The broad functions of Parliament can be described as follows:

1. Legislative responsibility: To pass laws
2. Oversight responsibility: To ensure that the executive (i.e. government) performs its duties satisfactorily.
3. Representative responsibility: To represent the views and aspirations of the voters in Parliament .
4. “Power of the Purse” responsibility: To approve and oversee the revenues and expenditures proposed by the government

• He summons the two Houses of Parliament to meet from time to time.
• He has the power to discontinue a session in the two Houses and dissolve the Lok Sabha.
• The President has to agree to sign a Bill before it can become a law.
• If the Houses are not in session, the President can enact or promulgate Ordinances having the same validity as a law passed in Parliament.
• The President has the power to appoint Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha on an interim basis.


• The President has the right to address either or both Houses of Parliament.
• The President has the power to call both Houses for a joint sitting in case a dispute arises over passing a Bill. In the joint sitting, the matter is decided by majority vote.
• He nominates 12 members of the Rajya Sabha and has the right to nominate two members from the Anglo Indian community to the Lok Sabha if they are under-represented.
• He invites the leader of the majority party to form the Government after a new Lok Sabha is duly elected.

Q.5: What are the special powers of Rajya Sabha?
Rajya Sabha enjoys certain special powers. They are as follows: 

• Rajya Sabha can declare that it would be in the national interest for the Parliament to make laws on any subject in the State List ; and
• Rajya Sabha is empowered to make laws creating one or more All India Services, which would be common to the Union and State, if it is deemed to serve the national interest. The services such as the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and All-India Judicial Service are part of the All India Services.

Q.6: What are the qualifications and disqualifications for being a Member of Parliament?
To be qualified to become a Member of Parliament a person must be:

• a citizen of India;
• not less than 30 years of age in the case of the Rajya Sabha and not less than 25 years in the case of the Lok Sabha; and
• a voter for any parliamentary constituency in India, but in the case of the Rajya Sabha a candidate must be registered as an elector in the State or Union Territory from where he is to be chosen .

There are, however, certain disqualifications for becoming a member. A person would be ineligible for being a member of either House of Parliament if the person:

• holds any office of profit under the government other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder;
• is of unsound mind;
• is an undischarged insolvent;
• has ceased to be a citizen of India;
• is so disqualified by any law made by Parliament;
• is so disqualified on the ground of defection

Besides, certain laws enumerate further disqualifications. If a person has been convicted, among other things, for promoting enmity between different groups or convicted for the offence of bribery or has been punished for preaching and practising social crimes such as untouchability, dowry, sati, then he is disqualified from being chosen as a member. There are also disqualifications on the ground that the person is convicted for an offence and sentenced to imprisonment; and for a government servant dismissed for corruption or for disloyalty to the State.

The Legislative Process:

Q.7: What is a Bill?
Under the Indian political system, the Parliament is the central legislative (or law making) body. One of its primary functions is to make laws. Any legislative proposal can be brought before the Parliament. The draft of a legislative proposal is known as a Bill. No Bill, whether it is introduced by the Government or a private member, can become law or Act of Parliament until it has received the approval of the President of India.

Q.8: What are the different types of the Parliamentary Bills?
Broadly, there are two types of Bills :

• Government Bills: A Bill is known as a Government Bill if it is initiated by the government.
• Private Members' Bills: If the Bill is sponsored by any private member (a member who is not part of the Council of Ministers is referred to as a private member) in either House of Parliament, it is known as a Private Members' Bill.

Although most laws are made through Government Bills, the Private Members' Bill serves the purpose of highlighting any changes needed in the existing law or the need for a particular legislation.

Bills may be further classified on the basis of their content. The classification is as follows:

• Ordinary Bills: Any Bill which is not a Constitution Amendment Bill or a Money Bill is classified as an Ordinary Bill.

i. Original Bills (embodying new proposals, ideas or policies),

ii. Amending Bills (to modify, amend or revise existing Acts),

iii. Consolidating Bills (to consolidate existing law on a particular subject),

iv. Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bills (to continue an expiring Act), and

v. Bills to replace Ordinances issued by the President.

