Current Affairs UPSC

Category : UPSC

Important Parliamentary Terms

• Calling Attention: Moved to call the attention of a Minister to matters of public importance. The 'Calling Attention' procedure does not exist in the Raj'ya Sabha, which has, instead the 'Motion of Papers'
• Floor Crossing: The practice of floor crossing refers to the defection of a Member of Parliament from the party he/she was elected to another political party. The practice of defection indicates the lack of ideological hold of the party over its members and it leads to instability in the Government or disregard to the people's mandate.
• Hung Parliament: When in a General election no political party or coalition of the political parties is in a position to form a majority Government, such a Parliament is called a Hung Parliament.
• Interim Government: This Government is formed during the transitional phase of the history of the country. It is a full-fledged Government and can take any policy decisions. In India, the interim Government came to power with the Independence of India Act on 15^th August and lasted till March, 1952.
• Minority Government: A form of Government which does not enjoy the confidence of the Lok Sabha on its own and survives on support of other political parties from outside the Government. For example, the Chandrashekhar Government in 1990 - 1991, the Deve Gowda and the I. K. Gujral Governments during 1996 - 1997 survived on the Congress support from outside.
• Ordinance: An ordinance is a law promulgated by the head of the State in a situation of urgency when the Legislature cannot frame the law because either it is not in session or it is dissolved. An ordinance has the same effect as a law made by the Legislature. However, it is a temporary measure and has to be approved by the Legisla-
• ture within a prescribed period, other wise it ceases to be in operation.
• Question Hour: The first one hour period (usually 11: 00 a. m. to 12: 00 m.) each day during the meetings of the Parliament is allotted for asking the questions by the members to be
• replied by the Ministers, is called the Question Hour. A ten days prior notice is required for asking questions in the Parliament by its members.
• Quorum: It refers to the required presence of the minimum member of members of a body to hold its meetings and conduct its business. For example, the presence of members (quorum of) is required to hold the meetings of the Parliament. In the absence of the quorum, the meeting is adjourned and no business is conducted.
• Whip: This is an official appointed by a political party to regulate and monitor the behaviour of its members in the Legislature. The violation of whip invites the disciplinary action against the erring party members.
• Zero Hour: It is a period which follows after the Question Hour when the members raise any issue of public importance on very short or even without any notice. The procedure is not recognised under the Rules and Procedures of the Parliament, but has become conventional since 1970' s.

Union Public Service Commission

• The Union Public Service Commission consists of a Chairman and other members appointed by the President and they hold office for a period of 6 years from the date of their appointment.
• It conducts examinations for appointment to the Services of the Union.
• Age of retirement for a member of UPSC is 65 years and for a member of PSC of a State or a Joint Commission is 62 years.

Niti Aayog

• NITI Aayog or National Institution for Transforming India Aayog is a policy think-tank of Government of India that replaces Planning Commission and aims to involve the States in economic policy-making in India.
• It will be providing strategic and technical advice to the Central and the State Governments. The Prime Minister heads the Aayog as its chairperson.
• Prime Minister has constituted three sub-groups of Chief Ministers within National Institution for Transforming India [NITI) Aayog.
• First sub-group- It will study the 66 centrally-sponsored schemes and recommend which schemes should continue, which should be transferred to States, and which to discontinue.
• Second sub-group- It will focus on skill development and creation of skilled manpower within states.
• Third sub-group- It will decide on the institutional mechanisms to be evolved for Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, so that cleanliness becomes a part of life in perpetuity.

Present Members of NITI Aayog

• National Development
• Council (NDC)

National Development Council (NDC)

• The National Development Council was formed in 1952, to associate the States in the formulation of the plans.
• All members of the Union Cabinet, Chief Minister of States, the Admin- istrators of the Union Territories and members of NITI Ayog are members of the NDC.
• Functions of the NDC are:
• Review working of National Plan.
• Recommend measures to meet targets of national plan.
• It is an extra Constitutional and extra legal body.
• The PM is the ex-officio chairman of NDC.

Finance Commission

• As per Article 280 of the Constituiion of India the Finance Commission is established.
• It is a quasi-judicial
• It consists of a chairman and four other members.
• The President sliali after the expiry of every five years by order constitute a finance commission.
• It shall be the duty of the Commission to make recommendation to the President with respect to:
• The distribution between the Union and the States of taxes which are to be divided between them.
• The principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Y.V. Reddy, is the chairman of 14^th Finance Commission of India.

Official Language Article 343-351

• The Official Language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari Script but the form of numericals to be used for the official purposes of Union shall be the international form of Indian numeriacals [Article 343 (1)].
• The Official Language of the Union shall be the official language for communication between one State and other and between a State and the Union [Article 346].
• Article 345 provides that the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State.
• Article 344 provides for the appointment of a Commission on official language.

Lokpal

In India, the institution of Ombudsman (Swedish word meaning Commissioner) has given the name of Lokpal & use it as an anti-corruption institution. The Dictionary defines the Ombudsman as 'an official to investigate complaints by individual against maladministration by public authorities. Lokpal is visualised as the country's watch dog. The idea of creating Lokpal was first conceptualized in 1968 in 4th Lok Sabha. Thereafter in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998 & 2001 efforts were made to enact legislation to create the institution of Lokpal. The Bill received Parliaments assent on 1st Jan 2013.

The Bill as passed by Parliament creates a Lokpal at the Centre which shall consist of a chairperson & upto 8 members. Half of these members should have higher judicial experience & other half should have experience in public administration,

finance, insurance & banking laws, anti corruption & vigilance. It also provides hat half the members of Lokpal shall be from amongst SCs, STs, OBCs, minority & women.

The chairperson & members of Lokpal shall be appointed by a Selection Committee consisting of PM, Speaker of Lok Sabh, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Chip' Justice of India & an eminent jurist to be nominated by the President based on the recommendations of the other memben

of the Selection Committee.

The jurisdiction of Lokpal extends to the PM, Ministers, Current & former Mps & members of legislative assemblies, government employees & employees of companies funded or controlled by the central or state government.

It specifies a time limit of 60 days for completion of inquiry & 6 months for completion of investigation by CBI.

Lokayukta

The   anti-corruption   institution of Lokayukta is set up at the state level. He is appointed by the Governor of the State, In most of the States, the term of office fixed, for Lokayukta is of 5 years duration or 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.

Advocate General

Each State shall have an Advocate General. He is the State's counter part of the Attorney General of India. He is appointed by the Governor of the State who holds office during the pleasure of the Governor. A person qualified to be a High Court judge can be appointed Advocate- General He has the right to address & take part in the proceedings of the House of the State Legislature. But he has no right to vote. His functions are similar to those of the Attorney General.

Article 370

Under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution Jammu & Kashmir is granted autonomy It is a 'temporary provision' that accords special status to the State. All the provisions of the Constitution are not applicable to j&K, unlike other States. Except finance defence, communications, and foreign, affairs, Central Government needs the State Government's consensus for applying all,

other laws. Because of this article, residents of Kashmir follow separate set of laws in terms of citizenship, property ownership, and other rights.

How J&K Different from Other States?

• Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are not applied to J&K but applied to other States. Under DPSP = States are required to do some things for the welfare of community.
• President can't declare financial emergency (salaries and allowances reduction, etc.) in relation to J&K.
• High Court of J&K can issue writs only for enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
• Right to property is still guaranteed in J&K.
• Permanent residents of J&K have some special fundamental rights.
• Although Supreme Court, EC and CAG are applicable to J&K along with all other States.