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High Priority (P1) news items from 23 November – 30 November

 

Cabinet approves India’s membership for EBRD

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: EBRD, International economic institutions

Mains worthy: Membership of India at various international forums/institutions

Short summary: News discusses approval by Union Cabinet for India’s membership to European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

This will help India obtain funding in various areas including services and manufacturing.

EBRD’s core operations pertain to private sector development in their countries of operation.

The EBRD is not to be confused with the European Investment Bank (EIB) which is owned by EU member states and is used to support EU policy.

How is it different from IBRD?

Read more about it here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/cabinet-approves-indias-membership-for-ebrd/#post-93151

 

Migratory birds start arriving in Chilika

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Chilka lake and other wetlands under Ramsar convention

Mains worthy: Measures that can be taken to reduce threats faced by existing protected areas

Short summary: The news discusses arrival of lakhs of migratory birds at the Chilika Lake.

Chilka lake is Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent.

In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here.

Read more details here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/migratory-birds-start-arriving-in-chilika/#post-93135

Further reads- Mark all mentioned places on world/India map. There is a high probability of one of them appearing in Prelims.

 

[op-ed snap] The potential of smart contracts in banking

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Bitcoins, Blockchain

Mains worthy: Scope of leveraging blockchain technology in banking and other sectors

Short summary: Editorial discusses about blockchain technology being explored by Bankchain which is a consortium of 27 banks (22 of them are Indian) of which the State Bank of India (SBI) was the first Indian member

“Blockchain” is the sequence of all the verified “blocks” of transactions, recorded chronologically —timestamped—one after the other.

The blockchain can be used to keep track of the ownership of any asset or data that can be digitized and represented by computer code.

Banks are uncomfortable with losing control of the system and they prefer “permissioned” blockchains like Bankchain which restricts the access to nodes to other banks.

Read the full op-ed here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/banking-sector-reforms/#post-93129

 

Rajnath to chair meet on Centre-State relations

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: ISC, Punchhi commission

Mains worthy: Changing equations in Centre State relations and matters related to internal security

Short summary: News discusses about Home Minister chairing a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Inter State Council (ISC) to discuss the recommendations made by the Punchhi Commission on Centre-State relations.

The Commission in its report had said that ‘National Security’ as a subject was not specifically listed in any of the three Lists, i.e. the Union, the State or the Concurrent List.

Though it is an overriding executive power of the Union, in Constitutional practice, however, ‘Security’ is a subject in which the States and the Union have a common interest and are expected to act in a coordinated manner, the report had said.

Read more about issue here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/rajnath-to-chair-meet-on-centre-state-relations/#post-93238

Further reads: Recommendations of Punchhi commission for Mains, Role of ISC, Union, state and concurrent lists.

 

Can’t force govt. to frame a law: SC

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: UN convention against torture

Mains worthy: Judiciary executive faceoff, Judicial activism

Short summary: News discusses about the Supreme Court statement saying it would not compel government to ratify the UN Convention against Torture or command it to frame a standalone anti-torture legislation.

The judiciary had faced a barrage of criticism for its “judicial activism” in recent past

The UN convention against torture is an international human rights treaty, under the review of the United Nations, that aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment around the world.

Read more about it here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/judiciary-institutional-issues/#post-93430

Further reads: Powers of Judiciary, legislature in matters related to legislation

 

Drug regulator to make ‘stability testing’ a must for all medicines sold in India

 

Importance level: MEDIUM

Prelims worthy: Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, stability testing

Mains worthy: Issues related to pharma sector in India

Short summary: Amendments are being proposed to the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, to make “stability testing” mandatory for all drugs sold in the country before they are deemed suitable for use by patients.

Once the rules take effect, pharma companies will have to subject their products to quality tests to make sure that drugs do not lose their potency and the expiry dates printed on the packaging are based on the test results.

Stability testing is the process of subjecting drugs to different tests in varying degrees of temperature and sunlight.