• Money and Financial Bills: Money and Financial Bills are treated separately from these Bills, because of their special features.
• The Constitution (Amendment) Bills: These refer to Bills that seek to amend the Constitution of India

Q .9: How is a Parliamentary Bill drafted?
The legislative proposal or the Bill is drafted after weighing the various political, administrative, financial, legal and constitutional implications. The concerned ministry consults other ministries or State governments if required. It also seeks advice from the Ministry of Law, the Attorney General of India, and other interest groups. The Ministry, then, prepares a proposal and examines it thoroughly before submitting it to the Cabinet. After the Cabinet approves the proposal, it is given the shape of a Bill to be brought before the House.

Q.10: What are the steps involved in the passage of an Ordinary Bill in Parliament?
A Bill passes through different stages before it becomes an Act. It goes through three readings in both Houses.

First Reading: During the First Reading, the Bill is introduced by the minister in-charge after the Speaker grants permission to do so. The Bill is then published in the Gazette of India . If the Bill has already been published in the Gazette with the Speaker's assent, the stage of introducing the Bill in the House can be bypassed.

Second Reading: The Second Reading is the most vital stage for the Bill because it is scrutinized thoroughly during this period. This Reading is divided in two stages.

The First Stage: At this stage, only the principles of the Bill are discussed. There is no in-depth discussion about the details of the Bill. The Bill may be referred to a Select Committee of Lok Sabha, to a Joint Committee of the Houses with the concurrence of Rajya Sabha and/or it may be circulated for the purposes of eliciting opinion. These committees are appointed on a temporary basis in order to consider particular Bills referred to them.

At this time, either of the two Houses might refer the Bill to Departmentally Related Joint Standing Committee of both Houses. This Committee also considers the Bill clause by clause and its members can move amendments to various clauses. The Committee can also take evidence of experts, associations or public bodies who are interested in the subject. After each clause and schedule have been considered and adopted by the Committee, the Lok Sabha Secretariat prepares a report. This report is presented to the House for its consideration.

Eliciting Opinion: If a motion is passed in the Parliament that a Bill should be circulated to elicit the opinions of local bodies, associations, individuals or institutions, the Secretariat of the House circulates letters to all the state governments and Union Territories asking them to publish the Bill in their respective local Gazettes The period for eliciting opinion is generally mentioned in the motion. If no mention is made, the State governments have to send the opinions within three months of adopting the motion. The opinions are then tabled in Parliament. The Bill again passes through the Committee stage. At this point, the House can debate on the Bill as reported by the Committee. The debate is confined to the Bill as reported by the Committee.

The Second Stage: After the House decides to debate the Bill as reported by the Committee, the members discuss each clause of the Bill separately. They can also amend the clauses. This is a long process where each clause and amendment is discussed, adopted or rejected by the House. If an Amendment is accepted, it becomes a part of the Bill.

Third Reading: At this stage, the Bill is discussed solely to determine whether to approve or reject it. Only certain verbal, formal and consequential amendments are allowed to be moved at this stage. In order to pass an Ordinary Bill, the simple majority of members present and voting is required.

Once the Bill has been approved by the originating House, it is sent to the other House. It goes through all the three stages again. In case a Bill is passed by the originating House but rejected by the other House, the President has the power to call a joint sitting of the two Houses. The decision to accept or reject a Bill is taken by the majority of the total number of members of both Houses present and voting.

After both Houses of Parliament passes a Bill, it is presented to the President for his assent. If the President does not agree to sign the Bill, it is rejected. However, the President generally acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers, so he generally does not withhold consent against the advice of the ministers. He has the right to seek information and clarification about the Bill. If the President gives his assent, the Bill becomes an Act.

