why do we need a parliament

Q1. Why do you think the nationalist movement supported the idea that all adults have a right to vote?

Early legislatures under the British government did not allow for all adults to vote nor could people participate in decision making.

The nationalists were thought that all persons in independent India would be able to participate in making decisions.

So the Constitution of independent India that laid down the principle of universal adult franchise, i.e. that all adult citizens of the country have the right to vote.

Q2: Why do you think there are so few women in Parliament? Give two reasons.

Ans: Absence of any system for proper representation of women in the parliament such as, reservation of seats for women.

2 Discrimination against women in a male dominated society.

Q3: You have read that most elected members whether the Panchayat, or the Vidhan Sabha or the Parliament are elected for a fixed period of 5 years. Why do we have a system where the representatives are elected for a fixed period not for a life?

Ans: Members are elected for a fixed period so that people can use their preferences again after 5 years to elect their member. This is required for efficient working in a democratic system. Moreover, in democracy people have right to express their choices and elect their leaders which will not be possible unless they are elected for a fixed period.

Glossary

Approval: To give one’s consent to and be favorable towards something.

Coalition: A temporary alliance of groups or parties. It refers to the alliance formed by political parties after elections when no party has been able to get adequate seats to form a clear majority.

Unresolved: Situations in which there are no easy solutions to problems.

Additional Questions

Q1 Write a brief note on the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

Solution:

Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha functions primarily as the representative of the states of India, in the Parliament. There are 233 elected members plus 12 members nominated by the President. The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of various states.  

Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha, known as the House of the People, with a total membership of 543, is presided over by the Speaker. The country is divided into 543 Lok Sabha constituencies. During a Lok Sabha election, people from different political parties stand for elections. Once elected, these candidates become Members of Parliament or MPs. These MPs together make up the Parliament.

 Q2 what are the three major duties of the Parliament?

Ans; The three major duties of the Parliament are...

To Select the National Government

To Control, Guide and Inform the Government

Law-Making

Q3 Who designed parliament house?

The parliament house was designed by British Architecture Herbert Baker.

Q4 What is EVM machine?

Evm is a Electronic Voting Machine. EVMs were used throughout the country for the first time in the 2004 general elections.

Q5 What is a constituency?

The country is divided into many areas for election purposes. Each area is called a constituency. Representatives are elected from each constituency to serve in the legislative body.

Q6 What is Question Hour in the Parliament?

The question hour is an important mechanism through which MPs can  obtain information about the working of the government. This is a very important way through which the Parliament controls the executive.