are not in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, these can be declared unconstitutional and rejected by the Supreme Court of India.
4. Powers of both the Houses are not Equal : The powers of both the Houses of the Union Parliament are not equal. The Lok Sabha, because of it being a national representative popular house, has been given more powers than the Rajya Sabha. The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha and not to the Rajya Sabha. Every Money Bill can be introduced only in Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha can only delay the passing of such a bill by fourteen days. The Lok Sabha is the real custodian of national finances. Even in respect of ordinary law-making the Lok Sabha has an upper hand.
5. Vice-President is ex-officio the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Speaker the Chairman of Lok Sabha : Like the US Senate, the meetings of the Indian Rajya Sabha are also presided over by the Vice-President. The Vice-President of India is not a member of the Rajya Sabha but acts as its Chairman and conducts its proceedings. The Indian Lok Sabha is presided over by its Speaker and in the absence by the Deputy Speaker. They both are elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from amongst themselves.
Thus, the Union Parliament is a non-sovereign but powerful and active law-making body of the Union. It exercises exclusive law-making powers over the subjects of the Union List and the Residuary Subjects ; concurrent law-making powers over the subjects of the Concurrent List and limited powers in certain circumstances over the subjects of the State List.
This article on Union Parliament in Political Science is contributed by Dipshikha Anand. If you like LawStudyPoint.com do follow us on our Twitter handle.