Q.11: What is a Money Bill?
According to the Constitution of India, a Bill is considered to be a Money Bill if it contains only provisions dealing with all or any of the following matters, namely:

(a) the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of any tax;

(b) the regulation of money borrowed by the Government of India or any guarantee given by the Government of India. The Bill can also consider amendment of the law with respect to any financial obligations undertaken or to be undertaken by the Government of India;

(c) the custody of the Consolidated Fund or the Contingency Fund of India , the payment of moneys into or the withdrawal of moneys from any such Fund;

(d) the appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India;

(e) the declaring of a new item to be expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India. Also, if there is any increase in the amount of any such expenditure;

(f) the receipt of money on account of the Consolidated Fund of India or the public account of India or the custody or the issue of such money or the audit of the accounts of the Union or of a State; or

(g) any matter incidental to any of the matters specified in sub-clauses (a) (f)

The Money Bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha on the recommendation of the President. However, the Speaker of the House has the final authority to decide whether a Bill is a Money Bill or not. A Money Bill cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha nor can it be referred to a Joint Committee of Houses or be considered at a Joint Sitting of the two Houses.

Once a Money Bill is passed in the Lok Sabha it is sent to the Rajya Sabha. The Rajya Sabha may not amend Money Bills but can recommend amendments. A Money Bill should be returned to the Lok Sabha within 14 days or the Bill is deemed to have passed both Houses in the form it was originally passed by the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha has the discretion to accept or reject the recommended Amendments made by the Rajya Sabha. The President does not have the power to return a Money Bill for reconsideration unlike an Ordinary Bill .

Q.12: What is a Financial Bill?
Any Bills relating to revenue or expenditure is a Financial Bill. Those Bills which make provisions for any of the matters specified in the Money Bills but do not contain solely those matters are known as Financial Bills. For e.g. a Bill contains taxation clause, but does not deal solely with taxation. Financial Bill also includes matters involving expenditure from the Consolidated Fund .

Q.13: What are the differences between a Money Bill and a Financial Bill?
The difference between a Money Bills and Financial Bills is merely technical. All Financial Bills are not Money Bills. A Financial Bill is considered to be a Money Bill solely when it contains matters specified in the Constitution for a Money Bill. Only those Financial Bills would be considered as Money Bills, which are certified by the Speaker.

A Financial Bill, which contains any matters specified for a Money Bill but does not deal exclusively with such matters, has two features in common with a Money Bill:

• It cannot be introduced in the Rajya Sabha
• It cannot be introduced except on the recommendation of the President.

But, if the Bill is not classified as a Money Bill, the Rajya Sabha has full powers to reject or amend it as it does in the case of Ordinary Bill . In case of disagreement over a Bill between the Houses, the President can call for a joint sitting to resolve the deadlock.

A Financial Bill, which involves expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India , is treated in the same manner as an Ordinary Bill. Hence, it can be introduced in both the Houses and the Rajya Sabha has the full power to reject or amend it. It also does not require the recommendation of the President for its introduction. However, the President's recommendation is necessary before the Bill can be passed by both the Houses.

Q.14: What is an Appropriation Bill?
As the name suggests, the Appropriation Bill seeks to give legal authority to the Government to appropriate expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India . The Constitution says that no money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund without the enactment of law by the Parliament. A Bill that incorporates all the demands for grants voted by the Lok Sabha as well as the expenditures charged on the Consolidated Fund, is introduced in the Lok Sabha. This Bill is known as the Appropriation Bill. It is passed in the same manner as any other Bills. But no amendments can be proposed to the Bill. After the Bill is passed by the Lok Sabha, the Speaker certifies it as a Money Bill . Rajya Sabha can make recommendations over the Bill but it does not have the power to amend or reject the Bill. Thereafter, the Bill is presented to the President for his assent.

Q.15: What is a Finance Bill?
The Finance Bill incorporates all the financial proposals of the Government for the following year. It is ordinarily introduced in the Lok Sabha every year, immediately after the Budget is presented. Discussions on the Bill are restricted to matters relating to general administration and local grievances within the sphere of responsibility of the Union Government. No discussion is permitted on the details of particular estimates. This Bill has to be considered and passed by the Parliament and assented to by the President within 75 days after its introduction. This Bill is certified as a Money Bill . Thus, Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations to the Bill. It is up to the Lok Sabha to accept or reject such recommendations.