Read the full news here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/pharma-sector/#post-93433

 

Internet must be open: TRAI backs net neutrality

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Net neutrality, TRAI

Mains worthy: Debate around net neutrality

Short summary: News discusses about TRAI recommendation of upholding the basic principle of net neutrality.

Net neutrality means that a service provider can discriminate users on the basis of content by either blocking, throttling, or “fast-laning” any apps, websites or web services.

To monitor and investigate whether service providers are adhering to the rules, the regulator also suggested that a multi-stakeholder body should be set up.

Read all details here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/net-neutrality-the-debate-around-it/#post-93509

 

India loses billions to air pollution: UN

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Minamata convention, ‘Towards a pollution-free planet’ report by UN

Mains worthy: Air pollution and issues related to it

Short summary: News discusses about India having the highest share of welfare costs (or a loss of income from labour) in South and South-East Asia from mortality due to air pollution.

This is according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme named ‘Towards a pollution-free planet’.

Report said that if consumption and production patterns continue as they are, the linear economic model of ‘take-make-dispose’ will seriously burden an already polluted planet, affecting current and future generations.

Read all details of report and Minamata convention here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/air-pollution/#post-93507

 

Electoral bonds: Govt, RBI finalising norms; unveiling likely by year-end

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Electoral bonds, Role of ECI, RBI and others, RPA Act provisions related to electoral funding, conduct of elections (Static part)

Mains worthy: Transparency in election process

Short summary: News discusses the progress related to electoral bonds announced in Budget 2017 which aimed at bringing more transparency in donations given to political parties.

While the main motive behind their introduction was increased transparency in electoral funding, government has provided a bypass to political parties by including provision in budget that exempts political parties from disclosing donations received from electoral bonds, even if it is above the prescribed limit of Rs. 20,000 mentioned in Representation of the People (RP) Act.

Also, government removed limits on corporate donations to political parties. Companies are no longer required to name the parties to which contributions are made.

Read more about electoral bonds and other details here: https://www.civilsdaily.com/electoral-bonds-govt-rbi-finalising-norms-unveiling-likely-by-year-end/#post-93567

Further reads: Read about RP Act, Election process from Polity book/notes.

 

To make instant triple talaq a crime, Govt looks to change Shah Bano law

 

Importance level: MEDIUM

Prelims worthy: Triple Talaq, CrPC

Mains worthy: Urgent requirement of Uniform Civil Code

Short summary: News discusses government actions being taken after Supreme court gave its verdict on Triple talaq issue. Various options are being considered by government to give relief to women of muslim community from centuries-old practice of instant talaq.

One option under consideration is amending The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 (also called the Shah Bano Act) which allows maintenance to a divorced woman only during the period of iddat, or three menstrual cycles/three lunar months after divorce in line with Muslim personal law.

While divorce is a civil matter, the legislature is free to declare any unlawful/illegal offence, in this case triple talaq, as criminal.

The government is also considering amendments to provisions of Section 125 Code of Criminal Procedure (order for maintenance of wives, children and parents) to provide further safeguards to Muslim women and their wards.

Read more about Triple talaq here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/women-empowerment-issues-jobsreservation-education/#post-93563

Further reads: Read about Religious Personal laws and their status vis-a-vis fundamental rights/DPSP , CrPC from Polity book/notes.

 

India unlikely to cut malaria by half in 2020: WHO

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Malaria, WHO reports, Various virus and bacteria causing communicable and noncommunicable diseases (Static part from NCERTs)

Mains worthy: Status of Health Care system in India

Short summary: The news discusses about India likely to miss its target of reducing Malaria instances to half by 2020.

Neighbours of India such as Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Indonesia, are among the countries poised to reduce malaria incidence by over 40% by 2020.

A key impediment to eliminating malaria is a weak surveillance system for screening cases of Malaria.

