CIVICS IMPORTANT NOTES

1. in 1934 i.e Indian National Congress raised a demand for Constituent Assembly
which gained momentum during the Second World War and thus formed in
December 1946 and then this assembly was created from 1946 to 1949, the
Constitution of India, which was adopted finally on Jan 26, 1950.

2. Unity was there amongst all the members and all the provisions and articles
and important points were discussed first to reach the final conclusion.

3. All democracies of the world are likely to have a Constitution, but not all
countries that have a Constitution are necessarily a democracy.

4. A Constitution serves as a set of rules and regulations that every citizen of a

country should agree upon, the basis of how they wish to be governed.

5. The Constitution of a country states the fundamental nature of its society.

6. In a democratic country or society, the Constitution lays down the rules and
regulations that safeguard us against the political leaders' abuse of authority
and power.

7. The constitution makes sure that no dominant group uses its power against
minority communities or its less powerful citizens.

8. The constitution protects us against harmful decisions that can hurt the broader
principles the country believes in.

9. It reflects our political system.

10. In a democracy, the leaders or representatives are chosen by the citizens

who exercise their powers to run the government on their behalf.

11. No law of the country can change the basic structure of the Constitution.

12. Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as well as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
(Father of the Constitution) were also part of the constitution-making body i.e
Constituent Assembly.
13.
The Indian Constitution: Key Features
1. Federalism
 It infers the presence of more than one level of government i.e. in the centre
and the states in a country.

 In India, we have a central government, state-level governments, and

Panchayati Raj in every village.

 The three-tier division helps people in enjoying the autonomy in exercising

powers on various issues.

 The Constitution provides a list of subjects for all the tiers that specify the
law-making authority of each tier.

 The Constitution specifies the source of revenue for each tier of the
government.

 The Constitution guides and provides authority to function to the states.

 Indian citizens are governed by the laws and regulations made by these
levels of government.


2. Parliamentary Form of Government

 It refers to the presence of Parliament in the country which makes law and
according to which the Prime Minister is considered as the Head of the
Government.

 The Constitution of India guarantees Universal Adult Suffrage to all its

citizens with respect to their roles in electing their representatives.

 Besides this, every citizen also has the right to contest elections.


3. Separation of Powers
There are three main organs of the government:
 Legislature: It refers to the elected representatives by the people. The
legislature is entitled to make laws.
  Executive: The executive is that branch of government which exercises its
authority in the implementation of the laws enacted by the legislature.

 Judiciary: The judiciary is responsible for keeping a check on the equitable

and proper implementation of the laws. The Supreme Court (highest Judicial
body) of India is considered as the final authority to interpret the provisions
of the Constitution.


4. Fundamental Rights
Fundamental Rights are basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution to its people.
This protects the people from the misuse of the powers of the state. The
Constitution of India lists six fundamental rights for its citizens, namely:

1. Right to Equality

2. Right to Freedom

3. Right against Exploitation

4. Right to Freedom of Religion

5. Cultural and Educational Rights

6. Right to Constitutional Remedies

7.

5. Secularism
A state is called secular when it doesn't promote any one religion as the official
state religion. For example, India does not have any official state religion. People
from different castes and religions reside together here.

Important Questions and Answers

1. What is the constitution?
Ans: The Constitution is a set of rules and regulations that governs the people of
a country. It constitutes of various fundamentals that help us to know the nature of
society that exists in a country.
2. State three reasons why we need a Constitution.
Ans: The three reasons that justify the need for a Constitution are:

 It lays down the ideas that govern a country or society. It helps to serve as
a set of rules that all the people of a country mutually agree upon to abide
by.

 It defines the nature and features of the political system of a country. The
constitution lays down the rules and regulations that safeguard us against
the political leaders' abuse of authority and power. The constitution makes
sure that no dominant group uses its power against minority communities or
less powerful citizens.

 The constitution protects us against harmful decisions that can hurt the
broader principles the country believes in.


3. When was the Indian Constitution written?

Ans: It took three long years i.e. from December 1946 to November 1949 to
complete the drafting of the Indian Constitution. The Constitution was adopted on
26th November, 1949 and came into effect on 26th January, 1950.

4. Who was the Chairman of the Constitution drafting committee?

Ans: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Constitution drafting committee.

5. Write a note on the freedom struggle in Nepal.

Ans: The freedom struggle in Nepal:
 The people's struggle for freedom started in 1990.