Q.16: When does the Bill become an Act?
Firstly, a Bill has to be approved by both Houses of Parliament. Once the Bill is approved, it is sent to the President for his assent. No Bill can become an Act without the assent of the President.

Q.17: How is the Constitution of India amended?
The Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution of India through a set of procedures laid down in Article 368. It is initiated by introducing a Bill in either House of the Parliament. Such a Bill (hyperlink to Q7) may be introduced either by the government or a private member. Generally, Constitution (Amendment) Bills brought forward by a minister is introduced in the Lok Sabha. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill goes through three stages of reading before the Bill is passed. Articles of the Constitution have been classified into three categories for the purpose of amendment:

• Articles amendable by simple majority ;
• Articles, which require special majority for their amendment, i.e., by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of the House present and voting;
• Articles, which require a special majority as well as ratification by the legislatures of not less than one- half of the States. The Constitution does not provide for any time limit within which the States must   give their consent for the ratification of a Constitution (Amendment) Bill, referred to them for this purpose.

Q.18: What is parliamentary privilege? How does it differ from Contempt of the House?
Parliamentary privilege can be defined as the set of special rights enjoyed by each House of Parliament and its Committees collectively as a constituent part of Parliament and by members of each House individually. For example: A member has immunity from any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament. When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded or attacked by any individual or authority, the offence is called a breach of privilege, and is punishable under the law. However, the privileges have not been codified by law.

If any act obstructs either House of Parliament or its Committees from discharging their duties, it might amount to Contempt of the House. For example, offering bribes to members to influence them in their Parliamentary conduct is also a form of Contempt of Parliament.

Types of Parliamentary Questions:

Q.19: What are the various categories of questions raised in the Parliament?
There are three categories of questions addressed to ministers. They are:

• Starred Questions: These questions have to be answered orally on the floor of the House. They carry an  asterisk mark
• Unstarred Questions: These questions are answered in a written form. They do not carry the asterisk mark.
• Short Notice Questions: These questions pertain to matters of urgent public importance and can be  asked with notice of less than ten days.

Q.20: What is the Question Hour in Parliament?
The first hour of every sitting in both Houses of Parliament is known as the Question Hour. During Question Hour, the Members of Parliament have the right to question any administrative and governmental policy related to the national as well as the international sphere. The questions asked in both Houses of Parliament are generally addressed to the ministers. These questions can be categorised as Starred Questions , Unstarred Questions , and Short Notice Questions . A member has to give notice to the Secretary-General of the concerned House that he wants to ask a question.

Q.21: What is Zero Hour in Parliament?
Zero Hour denotes the time immediately following the Question Hour in both Houses of Parliament. It starts at 12 noon. It came to be called an ‘Hour” also because very often it continued for one full hour, until the House rose for lunch at 1 p.m. However, the duration of the Zero Hour has varied over the years. It is not possible to predict what kind of matters might be raised during Zero Hour as there is no mention of any “Zero Hour” in the rules of the Parliament. It is the press who coined the term “Zero Hour” during the early 1960s, when the practice of raising urgent matters of public importance without prior notice developed.

Q.22: What is Half-an-Hour Discussion?
Half-an-Hour Discussion can be held on a matter of sufficient public importance, which has been the subject of recent questions in the Lok Sabha. Usually, the discussions take place in the last half-an-hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In one session, a member is allowed to raise not more than two half-an-hour discussions. 

Selected Parliamentary Procedures:

Q.23: What is Quorum of the Houses of Parliament?
The quorum to initiate a session of the Lok Sabha is 55 members (one–tenth of the total membership), including the Speaker or the person acting as such. At the beginning of the sitting each day, before the Speaker takes the Chair, the existence of quorum is ascertained. The quorum to constitute a meeting of Rajya Sabha is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House, i.e. 25 members.

Q.24: What is prorogation of the House of Parliament?

