Ministry Of Parliamentary Affairs
Official policy releases, schemes, circulars, and Prelims practice questions from Ministry Of Parliamentary Affairs distilled for UPSC Civil Services Examination.
🎯 Ministry Of Parliamentary Affairs UPSC Practice Questions
🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to former Lok Sabha Speaker late P.A. Sangma, consider the following statements: 1. He served as the Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha and was the first Speaker from the opposition party. 2. He served as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya and was a nine-time Member of Parliament. 3. His parliamentary career was marked by advocacy for decreased representation of women in legislatures to maintain procedural parity. 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 based on the provided facts: P.A. Sangma served as the Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996, becoming the first Speaker from the opposition party, and he was a nine-time MP and former Chief Minister of Meghalaya. Statement 3 is incorrect because his parliamentary career was noted for advocating for increased (not decreased) representation of women in legislatures.
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🎯 UPSC Prelims Practice Drill
With reference to India-Myanmar relations and recent bilateral engagements, consider the following statements: 1. Myanmar holds a pivotal position in three of India's key foreign policy frameworks: 'Act East', 'Neighborhood First', and the 'Indo-Pacific'. 2. The capacity-building program for the visiting Myanmar parliamentary delegation in India was organized by PRIDE. 3. In its national and state assembly elections held between December 2025 and January 2026, Myanmar utilized proportional representation and electronic voting machines for the first time. 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: [D] 1, 2 and 3
All three statements are correct based on the official notification. Myanmar is uniquely positioned at the intersection of India's Act East, Neighborhood First, and Indo-Pacific policies. The capacity-building program for the Myanmar delegation was organized by PRIDE. Additionally, the Lok Sabha Speaker noted that Myanmar's elections held between December 2025 and January 2026 were historic as they marked the first-ever use of proportional representation and electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the country.
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Official Policy Notifications & Dossiers
30 Briefs-
PRS
Explained: The recent rise in petroleum prices
- Retail prices of petrol and diesel in India are revised daily by oil companies based on global crude oil price changes, with the central government taxing production via excise duty and states taxing sales via VAT.
- India's net import dependence for petroleum products rose from 69% in 1998-99 to 93% in 2017-18, exposing domestic retail prices to volatility in international crude markets.
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Central Police Forces: Overview and Issues
- Under the Constitution, police and public order are state subjects, but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) maintains seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to assist state governments in internal security, border guarding, and counterterrorism.
- As of January 2017, 15% of sanctioned posts in the seven CAPFs were vacant, while personnel in border guarding forces faced arduous working conditions of 16-18 hours per day.
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First session of 17th Lok Sabha: What to expect
- 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.
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Examining pendency of cases in the Judiciary
- Parliament increased the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India, to address rising case pendency.
- As of August 2019, over 3.5 crore cases were pending across the Supreme Court, High Courts, and subordinate courts, with subordinate courts accounting for 87.3% of them.
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The Importance of Parliamentary Committees
- Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) are permanent bodies consisting of 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha, established to provide technical expertise and bipartisan scrutiny of ministries.
- DRSCs examine Bills, budgets, including Demands for Grants, and subject-specific policy issues, compensating for the limited time available for detailed debates on the floor of the House.
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More Privatisation on the cards?
- The core group of secretaries on disinvestment approved the disinvestment of five public sector undertakings, including the entire government shareholding in BPCL, SCI, NEEPCO, and THDC, and 30% in Concor.
- In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not reduce its ownership below 51% in HPCL and BPCL without amending the specific nationalisation laws that formed them.
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Explaining the recent ban on e-cigarettes
- The Indian government promulgated an Ordinance prohibiting the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, advertisement, and storage of e-cigarettes, though it does not explicitly ban individual possession or use.
- E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, which previously left them outside the regulatory scope of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003.
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Understanding recent amendments to the Arms Act, 1959
- The Bill introduces statutory definitions and penalties for new offences, including 'illicit trafficking', 'organised crime', forcefully taking a firearm from police or armed forces, and negligent celebratory gunfire.
- Punishments for dealing in un-licensed firearms are increased, while illicit trafficking and firearm possession by members of organized crime syndicates attract imprisonment between 10 years and life imprisonment along with a fine.
