UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz: Polity and Governance MCQs on secret sitting of the Lok Sabha, Section 69A of the IT Act and more (Week 103)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the members of Parliament, consider the following statements:

1. MPs cannot draw daily allowances while attending Parliament sessions and meetings of parliamentary committees.

2. The revision in salaries of MPs is done through an act of Parliament.

3. The calculation for the increase is done on the basis of the Cost Inflation Index.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Central government notified a 24 per cent hike in the salaries of members of Parliament, with retrospective effect from April 1, 2023. An MP will now get Rs 1.24 lakh per month as salary as against Rs 1 lakh per month they received so far.

— The calculation for the increase is done on the basis of the Cost Inflation Index. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs also announced an increase in sitting MPs’ daily allowances, as well as a pension and supplementary pension for former members with more than five years of service. MPs can get daily allowances for attending Parliament sessions and parliamentary committee meetings. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Until February 2018, Parliament may adopt laws revising MP salary. Then, under the Finance Act of 2018, Parliament revised the Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament Act of 1954 to increase MPs’ salaries, daily allowances, and pensions every five years in accordance with the cost inflation index established under the Income Tax Act. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 empowers the Government to block information from public access under specific conditions of :

1. interest of sovereignty and integrity of India

2. defence of India

3. security of the State

4. public order

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— Elon Musk’s X (previously Twitter) has challenged the government’s use of Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act of 2000 (IT Act) to monitor and force the removal of content from social media.

— The corporation has stated that the government’s “misuse” of the provision undermines safeguards afforded under other provisions of the IT Act, especially Section 69A, which are specifically intended for the purpose of content moderation.

— Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 permits the government to prohibit information from public access under certain conditions, including:

(i) interest of sovereignty and integrity of India,

(ii) defence of India,

(iii) security of the State,

(iv) friendly relations with foreign States or

(v) public order or

(vi) for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offense relating to above.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: rtionline.gov.in)

QUESTION 3

With reference to the secret sitting of the Lok Sabha, consider the following statements:

1. It has been mentioned in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.

2. The Leader of the House is responsible for fixing a day or a part of it for “secret sitting” of the House.

3. Till now, the concept of the secret sitting of the Lok Sabha has been used three times.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The proceedings of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, are live streamed on Sansad TV and archived on the government’s Digital Sansad website. However, the Indian constitution allows for secret sittings if necessary.

— According to PTI, Chapter 25 of the ‘Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha’ contains provisions for holding secret sittings at the request of the Leader of the House. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— According to Rule 248, subclause one, the Leader of the House must make a request to the Speaker, who will then set aside a day or part of it for the House’s “secret sitting”. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The rules, which allow the government to convene a “secret sitting” of the Lok Sabha to discuss sensitive subjects, have not been used thus far. India came closest to having a “secret sitting” of the Lok Sabha in 1962, during China’s border aggression. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Who among the following is responsible for adjourning the House or suspending the meeting when there is no quorum?

(a) Leader of the House

(b) Opposition leader of the House

(c) Speaker/Chairman of the House

(d) President of India

Explanation

— Until Parliament by law otherwise provides, the quorum to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament shall be one-tenth of the total number of members of the House.

— If at any time during a meeting of a House there is no quorum, it shall be the duty of the Chairman or Speaker, or person acting as such, either to adjourn the House or to suspend the meeting until there is a quorum.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 5

A Bill shall not be deemed to be a Money Bill if it contains:

1. the imposition of fines or other pecuniary penalties

2. the demand or payment of fees for licences or fees for services rendered

3. alteration or regulation of any tax by any local authority or body for local purposes.

4. the regulation of the borrowing of money or the giving of any guarantee by the Government of India.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— A Bill shall be deemed 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 the borrowing of money or the giving of any guarantee by the Government of India, or the amendment of the law with respect to any financial obligations undertaken or to be undertaken by the Government of India; Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

(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 any expenditure to be expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or the increasing of 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 issue of such money or the audit of the accounts of the Union or of a State.

— A Bill shall not be deemed to be a Money Bill by reason only that it provides for the imposition of fines or other pecuniary penalties, or for the demand or payment of fees for licences or fees for services rendered, or by reason that it provides for the imposition, abolition, remission, alteration or regulation of any tax by any local authority or body for local purposes.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 103)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 102)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 102)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 102)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 102)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 102)

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