A session of the House can be terminated by an order of the President. The order is called a ‘prorogation'. The House may be prorogued any time. Usually, however, prorogation follows the adjournment of the sitting of the House without fixing a day for reconvening . The period between prorogation of the House and its reassembly in a new session is termed as ‘inter-session period'.

The President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister before exercising his powers of deferring the House. The Prime Minister, in turn, may consult the Cabinet before the advice is submitted to the President.

Q.25: What is an Ordinance?
The President has the power to issue Ordinances if he is satisfied that conditions exist that render it necessary to take immediate action. However, he cannot do so if both Houses of Parliament are in session. The President may issue an Ordinance to enforce the provisions of a Bill pending before a House or to enforce the provisions of a Bill already passed by one House but not yet passed by the other House. The President might also introduce an Ordinance on an entirely new matter to be replaced subsequently by a Bill. An Ordinance promulgated by the President has the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament. The Ordinance ceases to operate at the expiration of six weeks from the reassembly of the Parliament. Both Houses of Parliament have to approve the Ordinance within that period. If it is not approved by one of the Houses, the Ordinance expires. The President can also withdraw it at any time.

Q.26: What is ‘Calling Attention'?
It is the right of every member (with prior consent of the Speaker) to call the attention of a minister on any matter of urgent public importance. This unique Indian concept of 'Calling Attention' allows members to highlight failure or inadequate action of Government on any important matter of public importance. This procedural device is similar to an adjournment motion without its censure aspect. The minister is allowed to make a brief statement or request a later date for making a statement.

Categories of Motion:

Q.27: What is a ‘Motion'? What are the various categories of ‘Motions' used in the Parliament?
In the Parliament, a member may introduce a motion in the form of a proposal. Thus, a Motion is a proposal for eliciting decision or expressing the opinion of the House on a matter of public importance. Every question to be decided by the House must be proposed as ‘Motion'. The consent of the Speaker or the Chairman is also essential to initiate a motion.

A Motion passes through four stages:

(i) Moving the Motion, (ii) Proposing the question by the Speaker/Chairperson, (iii) Debate or discussion where permissible, and (iv) Vote or decision of the House.

Government motions generally aim at obtaining approval of the House for some policy or action of the government. But motions moved by private members focus on eliciting opinion of the House on a particular matter.

Motions fall into three principal categories:

• Substantive Motions
• Substitute Motions
• Subsidiary Motions.

A substantive motion is a self-contained independent proposal. It is drafted in such a way as to be capable of expressing a decision of the House. Some examples of a substantive motion are: the motion of thanks on the President's Address, motion of no-confidence, motions for elections, motion for impeachment of persons in high authority.

A substitute motion is moved in lieu of the original motion. It proposes an alternative to the original motion.

A subsidiary motion is related to other motions or follow up on some proceedings in the House. Subsidiary motions, by themselves, have no meaning and are not capable of stating the decision of the House without reference to the original motion of the House. Subsidiary motions are further divided into three categories: (i) Ancillary motions, (ii) Superseding motions, and (iii) Amendments.

Q.28: How is a motion moved in the Parliament?
The Speaker calls the member concerned to move the motion and make a speech on the allotted day. Thereafter, the Speaker places the motion before the House. The members who have given prior notice initiate amendments and substitute motions and the discussion follows. At the conclusion of the discussion, the amendments/ substitute motions are put to the vote of the House and disposed of.

Q.29: What is an Adjournment Motion?
In Parliamentary parlance, ‘adjournment' signifies a break or termination of the debate on a Motion/Resolution/Bill in the House. Adjournment of the House terminates the sitting of the House. It may also signify a brief break during a sitting of the House. Adjournment sine-die means termination of the sitting without any definite date being fixed for its next sitting.

Q.30: What is ‘No-day-yet-named motion'?
If the Speaker admits notice of a motion but no date is fixed for its introduction, then it is called a ‘No-day-yet-named motion'. These are placed before the Business Advisory Committee, which selects the motions for discussion in the House and also allots time for the same. The government motions get precedence over the private members' motions, as ‘No-day-yet-named motions' are discussed in government time.

