Polity

Distribution of powers of the legislature

Distribution of powers of the legislature

The legislative powers and functions of the Union and the States are clearly demarcated in seventh schedule of the Constitution of India. The powers on which both union and the states can legislate is clearly defined. The Constitution has classified the subjects for which the legislation can be made to perform the duties and responsibilities with specific powers for division of powers to avoid the seventh schedule of the constitution which provides for trifurcation of legislative powers; 1. The Union List2. The State List and3. The Concurrent ListThe Union List includes the subjects over which the parliament has exclusive authority to make laws and change the existing laws. The State Legislature has exclusive authority over subjects mentioned in the state list. In the subjects enumerated in the ‘Concurrent List’ both the Union and the States can legislate. In the event of contradictions between the Union and States, the Union’s authority will prevail. The residuary power is vested in the Centre.

Table Representing difference between Ordinary Bill and Money Bill

Lists of Powers

MPs paid well, but show less productivity: citizens’ report

* ‘In 2010-12, Lok Sabha worked for average of less than four hours a day during 227 sittings in 852 hours’

* India’s parliamentarians are one of the best paid legislators across the world but they lag when it comes to performing legislative business, says the National Social Watch’s “Citizens’ Report on Governance and Development 2013.”

* “In terms of absolute amount, the value of Indian MPs’ pay and perks is higher than [that of] their counterparts in Singapore, Japan and Italy. It is four and a half times higher than that of Pakistan; and is about 68 times higher than the per capita income of the country

* Highlighting the low productivity of parliamentarians, the report points out that the nine sessions during 2010-12 saw the Lok Sabha working for an average of less than four hours of work a day during its 227 sittings in 852 hours, which is less than two-thirds of scheduled six hours per day. In the process, about 577 hours have been lost in disruptions and forced adjournments.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *