National Development Council (NDC)
The National Development Council was established in August 1952.
It is an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body. This means it was created
neither by the Constitution itself nor by an Act of Parliament.
Its function was primarily to secure cooperation of states in the execution of the
Plan.
The NDC does not find mention in the Constitution.
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission was established in March 1950 by a Resolution of the
Union Cabinet.
Like the NDC, it was an extra-constitutional and non-statutory body.
It was the supreme organ of planning in India, responsible for formulating Five-Year
Plans.
The Planning Commission does not find mention in the Constitution. It was replaced
by NITI Aayog in 2015, which is also an extra-constitutional, non-statutory body.
Zonal Councils
Zonal Councils were established under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, which is
an Act of Parliament.
Therefore, they are statutory bodies, not constitutional bodies.
The Act divided India into five zones and provided for a Zonal Council for each zone
to foster interstate cooperation.
Zonal Councils do not find mention in the Constitution
Indian Constitution Schedules
Schedule
Key Subject
Number
First List of States and Union Territories
Salaries, allowances, etc., of President, Governors, Judges,
Second
etc.
Third Forms of Oaths or Affirmations
Fourth Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha
Administration and control of Scheduled Areas and
Fifth
Scheduled Tribes
Sixth Administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya,
Schedule
Key Subject
Number
Tripura, and Mizoram
Distribution of powers between the Union and States
Seventh
(Union, State, and Concurrent Lists)
Eighth Recognized languages
Validation of certain Acts and Regulations (Added by 1st
Ninth
Amendment)
Provisions as to disqualification on ground of defection
Tenth
(Anti-Defection Law, added by 52nd Amendment)
Eleventh Panchayats (Added by 73rd Amendment)
Twelfth Municipalities (Added by 74th Amendment)
Sub-Theme: No-Confidence Motion
The Constitution of India does not mention about either a
Confidence or a No Confidence Motion. A motion of “No
Confidence Motion” against the Government can be
introduced only in the Lok Sabha under rule 198.
A motion of No-Confidence can be introduced in the Lok
Sabha only.
Sub-Theme: Parliamentary Committees
Number of
Committee Composition
Members
The Public Accounts 15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya
22
Committee Sabha
The Estimates Committee 30 30 Lok Sabha
The Committee on Public 15 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya
22
Undertakings Sabha
The Committee on Petitions
15 15 Lok Sabha
(Lok Sabha)
Number of
Committee Composition
Members
The Committee on Petitions 10 ajya Sabha
10
(Rajya Sabha)
Parliamentary Committees Overview
Total
Committee Houses
Primary Function Member
Name Represented
s
Scrutinizes CAG
Public Accounts reports on Lok Sabha & Rajya
22
Committee government Sabha
accounts
Examines budget
Estimates
estimates, suggests 30 Lok Sabha only
Committee
economies
Committee on
Examines reports & Lok Sabha & Rajya
Public 22
accounts of PSUs Sabha
Undertakings
Lok Sabha or Rajya
Committee on Examines public 15 (LS),
Sabha (Separate
Petitions petitions 10 (RS)
Committees)
Key Aspects of Gram Nyayalayas
Revision Table: Key Aspects of Gram Nyayalayas
Aspect Detail
Enacting Act Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008
Purpose Access to justice at doorstep, early disposal, conciliation
Both Civil (First Schedule) and Criminal (Second Schedule)
Jurisdiction
cases
Presiding Nyaya Adhikari (appointed by State Government in
Officer consultation with High Court)
Revision Table: Key Aspects of Gram Nyayalayas
Aspect Detail
Summary procedure for criminal cases, special procedure
Procedure
for civil cases. Emphasis on conciliation.
Cabinet Secretariat Key Roles
Role Category Specific Function Example
Secretarial Preparing agenda and minutes for Cabinet and
Support Committee meetings.
Facilitating coordination among
Coordination
Ministries/Departments.
Monitoring Monitoring implementation of Cabinet decisions.
Key Additions to DPSP by 42nd Amendment
(1976)
Article
Subject Principle
Added/Changed
Article 39(f) Healthy development of children
Article 39A Free legal aid and equal justice
Article 43A Workers' participation in industry management
Environmental protection and wildlife/forest
Article 48A
safeguarding
Sub-Theme: State Emergency/ President’s Rule Article 356
When the President’s Rule is imposed in a state,
the President dismisses the state council of
ministers headed by the chief minister and parliament
passes the state bills and budgets.
Dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly is not
necessarily the consequence
When the President’s Rule is imposed in a state,
the President dismisses the state council of
ministers headed by the chief minister and parliament
passes the state bills and budgets.
In case of President’s Rule or State Emergency there is no
effect on Fundamental Rights like Article 19.
The Parliament passes the state legislative bills and the
state budget during President’s rule
Key Parliamentary Committees
Committee
Primary Function
Name
Scrutinizes and reports to the House whether
the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-
Committee on
rules, by-laws etc. conferred by the Constitution
Subordinate
Legislation
or delegated by Parliament are being properly
exercised by the executive within the scope of
such
Committee on
Tracks implementation of assurances made by
Government
ministers.
Assurances
Rules Deals with the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of
Committee Business of the House.
Business
Allocates time for discussion of government business
Advisory
and other items.
Committee
Sub-Theme: Centre’s Control Over State Legislation
1st ARC Recommendation (1966): The first ARC
recommended the appointment of persons having long
experience in public life and administration and non-
partisan attitude as governors.
Rajamannar Committee (1969): The Rajamannar
Committee recommended the provision that the state
ministry holds office during the pleasure of the governor
should be omitted.
Sarkaria Commission (1983): The “Sarkaria Commission”
recommended that the Governor should be a
distinguished outsider without intense political links, that
he should not have recently participated in politics, and
that he should not be a member of the ruling party.
National Commission to Review the Working of the
Constitution (2000): The committee recommended that
the president should appoint the governor of a state only
after consultation with the chief minister of that state.
The Rajya Sabha enjoys equal powers with Lok Sabha in
matters like –
The impeachment of the President,
Removal of the vice-president,
Constitutional amendments, and
Removal of the judges of the Supreme Court and the High
Courts.
Free legal services are available to the groups of society that are
listed under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, they are:
Women and children
Members of SC/ST
Industrial workmen
Victims of mass disaster, violence, flood, drought, earthquake industrial disaster
Disabled persons
Persons in custody
Persons whose annual income does not exceed ₹1 lakh or may be prescribed by the
State Government
Beggars or those who have fallen victim to human trafficking.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) is the nodal agency for the
implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The
ministry deals with forest and livelihood objectives at the
national level.
The original Preamble, adopted by the Constituent
Assembly in 1949, declared India a “Sovereign
Democratic Republic”. Later, it was amended by
the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act (1976), and
added three new words– “Socialist, Secular and
Integrity
the Head of the State is the President and as per the
Indian constitution both a citizen by birth as well as a
naturalized citizen are eligible for the office of
President. Thus, a naturalized citizen can also become
the Head of the State in India.
The N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee was constituted in 1949 to
recommend improvements in the machinery of the Government of
India and its procedures of work.
Administrative Reforms Commission, 1966
In 1970, the Department of Personnel was constituted on the
recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission,
1966, and this was placed under the Prime Minister's charge
The word Mandamus means “we command”. It directs activity
and commands issued by the court to public officials asking
them to perform. It is issued against any public body,
corporation, inferior court, tribunal, or government for the same
purpose. Mandamus cannot be issued against a private
individual or body.
Procedure for the Amendment (Article 368):
Borrowed from Constitution of South Africa
Amendment bill can be introduced only
Introduction of bills
in either house of Parliament
Who can introduce? Either by a minister or private member.
President’s role in Prior permission of the President is not
introduction of bill required to introduce the bill.
Special Majority: Majority of the total
membership of that house (50%) + by a
Type of Majority needed majority of not less than 2/3 of the
members of that house present and
voting (2/3 of Present and Voting).
Both the houses need to pass the bill
Bill in houses
with special majority
There is no provision for a joint sitting in
Joint seating (Art. 108) case of disagreement between the two
Houses.
Special majority + ratification by the
Amending federal
legislatures of half of the states by a
provisions
simple majority.
24th constitutional amendment: It also
amended Article 368 to provide
expressly that Parliament has power to
amend any provision of the Constitution.
Role of President in
assenting the bill The amendment further made it
obligatory for the President to give his
assent, when a Constitution Amendment
Bill was presented to him.
Role of state legislature in State legislature cannot introduce
introducing bill such a bill.