Q.31: How do we define a motion of confidence and a motion of no-confidence?
The changing political composition of the Parliament has led to a new procedure known as the Motion of Confidence in the Council of Ministers . This practice has evolved in recent times whenever no single political party is in a position to command the majority of the House. The procedure followed is as follows: a one line motion under Rule 184 “that this House expresses its confidence in the Council of Ministers” is moved by the Prime Minister on the direction of the President.

The Council of Ministers remain in office as long as they enjoy the confidence of the Lok Sabha. If the Lok Sabha expresses a lack of confidence in the Council of Ministers, the Government is constitutionally bound to resign. In order to ascertain the confidence, the rules provide for moving a motion to this effect, which is called a No-confidence motion. A motion of No-confidence, once admitted, has to be taken up within 10 days of the leave being granted. Rajya Sabha is not empowered to entertain a motion of No-confidence.

Q.32: What is a Censure Motion?
A Censure Motion is a distinct type of a No-confidence Motion . While a motion of no-confidence need not specify any grounds on which it is based, a censure motion must reveal the grounds on which it is based. This type of motion is moved for the specific purpose of censuring the government for certain policies and actions. Censure motion can be moved against the Council of Ministers or an individual minister for the failure to act or not to act or for their policy, and may express regret, indignation or surprise of the House at the failure of the minister.

Q.33: What is a Resolution in the Parliament?
A Resolution is a procedural means to initiate a discussion on any matters of general public interest. A Resolution is actually a Substantive Motion . It might record either approval or disapproval by the House for an act or policy of the government or convey a message, or commend, urge or request an action, or call attention to a matter or situation for consideration by the government, or in such other forms as the Speaker may consider appropriate. Similarly, in the Rajya Sabha resolutions may be in the form of declaration of opinion by the House or in such other forms as the Chairperson considers appropriate

Resolutions may be classified as private members' resolutions, government resolutions and statutory resolutions. The last two and a half hours of a sitting every alternate Friday are allotted for the discussion on the private members' resolutions. Government resolutions are initiated by ministers to seek the approval of the House for international treaties, conventions or agreements to which the government is a party.

Statutory resolutions may be moved either by a minister or by a private member. Such resolutions are always tabled in pursuance of a provision in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.

Q.34: What is the difference between a motion and a resolution?
All Resolutions fall in the category of Substantive Motions . But all motions need not necessarily be substantive. Further, all motions are not necessarily put to vote of the House, whereas all the resolutions are required to be voted upon.

Basics about the Budget:

Q.35: How do we define the Indian Budget? What does a Pre-Budget Economic Survey entail?
A Budget is an “annual financial statement” or an estimate of receipts and expenditure of the Government of India. It is presented for the ensuing financial year, which at present begins on the 1 st of April every year. The Budget includes the estimated inflows and outflows of the Government for three years. It gives the actual expenditure for the preceding year, the revised estimates for the current year and the budget estimates for the next year.

The Pre-Budget Economic Survey is prepared by the Finance Ministry. The survey studies the overall economic development in the country. It mainly focuses on areas like banking and capital markets, prices, industry, agriculture and infrastructure. Other topics include trends in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), demand and supply factors, fiscal developments to name a few.

Q.36: Who prepares the general Budget in India? When is it presented in Parliament?
The overall responsibility of preparing the budget rests with the Budget Division within the Finance Ministry. The division takes cognizance of the availability of funds as well as the proposals from the numerous departments and ministries. It also consults the Comptroller and Auditor-General. The budget, however, needs the final approval of the Prime Minister before it can be presented in the Lok Sabha. The President decides on which day the budget is to be presented. By convention, it is presented on the last day of February.

Q.37: How is the budget presented in Parliament?
The Budget is presented in two parts:

• Railway Budget , pertaining to Railway finance; and
• General Budget , which gives an overall picture of the financial position of the Government of India, excluding the Railways.