 Democracy was ascertained, but it only lasted 12 years.

 The Constitution adopted by Nepal in 1990 reflected that the final authority
lies with the King.

 King Gyanendra, with the assistance of the army, began taking over the
government in 2002. In 2005, he finally took over the government.

 In 2006, the movement of democracy started and the third parliament was
restored in April.
  In 2008, Nepal abolished the monarchy and adopted democracy.

 It takes time to form new rules and regulations, finally in 2015 Nepal adopted
a new constitution.


6. What are the downsides of a democratic society?

Ans: The downsides of a democratic society are the following:
 In a democratic society, powers can easily be misused.

 The majority community can undermine the minority community.

 Without a set of rules, there is a strong possibility of making incorrect

decisions that may harm society as a whole or have serious adverse effects.


7. How does the constitution protect minority communities?

Ans: The Constitution protects the minority communities by:
 Assuring that the majority group doesn't abuse its power against the
minorities.

 It contains a set of rules that ensure that the minorities are included in the
society to the extent as that of the majority.


8. State the highlights of the text prepared by Dr. Ambedkar.

Ans: The highlights of the text prepared by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar are:
 Federalism

 Separation of powers

 Parliamentary form of government

 Directive Principles of State Policy

 Freedom to practise any religion of one's choice

 Economic rights and social rights for women

 Constitutional assurances and safety of all citizens

  Prohibition of untouchability

 Outlawing any form of discrimination

 Reservation for STs and SCs in areas like civil service jobs and
educational institutions.

 Exercise of Voting Rights.



9. What do you mean by universal adult franchise?

Ans: It refers to the right to vote given to all the citizens of a country who are more
than a certain prescribed years of age regardless of their gender, caste, creed,
financial, and educational status.

For example: In India, the legal age to cast a vote is 18 years. However, for some
other countries, this may be different.

10. State the two-fold objectives of fundamental rights.

Ans: The two-fold objectives of fundamental rights are:

 That every person must be in a position to claim these rights.

 The Fundamental Rights must be binding upon the state or the authority that
has the power to enact laws.


11. What does the term "State" mean?

Ans: The term "State" can refer to the authorities or the political institutions formed
by the Constitution to enact laws for people living in a determined territory or place.

Necessity of Constitution in a Country

Every democratic country has a written constitution. But not every country that
has a constitution needs to be democratic. The constitution of a country shapes its
fundamental nature of society. The Constitution makes sure that the country is
under discipline and governed in a certain way. All the citizens can agree upon a
natural decision of the constitution. Three vital reasons to have a constitution are:
  The Constitution prevents the improper power use of the dominant groups
against the less powerful people.

 The constitution ensures that political leaders use their power in the wrong
way and harm citizens.

 The constitution of a country protects the citizens from the effective adverse
decision on large principles of the country.

Characteristics of the Indian Constitution

Civics in Social Science Class 8 Chapter 1 presents an overview of our country's
constitution. Every culture has its own set of norms that set it apart from the rest.
Certain special norms are required in a big group or culture, such as a country.
The rules keep the country's discipline. These constitutive norms are available in
writing form in modern nations. Our country's constitution is written in this style.
India has a constitution with several fundamental aspects that must be obeyed.
The major aspects of the Indian constitution Class 8 are briefly addressed below.

Federalism: The government having more than one level in a country is called
federalism. The Indian constitution has federalism in its rules. There are several
government levels in our country, such as state-level government, Panchayati level
government, central level, etc. Federalism contains the collective law system of
different government levels. The constitution decides the activities of each tier of
government. This policy of federalism governs all citizens of India.

Parliamentary Government Form: India is a republic country. Every

citizen of India has the right to elect their favourite representative and have a direct
role in the election. Also, the citizens can be the representative with eligibility
criteria and contest in the election.

Power Separation: Indian government power is separated into three different

organs. Three government organs are –
 The citizens elect the representation, and that person is called the
legislature.
  The group that runs the government and implements laws are called the
executive.

 The court system of India is called the judiciary.

Fundamental Rights: The citizens of India have some individual rights,

which are called fundamental rights. The fundamental rights of Indian citizens are-

 Right to freedom

 Right to equality

 Right to freedom of religion

 Right to constitutional remedies

 Rights against exploitation

 Cultural and educational rights

The objectives of fundamental rights are-

 The rights must be upon the in-charge authority, which makes the law.

 The citizens must be able to claim fundamental rights.

