Q. Consider the following statements:
1.The President of India has absolute discretion to dissolve the Lok Sabha in certain situations.
2.The power to dissolve the Lok Sabha reflects the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty of the Indian government.
3.When the Lok Sabha is dissolved before its term ends, it results in postponement of all ongoing legislative processes.
4.When the Lok Sabha is dissolved, its members immediately lose their representative character.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation –
Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect. The President of India does not have absolute discretion to dissolve the Lok Sabha. The President generally acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers as per Article 74 of the Indian Constitution. The power to dissolve the Lok Sabha is part of the constitutional framework and reflects the executive’s role in the parliamentary system, not parliamentary sovereignty. Parliamentary sovereignty pertains to the supremacy of Parliament in legislative matters, whereas the dissolution power involves the executive branch (the President) acting on the advice of the Prime Minister. The power to dissolve the Lok Sabha reflects principle of the responsible government of the Indian government.
Statements 3 and 4 are correct. Dissolution of the Lok Sabha terminates all pending business, including bills, motions, resolutions, and notices. These legislative processes lapse and must be reintroduced in the next session if they are to be considered again. When the Lok Sabha is dissolved, its members immediately cease to be representatives, losing their legislative powers. Although they may continue to perform certain administrative functions until the new Lok Sabha is constituted, they no longer have legislative authority.
Source: AIR
