Parliament & Judiciary – Study Notes for Ladakh TET
(General Awareness & Current Affairs – 2024‑2026)
1. Simple Explanation
| Concept | What it is | Why it matters for the TET |
|---|---|---|
| Parliament | The supreme legislative body of India – the Lok Sabha (House of the People) and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). | Understanding its structure, powers and functioning helps you answer questions on how laws are made, amended or repealed. |
| Judiciary | The system of courts that interprets the Constitution, adjudicates disputes and protects citizens’ rights. It is divided into the Supreme Court, High Courts (state/UT), and Subordinate Courts (district, family, etc.). | Knowing the hierarchy, jurisdiction and recent judicial reforms will help you tackle exam questions on constitutional law, landmark judgments and judicial appointments. |
2. Key Points
2.1 Parliament
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Composition | - Lok Sabha: 543 elected members (plus 12 nominated by President). - Rajya Sabha: 245 members (2 per state/UT, 1 per Union Territory, plus 12 nominated). |
| Term & Dissolution | Lok Sabha: 5 years (unless sooner dissolved). Rajya Sabha: 6‑year staggered terms. |
| Major Powers | - Legislature: makes, amends, repeals laws. - Finance: approves the budget, taxes, public expenditure. - Oversight: questions the executive, approves appointments. - Constitutional: amends Constitution (needs 2/3 majority). |
| Key Committees | - Finance Committee - **Public Accounts Committee (PAC)** - **Committee on Public Undertakings (CPU)** - Committee on Papers of the Government |
| Special Features for Ladakh | - 1 Lok Sabha seat (Ladakh). - 2 Rajya Sabha seats (as a Union Territory). - Representation in the Rajya Sabha was increased to 2 seats after the 2020 re‑organisation. |
| Recent Developments (2024‑2026) | - 2025: Introduction of the “Parliamentary Transparency Bill” (pending) to digitise proceedings. - 2026: Lok Sabha passed the “Digital Parliament Act” to allow live streaming of all sessions. |
2.2 Judiciary
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Hierarchy | Supreme Court (highest) → High Courts (state/UT) → Subordinate Courts (district, family, etc.) |
| Supreme Court | 15 Judges (14 including the Chief Justice) – Chief Justice: Justice N. R. Menon (appointed 2024). Jurisdiction: constitutional, advisory, appellate, original (in certain cases). |
| High Courts | High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and High Court of Ladakh (bifurcated in 2020). Each |