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MAKING OF THE LAW AND DEBATING A BILL Union List
The chief function of the Parliament is to make The Parliament can make laws on the subjects
laws. When a member or the government feels included in the Union List. There are 97 subjects
that a law should be made, a proposal is which are considered of national importance and
presented in either house of the Parliament. This have been included in this list. These subjects
proposal is called a bill. A bill becomes a law include railways, external affairs, treaties, defence,
when it has gone through the specified procedure communication, posts and telegraph, currency etc.
successfully. State List
A bill has to pass through three readings in the The state legislatures can make laws on the subjects
house in which it is presented. In the first reading, included in the State List. These laws are applicable
the bill is introduced and circulated in the house. for the respective states only. There are 66 subjects
In the second reading, a clause-to-clause reading in the State List which are considered of importance
is done, and it is debated. At this stage, any to the states, such as police, agriculture, irrigation,
suggested amendments are also moved and health, sanitation, hospital etc.
debated. The bill is put to voting at the third
reading. If it is passed, then it is sent to the other
house, where too it goes through the same
procedure. When a bill has been passed by both
houses of the Parliament, it is sent to the President
for his assent. It becomes a law after he assents to
it.
A highway A hospital A dam
The President can send the bill back to the
Concurrent List
Parliament for reconsideration. If the Parliament
passes the bill again, then the President is bound There are 47 subjects under the Concurrent List.
Both the Parliament and the state legislatures can
to give his assent.
make laws on the subjects included under this list;
Ordinary Bills and Money Bills however, in case both of them have made a law,
Bills can be divided into two broad categories : the law made by the Parliament shall prevail. The
ordinary bills and money bills . An ordinary bill subjects included under this list include
can be presented in either house of the education, marriage, divorce, electricity, trade
Parliament. Both the houses have equal powers in unions, newspapers, civil and criminal procedure,
respect of an ordinary bill. On the other hand, a labour welfare etc. Education has been transferred
money bill can be introduced only in the Lok from the State List to the Concurrent List recently.
Sabha and the powers of the Rajya Sabha Residuary Power
regarding it are limited. A money bill concerns the
income and expenditure of the government. The An effort has been made to include all subjects
Chairman/Speaker decides whether a bill is under the above three lists; however, with the
progress and changing circumstances, there may
money bill or not. The Rajya Sabha can only give
suggestions on a money bill and can at the most be a need to make a law on a new subject which
delay it for a maximum of 14 days, after which the has not been included in any of these three lists.
In such a case, the Parliament is empowered to
bill is considered to have been passed by the
Rajya Sabha. make a law on that subject. This power is called
the residuary power .
Three Lists
All the subjects on which the Parliament and state IMPLICATION OF LAW
legislatures can make laws are divided into three What does a law signify? A law is like a rule in
Lists—Union List, State List and Concurrent List.
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