Secularism: In secular countries, the states do not have the right to promote any
specific religion. The citizens of a secular country can have any religion. The Indian
constitution includes secularism, and that is why India is a secular country.
 CH-2
1. History has witnessed all the gruesome discrimination, persecution, exclusion,
& the torture done to people based on the religion which they follow. In the present
civilized world, matters like this can be strictly prevented to safeguard communities
& protect a person's right. That's why the word secularism is inscribed in the
preamble of the constitution of India. Below is the vital information you'll need to
learn about India, and it's secularism.

2. What is Secularism?

Secularism generally refers to the separation of religion from a State. It is very

essential to separate religion from the state for the country to practice its
democracy. Most of the countries have people of more than one religion who
reside within the state. We ought to safeguard individuals' right to preach and
practice the religion of their choice.

3. What is Indian Secularism?

a. According to the Indian Constitution, a secular state ought to ensure that:

I. One religious community should not assert dominance over the other.

II. Members of the same religious community should not dominate each other.
III. The state would not enforce any specific religion or take away the freedom
and support of the other religions.

b. Government spaces in India like police stations, law courts, & government
institutions are prohibited from promoting any particular religion. The state
can make exceptions for specific religions to respect the sentiments of the
religion. For example, Sikhs are generally permitted to wear a turban while
riding a bike instead of the helmet.

c. Secularism in India also prevents the dominance of one majority over the
minority through various strategic interventions. For example, the Indian
Constitution bans untouchability in any form or kind.

4. Why is it generally Important to Separate the Religion from the State?

For the functionality of a democracy, it's imperative to separate religion from state.

I. Most of the countries have mixed religious groups living amongst each other.
If a majority group has state powers, they can easily dominate the minority religious
groups by misusing their power.

II. We need to safeguard individuals' freedom to embrace any other religion,

exit from their religion & comprehend religious teachings differently.

5. How Indian secularism is different from that of other countries?

I. Indian secularism very much varies from other democratic countries. For
example, let’s take the case of the United States of America- there is a strict
separation b/w the state and religion in America. In contrast, the state can practice
strategic interventions in religious affairs in India from time to time.

II. Although in Indian secularism, the state does not entirely separate itself from
religion, it does maintain a principled distance. It means any action or intervention
by the state will be based on constitutional principles.

III. The Constitution warrants Fundamental Rights, which is based on secular

principles.
Important Questions and Answers
1. What do you mean by coercion?

Ans: In English, coercion generally means forcing a person to do something. In

politics, it refers to the force exerted by various legal authorities, for instance, the
state.

2. What is Freedom to Interpret?

Ans: It refers to the freedom given to all the people to comprehend things in their
way. This chapter pertains to the individual liberty to formulate their understanding
and meaning of the religion they choose to practice.

3. What is State Intervention?

Ans: The state normally has the power to intervene in specific matters that align
with the Constitution. It refers to the state's efforts to influence situations, for
example, religious matters.

4. What do you mean by Secularism?

Ans: Secularism is generally a belief that nobody should be discriminated based

on the religion they follow. Regardless of the religion he/she follows, they are equal
according to the laws & regulations that govern the nation.

5. What are the reasons to separate the power of the state from religion?

Ans: Everyone should have the freedom to choose or to leave any religion and
join another one. People should also have the freedom to interpret religious
teachings as they please.

6. What is Article 17 in the Constitution?

Ans: Article 17 consists of the Right to Equality. It is also directly related to the
'Abolition of untouchability.'

It states that:

"Untouchability" is abolished, and its practice in any form is absolutely forbidden.

The enforcement of any disability arising out of "Untouchability" shall be an offence
punishable by law."

7. Give the strategies followed by the Indian government in order to establish

and maintain secularism.

Ans:
1. The strategy of non-interference.

2. The strategy of distancing itself from a religion.

3. The strategy of intervention

8. What do you mean by religion?

Ans: Religion is normally a set of personal beliefs and related practices to divinity.
It refers to people's opinions and beliefs concerning the existence, worship, and
divinity of nature.

9. What does the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution prohibit?

Ans: The first amendment of the US Constitution prohibits the legislature from
creating laws "respecting an establishment of religion" or laws which "prohibit the
free exercise of religion." This means that the legislature cannot declare any
particular religion as the official religion or any religious community's preferences.