Read more about Malaria and other diseases here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/communicable-and-non-communicable-diseases/#post-93533

 

[op-ed snap] How to free Indians from the medical poverty trap

 

Importance level: HIGH

Prelims worthy: Generic medicines, Bioequivalence

Mains worthy: Problems being faced by Health Care system in India

Short summary: Editorial discusses the dichotomy of health care sector that despite being the largest supplier of generic drugs in the world, too many Indian citizens do not get access to medicines owing to high costs.

Medicines are a major component of total health expenses—72% in rural areas and 68% in urban areas and Healthcare costs pushed 60 million Indians below the poverty line in 2011.

Cheaper generics are one of the important factors for reducing healthcare cost as government solution of price control of medicines and healthcare equipments is suboptimal.

Read more about the issue, generic medicines and bioequivalence here:

https://www.civilsdaily.com/story/health-sector/#post-93539

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Dr. V along with CD’s newscards team brings to you the highest priority news items (P1) of the week gone by. Make sure you go through them, make notes, ask questions and explore more static syllabus as per our directives, given in “Further Readings”

About Dr. V

Dr. Vipin Garg is a medical doctor by training, economist by passion and an IAS officer by profession. He is one of the founding members of Civilsdaily and pioneered the concept of Tikdams (Smart Hacks) for IAS Prelims which form the bedrock of Civilsdaily’s Flagship Prelims Test Series.

I am starting Psychology optional preparation for CSE 2018. It will include Daily topic targets(at least 4-5 hours study time) and weekly tests.The target is to complete the syllabus by 30th January.Join if you are done with NCERTs. Welcome.

Local self government: various committees

	Balwant Rai Mehta Committee	Ashok Mehta	GVK rao	Singhvi
Mandate	To examine working of Community development programme and national extension services	To study Panchayati Raj	Administrative arrangement for rural development and poverty alleviation	Revitalisation of panchayati raj
Suggestion	3 tier Panchayati Raj linked through indirect election	2 tier – Zila Panchayat and Mandal Panchayat	District the unit of planning, post of district development commissioner	Constitutional protection to panchayati raj

 

Local governance

	Panchayat	Municipalities
Constitutional amendment	73rd	74th
Schedule	11th (29 items)	12th (18 items)
DPSP article	40	NA
Tier/ type	3 tier	Not tier but 3 types depending on size of urban areas

 

Titbits

1. 1st panchayati raj institution in Nagore (Rajasthan)
2. 1st municipality Madras (British times)
3. Gram sabha is assembly of all the voters of gram panchayat
4. 74th amendment deals with district planning committee
5. ⅓ reservation for women in all posts
6. State election commission appointed by governor to conduct polls
7. State finance commission appointed by governor
8. Min age to contest election is 21 years
9. Duration is 5 years, if dissolved before that, next panchayat serves only remaining years

Constitutional bodies

	Appointment	Tenure	Removal	Process of removal	Eligibility for reappointment w/i govt
Attorney general (Advocate general)	President (governor)	Pleasure of President (governor)	President (governor)	No reason need to be mentioned	Yes
Election Commission (SEC)	President (governor)	6 years/ 65	President	CEC and SEC by special majority Other ECs on recommendation of CEC	Yes
Finance commission (SFC)	President (governor)	Specified by president	NA	NA	yes
UPSC (SPSC)	President (governor)	6 years/ 65	President	After enquiry by supreme court	Members can become Chair, state members can become chair or member or chair of UPSC
CAG	President	6 years/ 65	President	Special majority	NO

 

Statutory bodies

	Appointment	Committee members	Other members	tenure	Removal
NHRC (SHRC)	President (governor)	6 (PM + LOP lok sabha)	Speaker, deputy CP RS, LOP RS, home minister	5 years/ 70	President after supreme court inquiry
CIC (SIC)	President (governor)	3 ((PM + LOP lok sabha)	Cabinet minister nominated by PM	5 years/ 65	President (governor for CIC) after supreme court inquiry
CVC	President (governor)	3 ((PM + LOP lok sabha)	Home minister	5 years/ 65	President after supreme court inquiry
Lokpal	President	5 (PM + LOP lok sabha	Speaker, CJI, eminent jurist	5 years/ 70	Like a supreme court judge

