UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Opposition members seek more time from JPC chief on FCRA Bill

Q1. With reference to a Joint Committee of Parliament constituted to examine a Bill, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It comes into being on a motion adopted in one House and concurred in by the other House.
  2. It ceases to exist once it has presented its report on the Bill referred to it.
  3. The motion to constitute it may be moved by a member other than the Minister in charge of the Bill.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the scrutiny of Bills by parliamentary committees in India: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Department-Related Standing Committees also examine the Demands for Grants of Ministries, a function that a Joint Committee on a Bill does not perform.
  2. Department-Related Standing Committees, like a Joint Committee on a Bill, include members of both Houses of Parliament.
  3. Both a Department-Related Standing Committee and a Joint Committee may examine a Bill clause by clause and take evidence from experts.
  4. A Bill can be referred to a Department-Related Standing Committee only through a motion adopted by both Houses of Parliament.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Since 2014, publication of a draft Bill for public comments has been a legally enforceable precondition for the introduction of a Government Bill in Parliament.
  2. The Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy, 2014 expects a draft Bill to be placed in the public domain for comments before the legislative proposal is submitted to the Union Cabinet.
  • 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

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

  1. Membership of a State Legislative Assembly places a person among the categories barred from accepting foreign contribution under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010.
  2. The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 applies only to persons and bodies functioning at the level of the Union.
  • 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. With reference to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. An association that is not registered under the Act may still accept foreign contribution for a specific purpose if it obtains prior permission from the Central Government.
  2. A political party may accept foreign contribution if it first obtains prior permission from the Central Government.
  3. The bar on accepting foreign contribution was extended in 2020 to public servants as defined under the Indian Penal Code.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q6. Consider the following statements regarding public consultation on legislation in India: Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. Under the Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy, 2014, the concerned Ministry is to seek public comments before the proposal reaches the Cabinet, whereas a parliamentary committee seeks public views after a Bill has been introduced and referred to it.
  2. Because the Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy, 2014 has statutory backing, courts can invalidate an Act whose Bill was introduced without prior public consultation.
  3. A parliamentary committee can invite public comments only on those Bills that were earlier placed in the public domain by the Ministry under the pre-legislative policy.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only

Q7. The Lok Sabha adopted a motion referring a Bill to a Joint Committee of 31 members (21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha) and fixed a date by which the committee must report. Later, some committee members asked its Chairman to postpone a scheduled meeting so that public comments could be received for a longer period. Which of the following inferences can validly be drawn?

  1. The House's decision to refer the Bill does not oblige it to adopt the committee's recommendations when it later considers the Bill.
  2. If the Chairman postpones the meeting, the committee's reporting date is automatically extended by the same period.
  3. Since its 21:10 composition matches that of a Department-Related Standing Committee, the committee is a permanent committee of Parliament.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only