Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is 3 only.

 Key Points

• In case of a censure motion, reasons must be stated for its adoption in the Lok Sabha while in case of motion of no confidence no such reasons for its adoption are required to be stated in the Lok Sabha. Hence Statement 3 is not correct and option 3 is correct.

 Important Points

• Article 75 of the constitution states that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People.
• Collective responsibility means that the entire Council of ministers is a team that sinks or swims together.
• So if the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the Council of ministers then all have to resign. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• Censure motion is moved against the Council of Ministers, a group of ministers, or as individual ministers for the failure to perform duties.
• The censure motion is usually moved by the opposition party against the ruling party or any of its ministers for failing to act in a certain matter.
• Censure motion must be specific and self-explanatory, stating the reasons for its adoption. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha and not in the Rajya Sabha.
• No leave of the House is required for moving a censure motion but it must specify the charges against the government for which it is moved.
• If the censure motion is passed, the Council of ministers is bound to seek the confidence of the Lok Sabha as early as possible.

 Additional Information 

Difference between Censure Motion and Motion of No Confidence

• No confidence motion can only be moved against the entire council of ministers while censure motion can be moved against an individual minister, a group of ministers, and the entire council of ministers.
• Censure motion is moved for censuring the council of ministers for specific policies and action and a no-confidence motion, on the other hand, is moved for ascertaining the confidence of Lok Sabha in the council of ministers.
• The council of ministers need not resign from the office if a censure motion is passed in the Lok Sabha while in case of motion of no confidence, the council of minister must resign from office if the motion is passed. Hence Statement 4 is correct.

The correct answer is One-tenth of the total members of the House.

Key Points

• The quorum to constitute a sitting of the House is one-tenth of the total number of Members of the House.

Additional Information

• Article 100 of the Constitution of India stipulates that at least 10% of a total number of members of the House must be present to constitute the quorum to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament.
• The quorum of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is one-tenth of the total membership of each house.
• The definition of a quorum is the minimum number of voting members who must be present at a properly called meeting in order to conduct business in the name of the group without a quorum, a group cannot take any substantive action or give notice.

Option 1 is correct, i.e. Article 14-18.

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• The Public Accounts Committee consists of not more than 22 members comprising 15 members elected by Lok Sabha every year from amongst its members.
  • Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• The Public Account Committee carries out the examination of the Appropriation Accounts relating to the Railways, Defence Services, P&T Department and other Civil Ministries of the Government of India and Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India thereon as also the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General on Revenue Receipts mainly form the basis of the deliberation of the Committee.
  • ​Hence statements 2 and 3 are correct.
• The Comptroller and Auditor General is the “friend, philosopher and guide” of the Committee.
• He attends the sittings of the Committee and assists it in its deliberations.
• Hence option 2 is correct.

​​Additional Information 

• Types of Parliamentary Committees:
  • India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees.
    • They can be differentiated on the basis of their work, their membership and the length of their tenure.
  • However, broadly there are two types of Parliamentary Committees– Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.
  • The Standing Committees are permanent (constituted every year or periodically) and work on a continuous basis.
  • Standing Committees can be classified into the following six categories:
    • Financial Committees
    • Departmental Standing Committees
    • Committees to Enquire
    • Committees to Scrutinise and Control
    • Committees Relating to the Day-to-Day Business of the House
    • House-Keeping Committees or Service Committees
  • While the Ad Hoc Committees are temporary and cease to exist on completion of the task assigned to them.
  • They are further subdivided into Inquiry Committees and Advisory Committees.

The correct answer is 1994.

• The State Election Commission (SEC), Rajasthan was constituted in July 1994 under Article 243 K of the Constitution of India.

Key Points

• The SEC is a single member Committee headed by the State Election Commissioner.
  • It has a Secretary who is also the Chief Electoral Officer for the State.
  • The Commission discharges its Constitutional duty by way of preparing electoral rolls and holding elections for Panchayati Raj Institutions as well as for Municipal bodies. 
• The first election was conducted in 1960 by the Panchayat Department. 
• The State Election Commission is the Constitutional body responsible for conducting and supervising elections to the local bodies in the State. 

Additional Information

• In Rajasthan, urban local bodies are called Municipalities, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations. 
• The Commission discharges its constitutional duty by way of preparing electoral rolls and holding elections for Municipal bodies under Article 243 ZA.
• At present, Rajasthan has 188 Municipal bodies with 5232 territorial constituencies.