Legislature | Class 11 Political Science Notes

WHAT DOES THE PARLIAMENT DO?

The Parliament performs multiple vital functions beyond law-making. Its primary role is legislative: enacting laws for the country. However, the actual drafting of bills is usually done by the bureaucracy under the supervision of the concerned minister, with the Cabinet deciding the substance and timing. Members other than ministers can introduce bills, but these rarely pass without government support. Besides legislation, Parliament controls the executive by ensuring it does not overstep authority and remains accountable. Financially, Parliament controls taxation and government spending through approval of budgets and financial statements. It represents diverse social, economic, religious, and regional groups, making it the most representative organ of government. Parliament is also the highest forum of debate, allowing free discussion on national issues. It has constituent powers to amend the Constitution, electoral functions like electing the President and Vice President, and judicial functions such as considering removal proposals for high constitutional offices.

📊 Diagram: The Parliament is the boss and the ministers are looking very humble here. That is the effect of the Parliament's power to sanction money to different ministries.

🔗 Connection: Leads to detailed comparison of powers between Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.