10. Why does a country need laws?

Ans: So as to avoid people from socially unjust and cultural practices. To establish
equality between people as society discriminates against the underprivileged lower
caste people.

What Do You Understand by Secularism?

As per Class 8 Civics Chapter 2, the answer to the question ‘what is secularism’
will be the principle that guides a state to remain separate from and non impacted
upon by religious institutions.

A strategy was adopted by India in view of separating the power of religion from
the power of the State. The separation of religion from the State is termed as
Secularism. According to Understanding Secularism Class 8 notes, Indians are
permitted to live by their religious beliefs freely and practise the same.

Why is it Important to Separate Religion From State?

The answer to the question ‘why it is important to separate religion from state’ is
beautifully answered in the Class 8 Civics Chapter 2 notes. According to the study
material, religion should be kept separate from the State because:

 It enables the country to function democratically.

 The people belonging to the minority communities can otherwise be harmed

by the domination of the majority and there can be an infringement of the
Fundamental Rights.

 Individuals can exit from their religion and another religion can be embraced
by them through Secularism. According to the law, people can interpret
religious teachings in different ways.

What is Indian Secularism?

According to the Constitution of India, the Indian states must be secular. The
following objectives of Secularism can be ensured only by a secular state. The
following points also explain the answer to the question of what are the objectives
of Indian Secularism.

 One religious community cannot be dominated by another religious

community.

 Members of one religious community cannot be dominated by the members

of the other religious communities.

 Any particular religion cannot be enforced by the state and religious freedom
should not be taken away from any individual.

Steps Taken to Protect Secularism in India:

Following steps are taken by Indian State to protect Secularism in India:

a. Various strategies are taken to keep a distance from religion. No religion is

displayed or promoted in government offices such as law courts, police stations,
government schools, etc.

b. The strategy of non-interference is adopted by the Govt. According to the

above-mentioned fact, religions of all religious communities are given equal
respect. There are a few exceptions in this case.

c. A strategy of intervention is also adopted. The laws related to equivalent

legacy rights are respected and the religion-based ‘personal laws’ of communities
can be intervened by the State to ensure the same.

d. The intervention of the State can also be in the form of assistance. One
example of it is the establishment of schools and colleges by the religious
communities and the fact that they are mostly granted by the Government of India.
Financial aid is also given to these communities on a non-preferential basis.

In What Way is Indian Secularism Different From that of Other

Democratic Countries?
Secularism also answers the question, "How is Indian secularism different from
that of other democratic countries?" The fundamental distinction is the dominating
character of comprehending Secularism as practised in the United States of
America. In the case of American Secularism, religion is tightly segregated from
the state. In the case of Indian secularism, the state may meddle in religious
matters. This is the most notable distinction between Indian secularism and
secularism in other democratic countries.

Did You Know?

 Govt schools can never promote any religion.

 Untouchability is banned by the Govt. of India to prevent religion-based

exclusion and lower caste discrimination.

 India has been a secular country from the beginning of the implementation
of the Indian Constitution.

 The word ‘Secularism’ is officially added to the Indian Constitution by the

42 Amendment Act.
nd

 The most significant aspect of Secularism is its separation of religion from

the state’s power.

CH-3
A legislative body of the government is a parliament. It allows citizens of India to
participate in decision-making and be in charge of the government. Hence, it
makes the most significant symbol of Indian democracy and a primary feature of
the Constitution.

Why Should People Decide?

 On 15 August, 1947, India got independence.
th

 People used to fear the British government and were unable to give or agree
with their decisions.

 When the struggle for independence started, numerous people participated

in the struggle and got inspired by the decision-making quality and ideas of
freedom that were introduced by the freedom fighters.

 They also faced backlash and were scared while opposing and criticizing
the decisions made by the British government.

 In1885The Indian National Congress demanded the legislature a right to

discuss and ask questions about the budget by the elected members.

 In 1909 The government of India act allowed the elected members to raise
questions and participate in decision-making under British legislatures.

 After independence, the citizens were free to participate in the decision-

making process of the country indirectly by choosing the representatives of
their choice.

 The hopes and dreams of the freedom struggle have been made solid in the
Constitution of independent India that set out the fundamental principle of a
global adult franchise, i.e., that each and every grown-up citizen of the nation
have the right to vote.

