Chapter 5 - The State Government
1. Choose the correct option and complete the statements.
(1) The Winter session of Maharashtra Legislature takes place at …………. .
(a) Mumbai
(b) Nagpur
(c) Pune
(d) Aurangabad
Ans: Option (b) – Nagpur
(2) The …………… appoints the Governor.
(a) Chief Minister
(b) Prime Minister
(c) President
(d) Chief Justice
Ans: Option (c) – President
(3) The right to summon the state legislature lies with the ……………
(a) Chief Minister
(b) Governor
(c) President
(d) Speaker
Ans: Option (b) – Governor
2. Complete the table.
| Houses | Vidhan Sabha | Vidhan Parishad |
|---|---|---|
Tenure | ||
No. of Members | ||
Type of Election | ||
Head |
Ans:
| Houses | Vidhan Sabha | Vidhan Parishad |
|---|---|---|
Tenure | (i) 5 years | (i) Permanent House. |
No. of Members | 288 | 78 |
Type of Election | (i) Directly elected by people. | Indirectly elected in following ways: |
Head | Speaker: The elected members of Vidhan Sabha elect from among themselves. | Chairman: The members of Vidhan Parishad elect from among themselves. |
3. Write short notes on.
(1) The Governor
Ans:
(i) The Governor is the titular or nominal head of the state.
(ii) The government of the state is run in the name of the governor.
(iii) He is appointed by the President and holds the office during the pleasure of the President.
(iv) He appoints the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers.
(v) As the head of the state, he enjoys certain important legislative and executive powers.
(vi) He has a right to summon the session of the state legislature.
(vii) In case the need arises, he can issue an ordinance to make the law.
(2) Functions of the Chief Minister
Ans: The functions of the Chief Minister, as the executive head of the state, are as follows:
(i) To form an able council of ministers, giving maximum representation to various regions and social groups.
(ii) To distribute portfolios, considering the political experience, administrative skills, public awareness, leadership, etc., of the ministers
(iii) To develop proper cooperation and coordination between departments, resolve their conflicts, and make them work effectively,
(iv) To lead the state, frame proper policies, implement them effectively, intervene in state issues, and solve them for the comfort of the people.
4. Answer the following in brief.
(1) Enumerate the functions of the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly).
Ans: The Speaker is elected by the members of the Vidhan Sabha. His functions are as follows:
(i) To prepare the order of daily proceedings in the House.
(ii) To carry out the proceedings of the House in a disciplined manner.
(iii) To suspend the members for misbehaviour or misconduct.
(iv) To control and guide the proceedings of the House during sessions.
(2) Why did the Constitution adopt a federal system for India?
Ans:
(i) India is a country with a large geographic expanse.
(ii) It has a multicultural population.
(iii) There is a great diversity in language, religion, ways of life, and regional characteristics.
(iv) It would not have been possible to govern such a huge country from a central location.
Hence, the Constitution adopted a federal system for India.
(3) What are the considerations of the Chief Minister while allocation of portfolios?
Ans: After the formation of the Council of Ministers, the Chief Minister has to distribute portfolios among the ministers. He has to consider the following aspects:
(i) Some portfolios are of prime importance, while others are of secondary importance. He has to select appropriate people for each portfolio.
(ii) He has to consider the experience and efficiency of the ministers he has selected.
(iii) The political experience and administrative skills of the concerned ministers are also taken into consideration by him.
(iv) Other factors like the awareness of public issues, effective leadership, etc. are also considered by him.
(v) If the government is in a coalition, he has to distribute portfolios appropriately among the constituent parties in the alliance.