UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Revamp functioning of Parliament

Q1. With reference to the readjustment of Lok Sabha seats under Article 82 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A readjustment does not affect representation in the House of the People until the dissolution of the House then in existence.
  2. Until a readjustment takes effect, elections to the House may be held on the basis of the territorial constituencies that existed before it.
  3. Article 82 governs only the allocation of seats among States, while the division of each State into constituencies lies wholly outside it.
  4. The authority that carries out the readjustment is named in Article 82 itself rather than being left to a law made by Parliament.
  • A. 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 2 and 4 only

Q2. With reference to the freeze on delimitation provided in the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The freeze of the inter-State allocation of Lok Sabha seats on the 1971 Census did not prevent constituency boundaries within a State from being redrawn on the basis of a later Census.
  2. Under the present constitutional text, both the inter-State allocation of Lok Sabha seats and the division of each State into constituencies are pegged to the 2001 Census.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2

Q3. With reference to the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies in India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The body that readjusts constituencies derives its existence from a law made by Parliament and not directly from the Constitution.
  2. Like the Election Commission, the Delimitation Commission is a permanent body that functions continuously between two Censuses.
  3. The Constitution bars courts from questioning the validity of a law relating to the delimitation of constituencies made under Article 327 or Article 328.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q4. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Article 81 requires Lok Sabha seats to be allotted to States so that the ratio between a State's seats and its population is, so far as practicable, the same for all States.
  2. Article 81 suspends this ratio requirement for every State until the relevant figures of the first Census taken after 2026 are published.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q5. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. How many days Parliament sits in a year is, in practice, determined by the Union government of the day.
  2. The President's power under Article 85 to summon the Houses is exercised in accordance with the advice of the Council of Ministers, and the Constitution prescribes no minimum number of sitting days.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q6. With reference to the questions that Members of Parliament may put to Ministers, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A starred question is answered orally on the floor, and members other than the questioner may also ask follow-up questions.
  2. The reply to an unstarred question is placed on the table of the House instead of being given orally.
  3. A question at a notice shorter than the normal period can be asked only if the presiding officer allows it.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q7. Consider the following assertion: 'Enlarging the Lok Sabha without changing how Parliament functions may weaken each MP's ability to speak for constituents on the floor of the House.' Which of the following statements support the above assertion?

  1. The Constitution does not guarantee any minimum number of sitting days for Parliament in a year.
  2. The number of questions that can be listed for oral answer on a single day is capped, irrespective of the size of the House.
  3. Enlarging the House would reduce the average number of electors in each constituency.
  4. Seats are allotted among States so that the ratio of seats to population is, so far as practicable, uniform.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. With reference to the sessions of Parliament under Article 85 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The President may dissolve the House of the People, but Article 85 confers no power to dissolve the Council of States.
  2. The six-month limit in Article 85 is counted from the date of prorogation of one session to the date on which the next session commences.
  3. The practice of holding three sessions a year, namely Budget, Monsoon and Winter, is a requirement laid down in the Constitution.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 2 and 3 only