The Railway Budget and the General Budget are presented in the Lok Sabha by the Minister of Railways and the Minister of Finance, respectively. The speech announcing the General Budget is divided into two parts:

Part A: dealing with the general economic survey of the country; and
Part B: containing the taxation proposals for the ensuing financial year.

Following the budget presentation, the annual financial statement relating to the Government of India (duly authenticated by the Finance Minister) is laid on the table. Also, the Finance Bill is introduced at this time.

Q.38: What is Vote on Account?
If the Budget is not approved by 1 st April or the current financial year, the Indian Constitution allows the Lok Sabha to grant a Vote-on-Account. Generally, the passage of the budget crosses the beginning of the financial year and it becomes necessary for the government to have enough funds to run the administration of the country. Thus, Vote on Account is a special provision, which empowers the Lok Sabha to make any grant in advance for a part of any financial year, pending the completion of the budgetary process.

Normally, the Vote on Account is granted for two months for a sum equivalent to one-sixth of the estimated expenditure for the entire year under the various demands for grants. During an election year, the Vote on Account may exceed that time. This provision is invoked once the general discussion on the Budget is over and before the discussion on demands for grants is taken up. In case of Railway Budget, which is passed before 31 st March, no Vote on Account is needed, except during an election year.

Q.39: What is the process by which the Budget is approved in the Parliament?
The procedure for approving the Budget in the Parliament involves many steps:

(a) Presentation of the Budget: The Finance Minister introduces the Budget in the Lok Sabha, in February, with a speech giving an overview of the budget. A copy of the Budget is laid on the table of the Rajya Sabha at the conclusion of the Finance Minister's speech in the Lok Sabha. There is no discussion of the Budget on the day in which it is presented.

(b) Discussion on the Budget: The Parliament allots some time for discussion after the presentation. The Budget is discussed in two stages – the ‘General Discussion' followed by a detailed “discussion and voting on the demands for grants”. Besides, there are other opportunities for further discussions on financial proposals during consideration and passing of Appropriation Bil l and Finance Bill . The Rajya Sabha is restricted to discussing the budget in general terms.

(c) Voting on Demands: After the prescribed period of debate is over, the Speaker uses his power to stop all discussions and put all outstanding demands for grants to vote. This power is known as “Guillotine”. Voting on demands is the exclusive preserve of the Lok Sabha. Demands for grants are subjected to Cut Motions by the members of the Lok Sabha.

(d) Appropriation Bill: The Bill is introduced after all demands for grants are passed by the Lok Sabha. The Bill paves the way for the enactment of Appropriation Act and is certified as a money Bill. It allows the government to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India.

(e) Finance Bill: This Bill includes all taxation proposals including any amendments and paves the way for enacting the Finance Act.

Q.40: What is Demands for Grants with regard to the Budget?
Demands for Grants can be defined as requests made by the Executive to the Lok Sabha for the authority to spend the amount asked for. Thus, they are related to the expenditure part of the Budget. The demands have to be made in the form of motions. Members may disapprove a policy pursued by the Ministry or suggest measures for economy in the administration or focus attention of the Ministry to specific local grievances. Members can do so by moving subsidiary motions , called Cut Motions.

Q.41: What are the various types of Cut Motions?
The motion to reduce the amounts demanded as grants is known as a Cut Motion. There are three types of Cut Motions:

• Disapproval of Policy Cut: This is the most drastic of them all because it says “that the amount of demand be reduced to Re.1”. A Member of Parliament has to give precise reasons for such a cut.
• Economy Cut: This motion means that a member would like to reduce expenditure by making a specific cut in the grant demanded. The form of this motion is “that the amount of demand be reduced to Rs. …”.
• Token Cut: This motion is widely used by members. Its object is to voice a particular grievance for which the Government of India is responsible. The motion says “that the amount of the demand be reduced to Rs. 100”.

Hence, Cut Motions are tools to initiate discussion on Demands for Grants. Once the discussions have taken place, the cut motions are disposed of. Thereafter, the Demands for Grants are put to vote of the House.