Why Do We Need a Parliament? CBSE 8th NCERT

Why Do We Need a Parliament?

• Why should People Decide?
• People and their Representatives
• The Role of the Parliament
• Who are the People in Parliament?

Why Should People Decide?

• Colonial Rule: Bad experiences under British rule made people want to participate in decisions for a free India.
• Freedom Struggle: Involvement in the freedom struggle led to the idea that everyone should have a say in running the country.
• Universal Adult Franchise: The Constitution allows all adults to vote and choose leaders.

People and Their Representatives

• Democratic Government: People vote to create a government and decide how it works.
• Parliament's Role: All elected representatives together form the Parliament, which controls and guides the government.

The Role of the Parliament

• Elections and MPs:
  • India is divided into many areas called constituencies.
  • Each constituency elects one person to the Parliament, called a Member of Parliament (MP).
  • MPs together make up the Parliament.
• Lok Sabha:
  • Elected every five years.
  • To form a government, a party needs more than half of the 543 elected MPs (at least 272 MPs).
  • If no single party gets a majority, multiple parties can form a coalition government.
  • The Prime Minister is the leader of the ruling party in Lok Sabha.
  • The Prime Minister chooses ministers from MPs to help run the government.
• Rajya Sabha:
  • Represents states in Parliament.
  • Can also create laws; a bill must pass Rajya Sabha to become law.
  • Members are elected by state Legislative Assemblies (233 elected members + 12 nominated by the President).

Functions of Parliament

:
• Select the National Government: Forming the government and selecting leaders.
• Control, Guide, and Inform the Government:
  • Sessions start with a question hour where MPs ask questions to get information about government actions.
  • Opposition parties point out problems in government policies and suggest improvements.
  • Parliament must approve all government spending and financial decisions.
• Law-Making: Creating new laws for the country.

Who are the People in Parliament?

• Diverse Backgrounds: Parliament has members from cities, villages, and different regions.
• Inclusive Representation: Increased participation from Dalits, backward castes, and minorities.
• Reserved Seats: Some seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to ensure their representation.