People and Their Representatives

 The idea of democracy is all about the people’s participation in the political
process. It is based on the concept of “consent “ of the people.
 The decision by the people makes a government democratic and also
decides its functioning.
  The idea of democratic government is that the citizen of the country is an
important person and the government and other public institutions need to
have the trust of these citizens.
 People elect their representative to the parliament and then the government
is formed from these elected representatives.
 The Parliament, which has been made up of all representatives jointly,
regulates and directs the government. In this sense people, through the
elected representatives, make up the government and also keep it under
control.

The Role of Parliament

Established soon after 1947, the Indian Parliament constitutes an expression of
the belief that the citizens of India have in principles of democracy. Parliament has
great power as they do not represent the people.. Our country has numerous
constituencies and each constituency selects one person to the parliament. The
elected candidate becomes a member of parliament or MPs. These MPs together
form the parliament. The Lok Sabha is voted once every five years. The candidates
who generally contest elections belong to different political parties. The parliament
performs various functions such as
a. Selecting the national government,

b. Making laws,

c. Controlling, guiding, and informing the government.

1. Selecting the National Government

The Indian parliament consists of the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha, and the
president.

Lok Sabha
 After the Lok Sabha elections have taken place, a list is prepared that
reveals the number of MPs who belong to each political party. The political
party that has the maximum number of its MPs elected to the Lok Sabha, is
the winner and that party forms the government. Since there are 543 elected
(plus two Anglo-Indian nominated) members in Lok Sabha, to have a
 majority a party should contain at least half the number i.e., 272 members
or more. The members of the other political parties that do not have the
majority, they constitute the Opposition in the parliament.

 When different political parties join all together to make the government, this
is known as a coalition government. This usually happens when a single
party doesn’t get majority positions in Lok Sabha.

 The leader of the majority party becomes the Prime Minister of the country
and the rules of the Lok Sabha.

 One of the major tasks that the prime minister has to perform once he comes
to power is to assign Portfolios to its ministers. For example-Health,
Defence, finance, Textile, etc. Lok Sabha chooses the executive who is a
group of individuals who together enforce the laws that are generated by the
parliament.

The Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha is known as the upper house of the Indian parliament. It is the
permanent house of the parliament.
 It comprises 233 elected members plus 12 members who are appointed by
the president for their tremendous contributions to fields such as science,
literature, art, etc. The other members are elected by the members of the
legislative assembly of the states. The tenure of the member of the Rajya
Sabha is 6 years with one-third of its members retiring every year.

 The Rajya Sabha serves as the representative of the states of India in the
parliament. Its main role is to review and alternate the laws passed by the
Lok Sabha.

 It also initiates the bills and legislation which passes through the Rajya
Sabha and then goes to Lok Sabha for approval. A bill can only become a
law after it has been passed by both houses.

 To become a member of the Rajya Sabha, one must be a citizen of India

with a minimum age of 30 He/she should possess all the qualifications laid
by the parliament.
2. Control, Guide, and Inform the Government
The Parliament, at the same time in a session, starts with a question hour. The
question hour is a significant mechanism by which the members of parliament can
deliver information regarding the working of the government. This is the most
important way in which the parliament can keep a check on the workings of the
government and can also prevent it from becoming arbitrary in nature. The
government is notified of its shortcomings through asking questions and also
understanding the view of the individuals through their representatives in the
Parliament, i.e., the members of parliament. The opposition plays an important role
in the question hour as they are most critical of the policies and decisions of the
government. They raise important questions regarding the demands of the people
and the working of the government. The question hour also helps in increasing the
political awareness of the people as the citizens of India get to know about the
workings of the government.

3. Making of New Laws

Making laws is an important function of parliament. All the proposals from the
legislative assembly are brought to the parliament in the form of bills. The bills are
first introduced in the parliament house by any minister or member of parliament.
Then it undergoes three readings:
 1 Reading: Introduction of the bill in Lok Sabha or Rajya sabha
st

 2 Reading: Discussing the principles and provisions related to the bill.

nd

Later on, elaborating the considered bill clause by clause.

 3 Reading: Discussing the bill, as amended, to be passed.

rd

Who are the People in Parliament?

 The parliament has different people belonging from different backgrounds.
They belong to different political parties and have different ideologies.

 Over the years we have witnessed an increase in political participation by

the Dalits, minorities, and backward classes.
  In the parliament, some seats are reserved for SC and ST to give equal
advantage to the backward section of the society. This helps in
strengthening our democracy.

