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Q1 (IAS/2017) Polity & Governance › Parliament › Parliamentary procedures Official Key

With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements : 1. A private member's bill is a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not elected but only nominated by the President of India. 2. Recently, a private member's bill has been passed in the Parliament of India for the first time in its history. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is option D - Neither 1 nor 2.

**Statement 1 is incorrect:** A private member's bill is presented by any member of parliament who is not a[1] member of[2] the cabinet (executive), or in other words, a lawmaker who is not a minister. It has nothing to do with whether the member is elected or nominated by the President. Both elected and nominated MPs who are not ministers can introduce private member bills.

**Statement 2 is incorrect:** The statement claims that "recently" a private member's bill was passed for the "first time" in Parliament's history. This is false because the Muslim Wakf Bill was the first private member legislation to be passed in Parliament in 1952[3]. Furthermore, during the first Lok Sabha term (1952-57), seven bills brought by private members became laws[4]. Therefore, private member bills were passed decades ago, not recently, and 1952 marked the first instance, not any recent date.

Since both statements are incorrect, the answer is option D.

Sources
  1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_member%27s_bill
  2. [2] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ht-explainer-what-are-private-member-resolutions-and-bills-101722842895486.html
  3. [3] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ht-explainer-what-are-private-member-resolutions-and-bills-101722842895486.html
  4. [4] https://prsindia.org/articles-by-prs-team/fridays-in-parliament-are-graveyard-of-ideas-even-under-modi-govt
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to the Parliament of India, consider the following statements : 1. A private member's bill is a bill presented by a Member…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

A classic 'Static-Current Hybrid'. The buzz was around the Transgender Persons Bill (2014) passing in Rajya Sabha (first time in 45 years), but UPSC twisted this into a static history check ('first time in history'). Statement 1 is a fundamental definition found in Chapter 22 of Laxmikanth. If you knew the basic definition and the fact that 14 private bills passed before 1970, this was a sitter.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
In the Parliament of India, does the term "private member's bill" refer to a bill presented by a Member of Parliament who is not elected but only nominated by the President of India?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"any member of parliament (MP) who is not a member of the cabinet (executive)."
Why this source?
  • Defines a private member's bill as introduced by a member of parliament (MP) who is not a member of the cabinet (executive).
  • This ties the meaning of 'private member' to ministerial/cabinet status, not to being unelected or presidentially nominated.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"A private member or a lawmaker who is not a minister can bring a resolution or a bill. (HT PHOTO)"
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states that a private member or a lawmaker who is not a minister can bring a resolution or a bill in India.
  • Again identifies 'not a minister' as the qualifying characteristic for a private member, not nomination by the President.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Non-minister MP’s power Just like any government bill, a Private Member Bill also becomes law if it is passed by both houses of Parliament."
Why this source?
  • Discusses Private Member Bills in the Indian parliamentary context under the heading 'Non-minister MP’s power'.
  • Indicates Private Member Bills are associated with non-minister MPs, not with MPs who are merely presidentially nominated.

Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE IN PARLIAMENT > p. 245
Strength: 5/5
“The procedure with regard to Constitution amendment bills is already explained in detail. ; | Col1: 1. It is Introduced in the Parliament by a minister. Col2: Private Bill: 1. It is Introduced by any member of Parliament other than a minister. | Col1: 2. It reflects the policies of the government. Col2: Private Bill: ,._. 2. It does not reflect the stand of government on public matter. | Col1: 3. It has greater chance to be approved by the Parliament. Col2: Private Bill: 3. It has lesser chance to be approved by the Parliament. Table 23.3 Public Bm vs Private Bill 18 An Introduction to Parliament of India, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, fourth edition , 2007, p.”
Why relevant

Gives a general rule: a 'Private Bill' is introduced by any member of Parliament other than a minister.

How to extend

A student can combine this with the fact that 'member of Parliament' normally includes both elected and nominated MPs to test whether nominated-only MPs would fit this definition.

Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: LEGISLATURE > HOW DOES THE PARLIAMENT MAKE LAWS? > p. 112
Strength: 5/5
“A bill is a draft of the proposed law. There can be different types of bills. When a non-minister proposes a bill, it is called private member's Bill. A bill proposed by a minister is described as Government Bill. Let us now see the different stages in the life of a bill. Even before a bill is introduced in the Parliament there may be a lot of debate on the need for introducing such a bill. A political party may pressurise the government to initiate a bill in order to fulfil its election promises or to improve its chances of winning forthcoming elections.”
Why relevant

States plainly that when a non-minister proposes a bill, it is called a private member's Bill (contrasting it with a Government Bill introduced by a minister).

How to extend

Use the definition of 'non-minister' and the formal categories of MPs (elected vs nominated) to assess whether 'non-elected but nominated' persons are encompassed.

Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 23: Parliament > LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE IN PARLIAMENT > p. 245
Strength: 4/5
“The procedure with regard to Constitution amendment bills is already explained in detail. | Col1: 1. It is Introduced in the Parliament by a minister. Col2: Private Bill: 1. It is Introduced by any member of Parliament other than a minister. | Col1: 2. It reflects the policies of the government. Col2: Private Bill: ,._. 2. It does not reflect the stand of government on public matter. | Col1: 3. It has greater chance to be approved by the Parliament. Col2: Private Bill: 3. It has lesser chance to be approved by the Parliament. Table 23.3 Public Bm vs Private Bill 18 An Introduction to Parliament of India, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, fourth edition , 2007, p.”
Why relevant

Repeats the table-style rule: private bills are introduced by any MP other than a minister and do not reflect government policy.

How to extend

A student can check whether nominated members are legally 'members of Parliament' for introduction rights to see if they can introduce private member's bills.

Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > Money Bill. > p. 248
Strength: 4/5
“It can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and not in the Rajya Sabha. • Ordinary Bill: 2. It can be Introdut::ed either by a minister Or by a private member.; Col2: ; Money Bill: 2. It can be Introduced only by • minister. • Ordinary Bill: 3. It Is introduced without the recommendation of the President.; Col2: 3”
Why relevant

Distinguishes ordinary bills (which can be introduced either by a minister or by a private member) from money bills (only by a minister).

How to extend

This lets a student narrow the enquiry to ordinary/private member bills and then look up whether nominated MPs are permitted to introduce ordinary bills.

Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: LEGISLATURE > HOW DOES THE PARLIAMENT MAKE LAWS? > p. 113
Strength: 3/5
“The ministry of women and child welfare may also be involved in it. Within the Parliament, a bill may be introduced in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha by a member of the House (but often a minister responsible for the subject introduces the bill). A money bill can be introduced only in Lok Sabha. Once passed there, it is sent to the Rajya Sabha. A large part of the discussion on the bills takes place in the committees. The recommendation of the committee is then sent to the House. That is why committees are referred to as miniature legislatures.”
Why relevant

Notes that a bill may be introduced in either House by a member of the House (though often by a minister), reinforcing that 'member' is the operative term for who can introduce bills.

How to extend

A student could combine this with constitutional/Parliamentary definitions of 'member of the House' (elected vs nominated) to evaluate the statement.

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