Special Provisions

 

Emergency provisions

 

	National emergency (art 352)	State Emergency/ President’s rule  (Art 356)	Financial emergency
Grounds	War, External aggression, armed rebellion <threat or actual>	Failure of constitutional machinery of state or can’t comply with the directions of centre	Threat to financial credit
Who declares	President after written cabinet recommendation	President	President
Parliamentary approval	w/i 1 month by both houses	w/i 2 month by both houses	w/i 2 month by both houses
Type of majority	Special	Simple	Simple
Duration	6 months from approval	6 months from approval	Indefinitely
Reapproval	Any number of times	Max 3 years	Not applicable
Revocation	By president or by LS only by simple majority	By president,	By president
Legislature and laws on state list	Continues, both parliament and state can pass laws	Suspended or dissolved and only parliament can make laws	Can issue directions to reserve money bill and finance bills for president
Executive	Continues, both union govt and state govt have powers	Dismissed, president administers through governor	Can issue direction to reduce salaries including those of supreme court and high court judge
FRs,	Art 19 automatically suspended, 20 and 21 can’t be, right to move courts for others can be suspended by presidential orders	NA	NA

 

Schedule 5 and 6

	Schedule 5	Schedule 6
Deal with –	Scheduled area and STs in any state except ATMM	Administration of tribal areas Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram
Autonomy	Limited autonomy. Only tribal advisory council at state level	More autonomy, autonomous districts
Schedule area	President declares, can increase or decrease the area	Governor can organize, reorganize autonomous districts
Executive power of state	Applicable but special responsibility of governor	Same
Acts of parliament or legislature	Governor can modify the law or state that they are not applicable	same

 

Judiciary

Appointments

Titbits

1. Parliament decide the number of judges of supreme court while president decide the numbers in high courts
2. Both supreme court and high court judges are appointed as well as removed by president
3. Salaries of high court judges is charged on CFS while pension is charged on CFI
4. Appointment by collegium system (CJI plus 4 seniormost supreme court judges) after 3rd judges case
5. District judges are appointed by governor in consultation with high courts
6. Both SC and HC judges need 10 year practice in high court but SC judge need 5 year judgeship in high court while HC judge needs 10 years of judgeship
7. A distinguished jurist can be appointed as judges of supreme court but not high court
8. Removal by special majority of parliament on grounds of proved misbehavior or incapacity
9. SC judges can’t practice w/i india post retirement: high court judges can in supreme court or other high courts <but there is no bar on further appointments such as chairperson or members of NHRC etc>
10. Constitution provided for 1 high court for each state but 7th amendment allowed parliament to establish common high courts

Jurisdictions of courts

Exclusive (original by default)	Original <concurrent with high courts>	Appellate	Advisory
Petition only in supreme court (directly by default)	Directly in supreme court	Appeals from high court	President refers(art 143)
Federal disputes, inter state matters, disputes regarding election of president, VP	Writ under art 32	Appeals, SLP	Not necessary to tender opinion except on pre constitutional matters

 

Types of Writs

Writ	Habeas Corpus	Mandamus	Prohibition	Certiorari	Quo Warranto
Meaning	-To produce the body -Against arbitrary detention	-We command -to perform Official duty	-To forbid – from exceeding jurisdiction	– to be certified -transfer a case or quash an order	-by what authority -legality of claim to public office
Issued against	public as well as private authority	Public official, court, tribunal	Judicial, quasi Judicial	Judicial, quasi Judicial and administrative authorities	Substantive public office created by constitution or statute
Can’t be issues against	Lawful detention	private	Private, administrative, legislative	Private, legislative	Ministerial, private
Who can file	Aggrieved person	Aggrieved person	Aggrieved person	Aggrieved person	Any person

 

Writ jurisdiction of Supreme court v/s High Court

Court	Supreme court	High Court
Article	32	226
Scope	Only for FRs	FRs plus legal rights