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The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019: All you need to know
- The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was introduced in Parliament following the Supreme Court's 2017 ruling that privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- The Bill establishes a Data Protection Authority, defines rights for data principals, and imposes processing and storage limitations on data fiduciaries.
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President’s Address 2014-2018: A Status Report
- Every year, the Budget Session of Parliament begins with the President's Address highlighting government achievements and legislative agendas, followed by a Motion of Thanks and discussion concluding with the Prime Minister's reply.
- The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill amends the 1988 Act by making the giving of a bribe an explicit offence, alongside the rollout of Goods and Services Tax on July 1, 2017 to promote cooperative federalism.
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Explainer: Mechanisms to investigate charges against a Supreme Court judge
- The Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee (GSICC) is constituted by the CJI with 7-13 members, where the majority must be women, to address sexual harassment complaints within the Supreme Court.
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Recent rise in LPG prices
- Public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) determine domestic LPG prices based on international market prices and the import parity price, which incorporates factors such as exchange rate, ocean freight, insurance, and customs duty.
- Under the DBT-PAHAL scheme, eligible consumers with an annual income of up to Rs 10 lakh purchase LPG cylinders at market rates and subsequently receive subsidies directly in their bank accounts, covering 94% of the 27.16 crore domestic connections.
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Central government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Apr 7-13, 2020)
- The Supreme Court held that COVID-19 tests should be free of cost for persons belonging to economically weaker sections and those covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and must be conducted in laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, World Health Organisation, or Indian Council for Medical Research.
- The central government approved the COVID-19 emergency response and health system preparedness package to be implemented in three phases from January 2020 to March 2024 to strengthen national and state health systems.
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PRS
Does changing MP salaries and MPLAD entitlements raise resources to fight COVID-19?
- The central government issued Ordinances to amend the Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 to reduce MP salaries by 30% for one year, and suspended the MPLAD Scheme for two years to supplement resources for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The reduction in MP and Minister salaries is estimated to save Rs 55 crore (0.03% of the COVID relief requirement), while the suspension of the MPLAD scheme is expected to save Rs 7800 crore (4.5% of the Rs 1.7 lakh crore required under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana).
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Central government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Apr 7-13, 2020)
- The Supreme Court of India directed that COVID-19 testing must be free of cost for economically weaker sections and Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries in both public and accredited private laboratories, while mandating the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and security for frontline healthcare workers.
- The Central Government approved the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package, implemented in three phases from January 2020 to March 2024, to strengthen national health systems, expand diagnostic capacities, and procure essential medical equipment.
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Government of Karnataka’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Feb 2020–April 14, 2020)
- On March 11, 2020, the Government of Karnataka promulgated the Karnataka Epidemic Disease COVID-19 Regulations 2020 to specify hospital protocols for screening and treating patients.
- On April 6, 2020, the Department issued instructions to all districts to prepare a District Level Crisis Management Plan to prevent large outbreaks.
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Uttarakhand Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 - April 15, 2020)
- On March 15, 2020, the state government notified the Uttarakhand Epidemic Disease COVID-19 Regulations, 2020, which mandated that no person or organisation could use print or electronic media for COVID-19 information without prior permission from the state health department to prevent misinformation.
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Madhya Pradesh Government’s Response to COVID-19 (January 2020- April 17, 2020)
- Welfare measures introduced during the early pandemic phase included a one-time financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to construction labourers, Rs 2,000 to families of Sahariya, Baiga, and Bharia tribes, and two months of advanced social security pensions.
- The government launched the SAARTHAK app on March 29 for daily tracking of quarantined and positive patients, and established District Crisis Management groups to coordinate local policy implementation.
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Government of West Bengal’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (till April 18, 2020)
- The Government of West Bengal notified the West Bengal Epidemic Disease COVID-19 Regulations, 2020, empowering district administrations to enforce screening protocols, isolation directives, and strict physical containment measures.
- The state established a multi-tiered medical governance structure including an Expert Committee for clinical management protocols, specialized hospital monitoring committees, death audit panels, and private healthcare facility acquisitions.
