The Union Executive, which consists of the President, Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, is a powerful body in a Parliamentary democracy. In this context answer the following questions:
Mention any four legislative powers of the Cabinet.
Topic: Legislative powers of the Cabinet
Answer
(1) It decides the LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME of the government — what Bills shall be introduced and when — and most important Bills are drafted under its direction and introduced by its ministers, taking priority over private members’ Bills. (2) It advises the President to SUMMON AND PROROGUE the sessions of Parliament, to dissolve the Lok Sabha, and to address the House. (3) It advises the President to promulgate ORDINANCES when Parliament is not in session, so that the Cabinet can in effect legislate even while Parliament is not sitting. (4) It prepares CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BILLS, and the Budget — the most important financial legislation of the year — is drawn up under its supervision and presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister.
Four marks, four powers, one mark each. All must be LEGISLATIVE — the Cabinet’s administrative and financial powers belong to different questions. The ORDINANCE power is the most striking and should appear: it shows the Cabinet legislating when Parliament is not even in session. The reason the Cabinet dominates legislation is worth a closing line: since it commands a majority in the Lok Sabha, whatever it proposes normally passes.