 

Executive

Titbits

1. President, VP both elected indirectly by proportional representation by means of single transferable vote and voting is by secret ballot
2. Electoral college of president contains elected MPs and elected MLAs (including that of UTs of Delhi and Puducherry) while that of VP includes all MPs (nominated MPs and nominated MLAs not included in presidential electoral college where as nominated MPs are included in Vice presidential but none of the MLAs )
3. MLCs not included in electoral college of either president or VP
4. Value of votes of all elected MPs = Value of votes of all elected MLAs
5. Min age 35 years for both president and VP (LS, MLA = 25, RS, MLC = 30, local bodies =21)
6. Oath to preserve, protect and defend the constitution to president by CJI while by president to VP
7. Impeachment for violation of constitution by ⅔ absolute majority
8. Vacancy in presidential office, VP and in his absence CJI
9. President acts in accordance with aid and advice of CoM except where situational discretion is necessary (govt losing no confidence motion, no clear majority)
10. President appoints judges of supreme court as well as high court

Issue	President	Governor
Head	Head of the country, head of govt is PM	Head of a state, head of govt is CM
Executive power	All executive action in his name	Same
Oath	Preserve, protect and defend the constitution	Same
Appointment	Indirect election	Nominated by president; representative of union in states
Removal	Impeachment	President can remove him any time/ pleasure principle
Grounds of removal	Violation of constitution	No grounds mentioned
Advice of council of minister	Binding (42nd amendment), can return the advice once (44th amendment)	binding save for exceptional circumstances (various supreme court judgements)
Ordinance	Art 123, when either house is not in session, not for CAB	Art 213, same
Ordinary bill	Can be sent for reconsideration once to parliament, bound to give assent after that	same
Money bill	Can’t send for reconsideration (after all president himself recommends the bill)	same
Constitution amendment bill	Has to give his assent (24th amendment)	No role
if governor reserves the bill for president (article 200)	Can assent/ withhold assent or send the bill for reconsideration (except money bill which can’t be resent) (article 201)	No further role of governor
If house sends the bill back in the same form	Not bound to give assent <governor is bound to give assent after repassage>	No role
Clemency power	Can pardon death sentence and court martial sentences	Can’t pardon death sentence, no role in military matters

 

Bills which must be reserved for President’s consideration

1. bills derogating the powers of the High Court (art 200)
2. imposition of taxes on water or electricity in certain cases (Article 288)
3. during a Financial Emergency (art 360)

 

Bills which may be reserved for President’s consideration and assent for specific purposes

a). To secure immunity from operation of Articles 14 and 19. These are Bills for

1. acquisition of estates, etc.  (Article 31A(I (b))
2. giving effect to Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 31C)

(b) A Bill relating to a subject enumerated in the Concurrent List, to ensure operation of its provisions despite their repugnancy to a Union law or an existing law, by securing President’s assent in terms of Article 254(2)

(c) Legislation imposing restrictions on trade and commerce

 

Titbits

1. 1. President (governor) appoints leader of majority party as PM (CM). Discretion in case of no clear majority.
   2. Ministers are appointed on the advice of PM or CM (no discretion)

 

• CM of UTs is appointed by President not Lt. Governor

 

1. Ministers hold office during pleasure of president (governor) and are collectively responsible to house of people
2. Total strength of CoM including PM (CM) not to exceed 15% of membership of LS (91st CAA)
3. Ministers can be appointed w/o being part of LS or RS but have to get elected w/i 6 months
4. Ministers/ Attorney general who are not member of a house/ committee can attend the meetings but can’t vote
5. Cabinet is subset of CoM and includes only ministers of cabinet rank (article 352)

 

Governor of state  v/s LG of Delhi

	Governor/ state	LG/ Delhi
Appointment of CM/ ministers	By governor	By president
Ministers hold office till pleasure of	Governor	President
Discretion	Very limited	Can refer any matter to president if not satisfied
Who can make Laws on state list	Only state legislature ordinarily	Parliament as well as state legislature

 

Civil services

While ministers are political executives, civil servants are permanent executives as they don’t have to seek mandate of people every five years.