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Government of Bihar’s response to COVID-19 (till Apr 19, 2020)
- Welfare interventions during the crisis included sponsoring treatment costs from the Chief Minister Medical Assistance Fund, providing direct cash transfers in place of food under the Mid-Day Meal scheme and at Anganwadi centres, and offering four lakh rupees assistance to families of deceased patients.
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Central government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Apr 13-20, 2020)
- The Reserve Bank of India reduced the reverse repo rate to 3.75%, announced targeted long-term repo operations of Rs 50,000 crore, and increased Ways and Means Advances limits for states and UTs by 60% to combat economic stress.
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Impact of Lockdown on Government Revenue
- In the Union Budget 2020-21, 73% of the central government's total revenue (Rs 16.36 lakh crore) was expected to come through taxes, while non-tax revenue and capital receipts relied heavily on RBI dividends and PSE disinvestment.
- A 1%-point fall in nominal GDP growth could decrease the Centre's net tax revenue by about Rs 15,000 crore, and a projected nominal GDP growth drop to 6% could result in a tax revenue loss of about Rs 60,000 crore.
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Maharashtra Government’s Response to COVID-19 (till April 20, 2020)
- Welfare measures enacted during the lockdown included postponing school fee collections, deferring rent collection for three months, and providing subsidized wheat, rice, and Shiv Bhojan at Rs 5.
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Impact of COVID-19 on the Power Sector
- During the nationwide lockdown, power supply saw a decrease of about 25% year-on-year between March 24 and April 19 due to reduced industrial and commercial activities.
- Coal power generation reduced by about 25% between March 25 and April 19, lowering coal's contribution in total generation from 72.5% to 65.6%, as renewable energy sources retained their 'must-run' status.
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UP Government’s Response to COVID-19 (till April 22)
- The Uttar Pradesh government utilized the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to mandate 28-days paid leave for quarantined workers and established the UP COVID Care Fund, freeing Rs 1,509 crore by suspending the legislative Local Area Development scheme for one year.
- To fund emergency response efforts, the state issued Ordinances to reduce the salaries and allowances of Ministers, MLAs, and MLCs by 30% and enhanced the state Contingency Fund limit from Rs 600 crore to Rs 1,200 crore.
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Delhi Government’s Response to COVID-19 (till April 23, 2020)
- As of April 23, Delhi recorded 2,248 cases of COVID-19, placing it behind Maharashtra and Gujarat with the highest number of cases in the country.
- The Delhi government notified The Delhi Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 on March 12, granting authorized personnel powers for geographical sealing and surveillance.
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Rajasthan Government’s Response to COVID-19 (till April 26)
- As of April 26, Rajasthan reported 2,083 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 493 recoveries and 33 deaths, implementing early containment measures such as Rapid Response Teams and mandatory home isolation.
- Welfare and resource management measures included reserving 25% of beds in private hospitals and medical colleges for COVID-19 patients, employing nursing students for screening, and replacing biometric authentication with an OTP process for PDS ration distribution.
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Central Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Apr 20-27, 2020)
- The Ministry of Home Affairs permitted the opening of all rural shops (except in malls) and standalone or residential urban shops, while maintaining prohibitions on market complexes, containment zones, and the sale of liquor.
- The Reserve Bank of India announced a special liquidity facility for mutual funds worth Rs 50,000 crore and extended interest subvention and prompt repayment incentive benefits for short-term crop loans up to three lakh rupees.
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Protection of healthcare service personnel
- Victims are entitled to compensation determined by the court, with property loss compensation set at twice the fair market value; earlier, only the Indian Penal Code, 1860 provided general penalties, while a 2019 draft Bill sought similar protections.
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Telangana Government’s Response to COVID-19
- The Telangana government invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 to issue the Telangana Epidemic Diseases (COVID-19) Regulations, 2020, establishing protocols for containment zones, mandatory home quarantine, and dedicated hospital corners.
- To manage fiscal stress during the crisis, the state implemented a graded deferment of salaries ranging from 10% to 60% for government employees and 75% for state legislators, while exempting and incentivizing frontline healthcare, sanitation, and police personnel.