Important Questions and Answers

1. Who is the MLA and how does he/she get elected?
Ans: A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by
the voters of an electoral district (constituency) to the legislature of the State
government in the Indian system of government. The people elect one
representative from their constituency who becomes a member of the Legislative
Assembly (MLA).

2. Following are some of the works done by the government. Fill in the blank
with which government has done it (central or state government).
a. Introduction of a new train between Ajmer and Mysore.
Ans: Central government.

b. Introduction of a new 2000 rupee note.

Ans: Central government.

c. The decision of the Madhya Pradesh state government to discontinue

board exams of class 8 students.
Ans: State government.

d. Appointing new candidates in the states.

Ans: State government.

e. Supporting and the making of an invention.

Ans: Central government.

f. Making decisions on a river dispute.

Ans. State government.
3. Why does our national government support the idea of the right to vote for
all adults?
Ans: In the struggle for independence, people from different backgrounds came
together to fight against the British government. Everyone wanted an independent,
free and equal nation where the people have a role in decision-making. People
wanted a country to be governed by leaders who can protect people's demands
and needs. So, the national movement supported the idea of the right to vote for
all adults.

4. Who is the prime minister of India and what is the function of the ministers
selected by him?
Ans: The Prime Minister of India is the leader of the majority party. The prime
minister selects the ministers from his party who work with him to make important
decisions. They take charge of different areas of the government like finance,
education, health, etc.

5. How does the parliament control, guide, and inform the government?
Ans: The parliament begins with a question hour in the winter session where
important questions from different aspects are raised about the government's
work. Through these questions, the government gets information about the
situations and gets to know about people's demands and needs. The opposition
party highlights the drawbacks of various programs and policies and mobilizes
support for their own programs. The opposition acts as the main critic of the
policies made by the government.

What Do You Mean by Parliament?

Parliament consists of a body of the people’s representatives and accommodates
the members of the Central Government within it. The people directly elect the
members of the Parliament and each member of the Parliament comes into power
by contesting elections in a particular constituency of the country. In India, as part
of the Parliament, we have the President of India, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya
Sabha, or the lower house and upper house, respectively.
In the Lok Sabha, there are 543 constituencies with 2 extra reserved for the Anglo-
Indian community in India. In the Rajya Sabha, there are 245 members, of which
12 people excelling in their fields of arts, sciences, etc. are nominated by the
President of India. Bills are passed from one house or sabha to the other before
the President’s signature is put on the bill to finally turn it into law. Thus, the
Parliament is a place for deliberation and discussion of laws before they are
passed and what goes on in Parliament determines the political climate going on
in the rest of the country.

Why Do We Need A Parliament?

A government consists of the representatives chosen by the people of a country,
and this is through the democratic process of free and fair elections. In a country
as vast as India, with over a billion people, and thousands of different languages
and cultures, and here comes why we need Parliament. Surely, we cannot
inculcate what every single person wants, which is why we go with majorities in
our country. However, the Parliament also includes the representatives that have
been elected by the minorities in the country as well. It is inclusivity which is the
biggest reason why we need Parliament, and without it, the ruling of the country
will be extremely unfair and unjust.

Functions of Parliament (Class 8)

The Parliament plays an incredibly important role in the politics and general
functioning of a country. Let’s take a look at a few of these roles of the Parliament
in the functioning of a country:

To Constitute the National Government

In the Parliament, there is a mix of several political parties, and the one with the
highest vote share is the one that comes into power as the ruling party, also known
as the government. The remaining parties are all the opposition of the ruling party,
and this is how the national government comes to be selected.
To Select the Cabinet and Other Ministers
It is the job of the Prime Minister to select who she wants in her cabinet, and it is
also the discretion of the Prime Minister to decide who will take up responsibilities
of the other ministries.

To Select the Executive

The executive is one of three organs of the government along with the legislature
(i.e. the Parliament). It is the Parliament’s job to select the members of committees
and departments coming under the executive.

Keeping the Government in Check

Before every session of Parliament begins, there is a question hour where
opposition parties can question the ruling party in whichever matter of political
relevance. This shows the government that people are watching and that its
actions must be explained when asked about. It keeps the activities of the present
government in check and disallows the misuse of governmental power.

To Make Laws
This is the primary function of the Parliament - making laws. Deliberations and
discussions go on in the Parliament about what kind of laws should be made, on
what topics, in what capacities, etc. Bills are written in the Parliament and passed
from one house to another before they can become a law, thus the opinions of the
members of both houses are considered in the drafting of laws for a country.