All India services: Common to both centre and states

1. Recruitment by centre, serve under states
2. 3 all india services – IAS, IPS and indian forest services <created in 1968>
3. Parliament can create new IAS if RS passes a resolution by ⅔ majority
4. Central govt makes service rules in consultation with state govt
5. Work under pleasure of president with safeguards

Legislature

Parliament –

Loksabha (house of people) + RajyaSabha (Council of states) + President

	LokSabha	RajyaSabha
Other names	Lower house, house of people	Upper house, council of states
Total strength (state+UT+nominated)	530+13+2	29 elected from states + 4 from UTs + 12 Nominated by president
Maximum strength (state+UT+nominated)	530+20+2	238 +12
Mode of election	Direct election – First past the post	Indirect by MLAs – proportional representation by single transferable vote
Life cycle	5 yr or until dissolved	Continuing chamber (6 year of MP)
Min age to contest polls	25	30
Presiding officer	Speaker	Vice President (Ex officio
Who can be nominated	Anglo Indians	Special knowledge in Literature, art, science,social service

 

	LS	RS
Money Bill, certification and voting on it	Introduced here, speaker certifies can vote and amend	Can’t be introduced, can’t vote, can only send recommendation within 14 days
Estimate committee members	All 30 from LS	No role
Joint sitting presided by	Speaker > deputy speaker	Not by VP
National emergency discontinuation	Resolution by LS	No role
No confidence motion, censure motion adjournment motion	Only in LS

 

	RS	LS
Parliamentary law on state list	Authorizes (Art 249)
Creation of new AIS	Authorizes (Art 312)
Introduction of motion to remove VP	Introduced here and passed by effective majority	LS – simple majority required

 

Presiding officers

Speaker of previous LS vacates post before first meeting of new LS

President appoint speaker Pro Tem – usually senior most member

Presides over first meeting, oath to members, election of speaker

Speaker is elected and pro tem cease to exist

Speaker fixes the date for election of deputy speaker

Nominates panel of =<10 chairpersons to preside in his/ deputy’s absence

 

Election and removal (Speaker, deputy and vice CP) and salary

Election -By the members of particular house by simple majority

Removal – 14 days notice and effective majority of house

Charged on CFI and thus non votable

Titbits:

1. President is part of parliament but not the presiding officer of any house
2. VP is not the part of parliament yet presiding officer and ex officio chairperson of RS
3. President can not chair joint sitting even in the absence of speaker and deputy speaker. Deputy CP chairs the sitting in such eventuality
4. Being elector of same state is not a requirement to contest election of RS or LS (elector in any constituency in India)
5. Bills introduced by ministers are public bills, those by other members (including members of ruling party) are private bills

 

Unique provisions

1. Question hour and not Zero hour is first hour of parliamentary proceeding.
2. Indian innovation – Zero hour and Calling attention motion
3. Not mentioned in rule of procedure – Zero hour (calling attention motion is in rules)
4. Censure motion should state the reasons and can be initiated against individual minister as well; no such requirement for no confidence motion, only against CoM
5. Adjournment motion is extraordinary device to draw attention to urgent matter of public importance

	Ordinary Bill	Money bill	CAB
Government approval	No	Required (introduced by minister only)	No
Introduction	Either house	Only LS	Either house
Passage	Simple majority	Simple	Special
Amendments	Simple majority	RS only recommends changes within 14 days	Special majority
Deadlock	President can call Joint session after 6 month	LS doesn’t have to accept recommendations, bill is passed as such	No joint sitting
Returning by President	Can return once for reconsideration or withhold assent	Can’t return, either assent or reject	Shall assent

 

Titbits:

1. Only 3 joint sittings so far – dowry bill, banking services bill and POTA bill
2. Only 14 private member bills have been passed so far, last bill (supreme court enlargement of jurisdiction bill )was in 1968
3. Right of transgender persons bill was passed by RS (1st private member bill to get the nod of upper house in 45 years)

