Parliament & judiciary: General Awareness & Current Affairs Notes for Puducherry Police Constable

General Awareness & Current Affairs

Topic: Parliament & Judiciary

(Puducherry Police Constable – General Awareness)

Purpose – Build a solid foundation on India’s legislative and judicial machinery, its functions, and recent developments relevant to the PDC exam.

1. Simple Explanation

Branch	Basic Idea
Parliament	The supreme law‑making body of India. It consists of the President and two houses: the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States).
Judiciary	The interpretative arm that applies the law, protects rights, and ensures justice. It is divided into the Supreme Court (highest), High Courts (state level), and Subordinate Courts (district/tribunal).

Both branches are independent, but they interact: Parliament makes laws, the Judiciary interprets them and can strike down unconstitutional ones.

2. Key Points

2.1 Parliament

Feature	Details
Structure	Lok Sabha – 545 members (543 elected + 2 nominated by the President). Rajya Sabha – 250 members (238 elected by state legislatures, 12 nominated).
Functions	1. Legislation – Draft, debate, pass, and amend laws. 2. Finance – Approve budgets, taxes, and public expenditure. 3. Oversight – Question government, conduct inquiries, and hold ministers accountable.
Key Powers	• Legislative – Bills passed by both houses and assented by the President. • Financial – Cannot pass money bills without Lok Sabha’s approval. • Constitutional – Amendments, impeachment, and election of key offices.
Important Committees	1. Finance Committee – scrutinises budget. 2. Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – audits government accounts. 3. Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) – investigates specific issues.
Recent Developments (2024‑25)	• Bipartisan Bills on Digital Governance – Data Protection Bill, Digital Services Tax. • Reforms in House Procedure – Use of video‑conferencing for MPs during COVID‑19. • Amendment of Lok Sabha seating arrangement – Increase in seats for women and SC/ST candidates.

2.2 Judiciary

Feature	Details
Hierarchy	1. Supreme Court – 14 judges (incl. Chief Justice). 2. High Courts – 28 (one per state/union territory). 3. Subordinate Courts – District & Sessions Courts, Family Courts, etc.
Functions	1. Interpretation of Constitution – Judicial review. 2. Dispute Resolution – Civil, criminal, constitutional, and advisory cases. 3. Protecting Fundamental Rights – Articles 14–19.
Judicial Review	Courts can invalidate laws or executive actions that contravene the Constitution.
Key Recent Judgments	• S. S. R. B. N. K. V. R. R. Ch. V. B. R. S. B. R. U. K. S. S. R. (2024) – Expanded Aadhaar privacy restrictions. • Supreme Court declares certain central government orders unconstitutional (2025) – Regarding freedom of assembly.
Judicial Reforms	• Increase in the number of judges in High Courts (2024). • Digitalization of court records (e‑filing, e‑judgement). • Judicial Accountability Act – Transparency in judge’s financial disclosures.

3. Worked Example

Scenario

An MP proposes a “Digital Services Tax Bill” (DST Bill) in the Lok Sabha. Explain the legislative journey and potential judicial intervention.

Step	Action	Outcome
1. Drafting	Bill drafted by the Ministry of Finance.
2. First Reading	Bill is introduced; no debate.
3. Committee Stage	Standing Committee on Finance examines it.
4. Second Reading	General discussion, amendments proposed.
5. Third Reading	Final text; passed by Lok Sabha with >50% votes.
6. Rajya Sabha Review	Receives Bill; may suggest amendments or reject.
7. Reconcile Amendments	Joint Committee reconciles differences.
8. Presidential Assent	President signs the Bill.
9. Law Enacted	Bill becomes law from the declared commencement date.
10. Judicial Review	If a citizen challenges the DST Bill as violating Article 14 (equality) or Article 19(1)(g) (freedom of trade), the case may be filed in a High Court.
11. Supreme Court	If the High Court declares it unconstitutional, the Supreme Court may uphold or overturn the decision.

Key take‑away: The Parliament’s legislative process is systematic, and the Judiciary can review the law’s constitutionality.

4. Quick Revision Summary

Topic	Key Points
Parliament	• Two houses: Lok Sabha (545 members) & Rajya Sabha (250 members). • Functions: Legislation, Finance, Oversight. • Important procedures: Bills, Committees, Amendments.
Lok Sabha	• Money Bills only. • Majority required to pass most bills.
Rajya Sabha	• Review & amend non‑money bills. • Cannot veto money bills.
Judiciary	• Supreme Court (14 judges) – highest appellate & constitutional body. • High Courts (28) – state level. • Subordinate Courts – district level.
Judicial Review	Courts can strike down unconstitutional laws.
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