PRS · Parliamentary Affairs ·

First session of 17th Lok Sabha: What to expect

Distilled Policy Brief

  • The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act limits the total size of the Council of Ministers, appointed under Article 75(1), to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha.
  • The schedule for parliamentary sessions and key events is decided by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, formed after the swearing-in of the executive.
  • Seniority for selecting the Speaker Pro-tem is determined by total cumulative tenure in either the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, with the office dissolving upon the election of the permanent Speaker.

🎯 Prelims High-Yield Examination Points

Article 75(1) governs Council of Ministers appointments (capped at 15% by 91st Amendment); Article 87 mandates Presidential address at the first session after general elections; Article 100 provides the Speaker with a casting vote only in case of a tie.

⚖️ Mains Analytical & Syllabus Linkages

Evaluates the balance of power between executive scheduling via the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs and the neutral legislative stewardship required of the Speaker's office.

🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill

Polity & Governance

With reference to the executive formation and the proceedings of a newly elected Lok Sabha, consider the following statements: 1. The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act restricts the total strength of the Council of Ministers to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha. 2. The dates and schedule for the commencement of the first session of the new Lok Sabha are decided by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. 3. The seniority considered for identifying the Speaker Pro-tem is based exclusively on a member's tenure in the Lok Sabha. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  • [A] 1 and 2 only
  • [B] 2 and 3 only
  • [C] 1 and 3 only
  • [D] 1, 2 and 3
▶ Reveal Official Answer & Analytical Explanation
✓ Correct Option: [A] 1 and 2 only

Statements 1 and 2 are correct: The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act caps the Council of Ministers at 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha, and the schedule for the first session is decided by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. Statement 3 is incorrect because seniority for selecting the Speaker Pro-tem is determined by the member's total cumulative tenure in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.

Tark High-Yield Question Bank ⚡ Practice Full Test in Testing Arena ↗

🏛️ Historical Twin PYQ Anchor (2021)

UPSC Prelims 2021

Consider the following statements regarding the "National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)": 1. It is implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 2. Central Pollution Control Board acts as the sole regulatory executive body.

Forensic Anchor: Cabinet Allocation of Business Rules & NCAP Framework
Examiner Trap Takeaway: UPSC swapped Central Pollution Control Board role with State Pollution Control Boards for state-level monitoring.

📚 Static Syllabus & Constitutional Linkages

Speaker Pro-tem & Office of the Speaker: Laxmikanth - Chapter on Parliament: Qualification, election procedure, casting vote under Article 100, and committees chaired by the Speaker.
Central Council of Ministers: Laxmikanth - Chapter on Central Council of Ministers: Article 75 provisions and 91st Constitutional Amendment Act ceiling.
President's Special Address: Laxmikanth - Chapter on President/Parliament: Article 87 requirements for opening joint sittings after general elections and annual first sessions.