The Rajya Sabha has equal power with Lok Sabha in

1. The matter of creating new All-India services
2. Amending the constitution
3. The removal of the government
4. Making cut motions

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• In the following matters, the powers and status of the Rajya Sabha are equal to those of the Lok Sabha:
  • Introduction and passage of Ordinary Bills
  • Introduction and passage of Constitutional Amendment Bills
  • Introduction and passage of Financial Bills involving expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India
  • Election and impeachment of the President
  • Election and removal of the Vice-President. However, removal of the Vice-President can be initiated only in the Rajya Sabha. The resolution must be passed by the Rajya Sabha with a special majority and agreed to by the Lok Sabha with a simple majority.
  • Recommendation for removal of the Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, the Chief Election Commissioner, and the Comptroller and Auditor General
  • Approval of Presidential ordinances
  • Approval of proclamations of all three types of emergencies
  • Selection of Ministers, including the Prime Minister
  • Ministers may belong to either House but are collectively responsible only to the Lok Sabha
  • Consideration of reports of constitutional bodies such as the Finance Commission, UPSC, and CAG
  • Enlargement of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Union Public Service Commission

Option (a) is incorrect

• The Rajya Sabha has been given two exclusive or special powers that are not enjoyed by the Lok Sabha:
  • It can authorise the Parliament to make a law on a subject enumerated in the State List (Article 249).
  • It can authorise the Parliament to create new All-India Services common to both the Centre and states (Article 312).

Option (c) and (d) are incorrect

• In the following matters, the powers and status of the Rajya Sabha are unequal to that of the Lok Sabha:
  • A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and not in the Rajya Sabha.
  • Rajya Sabha cannot amend or reject a Money Bill. It should return the bill to the Lok Sabha within 14 days, either with recommendations or without recommendations. The Lok Sabha can either accept or reject all or any of the recommendations of the Rajya Sabha. In both the cases, the money bill is deemed to have been passed by the two Houses.
  • A financial bill, not containing solely the matters of Article 110, also can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and not in the Rajya Sabha. But, with regard to its passage, both the Houses have equal powers.
  • The final power to decide whether a particular bill is a Money Bill or not is vested in the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
  • The Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over the joint sitting of both the Houses.
  • The Lok Sabha with a greater number wins the battle in a joint sitting except when the combined strength of the ruling party in both the Houses is less than that of the opposition parties.
  • Rajya Sabha can only discuss the budget but cannot vote on the demands for grants (which is the exclusive privilege of the Lok Sabha).
  • A resolution for the discontinuance of the national emergency can be passed only by the Lok Sabha and not by the Rajya Sabha.
  • The Rajya Sabha cannot remove the council of ministers by passing a no-confidence motion. This is because the Council of ministers is collectively responsible only to the Lok Sabha. But the Rajya Sabha can discuss and criticise the policies and activities of the government.
• A cut motion is a special power vested in members of the Lok Sabha to oppose a demand being discussed for specific allocation by the government in the Finance Bill as part of the Demand for Grants.
• If the motion is adopted, it amounts to a no-confidence vote, and if the government fails to jot up numbers in the lower House, it is obliged to resign according to the norms of the House.

Answer: (b) Amending the constitution; Difficulty Level: Easy