Budget (Annual Financial Statement, Article 112)

1. Presentation of budget by FM
2. General discussion – discuss as a whole
3. Scrutiny by departmental committees – for 3 to 4 weeks
4. Voting on demand for grants – voting only in LS and only on non charged expenditure (cut motions at this stage). On last day all remaining demands are put together and put to vote – guillotine
5. Passing of appropriation bill – voted demands plus charged expenditure, no amendments can be moved here
6. Passing of finance bill – financial proposals (taxes), amendments to reduce taxes can be moved

Fund	Consolidated fund	Contingency	Public accounts
What comes	All receipts and payments	Money comes from CFI to meet unforeseen expenditure	All public money except CFI (provident fund, remittances etc)
Parliamentary approval	Yes	No. finance secretary on behalf of president	Not required, executive operates

Titbits:

1. Charged expenditure can be discussed but not voted
2. Salary and allowance of SC judges, UPSC members, CAG, President, VP, Speaker, deputy, vice CP etc are charged on CFI
3. Salaries and Expenditure of election commission is not charged on CFI
4. Salary of high court judges is charged on CF of states while their pension in charged on CFI

 

State legislative assembly (Vidhansabha)

Vidhan Sabha is equivalent to LS and Vidhan Parishad to RS

Differences are mentioned below

Vidhan Parishad (legislative council): 7 states, Andhra, Bihar, J&K, K’taka, Maharashtra, Telangana, UP

Creation and Abolition of Vidhan Parishad: Vidhan Sabha passes resolution by special majority and Parliament agrees to that resolution by simple majority

Titbits:

1. Bill passed by Vidhan Sabha – Vidhan Parishad can amend w/i 3 months – Vidhan Sabha accepts or rejects amendments – Vidhan Parishad can hold the bill for 1 more month
2. Bill passed by Vidhan Parishad – Vidhan Sabha rejects – bill is killed
3. No provision for joint sitting in states
4. Maximum strength of Vidhan Parishad ⅓ of Vidhan Sabha, min 40
5. ⅚ indirectly elected, ⅙ nominated

Governor can reserves all the bills for presidential assent

Once he reserves the bill, his role is over and president can assent, hold back, reject or send the bill for reconsideration

Situations where Parliament can pass bill on state subject

Condition	Duration
National emergency	6 months after expiry of emergency
President’s rule	Indefinitely but legislature can repeal or modify
International treaty/ agreement	Indefinitely
RS passes a resolution by ⅔ majority	1 year of resolution plus 6 months <resolution can be passed again>
2 or more states pass the resolution <applicable only ti those states>	Indefinitely

 

Types of majority

Eg. Total seats – 545

Vacancies due to death and resignation – 10

Absence – 20

Total vote cast – 500 ( 15 present did not cast vote)

Type	Simple	Effective	Absolute	⅔ majority	Special	Absolute ⅔
Definition	50% present and voting +1	50% of (total – vacancies) +1	50% of total + 1	⅔ present and voting +1	Absolute and ⅔ simultaneously	⅔ of total +1
Example	(500/2) +1	(545-10)/2 +1	(545/2) +1	(⅔*500) +1		(⅔*545)
Used	Ordinary bill, money bill	Removal of speaker, deputy speaker in LS, VP and vice Cp in RS	No where	Art 249, 312, 169	Art 368, removal of judges of supreme court, high court, CAG	Impeachment of president

 

Parliamentary committees

Committee	Estimates committee	Public accounts committee	Departmentally related standing committees (24)
Membership	30 (LS)	22 (15+7)	21+10
Appointment	Elected every year by proportional representation	Elected every year by proportional representation	Nominated by Speaker and CP
Chairperson	Ruling party member	Opposition member from 1967
Role	Examine estimates included in budget and suggest economies in expenditure	Examines audit report of CAG	Demand for grants and bills