{"id":2720,"date":"2025-05-26T14:52:40","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T09:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/?p=2720"},"modified":"2025-05-26T14:52:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T09:22:42","slug":"q-with-reference-to-the-indian-polity-consider-the-following-statements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/upsc\/q-with-reference-to-the-indian-polity-consider-the-following-statements","title":{"rendered":"Q. With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements:"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An Ordinance can amend any Central Act.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An Ordinance can <strong>abridge a Fundamental Right<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An Ordinance can come into effect from a back date.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Which of the statements given above are correct?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list mcq\">\n<li>1 and 2 only<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2 and 3 only<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 and 3 only<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1, 2 and 3<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ordinance:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An&nbsp;<strong>Ordinance<\/strong>, within the context of governance and law, is&nbsp;<strong>a piece of legislation enacted by a non-legislative authority<\/strong>, often the executive branch of government, under specific circumstances.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The provision of the Ordinance is mainly&nbsp;<strong>aimed<\/strong>&nbsp;at enabling the executive <strong>to make laws when the legislature is not in session<\/strong> or when an&nbsp;<strong>urgent matter<\/strong>&nbsp;demands immediate attention.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-kb-palette-4-color\">An Ordinance, usually, has the <strong>same force and effect as an Act enacted by the legislative body<\/strong>. The only difference between the two is that while an&nbsp;<strong>Act<\/strong>&nbsp;is&nbsp;<strong>permanent<\/strong>, an Ordinance is of a&nbsp;<strong>temporary nature<\/strong>.<\/mark><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/upsc-notes\/constitution-of-india\/\">Constitution of India<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;provides for the promulgation of <strong>ordinances making power by the President of India as well as the Governors of states<\/strong>. The constitutional provisions regarding the same are as follows:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Article 123:<\/strong>&nbsp;empowers the&nbsp;<strong>President<\/strong>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<strong>promulgate ordinances<\/strong>&nbsp;during the recess of Parliament.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Article 213:<\/strong>&nbsp;empowers the&nbsp;<strong>Governor<\/strong>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<strong>promulgate ordinances<\/strong>&nbsp;during the recess of the State Legislature.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ordinance Making Power of President<\/strong>:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Article 123<\/strong>&nbsp;of the Constitution&nbsp;<strong>empowers the President to promulgate ordinances<\/strong>&nbsp;during the recess of Parliament.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Constitution puts the following&nbsp;<strong>four limitations&nbsp;<\/strong>on the ordinance making power of President.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An ordinance must be <strong>(1) laid before Parliament, (2) cease to operate after six weeks of Parliament&#8217;s reassembly unless approved, (3) withdrawn by the President at any time, and (4) not make provisions that Parliament itself lacks the power to enact<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The President can promulgate an ordinance&nbsp;<strong>only when either both or one<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>of the Houses&nbsp;<\/strong>of Parliament are\/is&nbsp;<strong>not in session.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An ordinance promulgated by the President&nbsp;<strong>when both the Houses are in session is void<\/strong>. Thus, the power of the President to promulgate ordinances is&nbsp;<strong>not a parallel power of legislation.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The president can promulgate an ordinance only when he is&nbsp;<strong>satisfied&nbsp;<\/strong>that the&nbsp;<strong>circumstances&nbsp;<\/strong>exist that render it&nbsp;<strong>necessary&nbsp;<\/strong>for him to take&nbsp;<strong>immediate action<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Except&nbsp;<\/strong>for&nbsp;<strong>duration<\/strong>, the ordinance making power of the President is&nbsp;<strong>coextensive&nbsp;<\/strong>with regard to all matters,&nbsp;<strong>with&nbsp;<\/strong>the<strong>&nbsp;legislative powers of the Parliament<\/strong>. Thus:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An ordinance can be issued&nbsp;<strong>only&nbsp;<\/strong>on those&nbsp;<strong>subjects&nbsp;<\/strong>on which the&nbsp;<strong>Parliament has the power<\/strong>&nbsp;to make laws.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An ordinance is subject to the&nbsp;<strong>same constitutional limitation<\/strong>&nbsp;as an act of Parliament. Hence, an ordinance cannot abridge or take away any of the fundamental rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Every ordinance promulgated by the President during the recess of Parliament&nbsp;<strong>must be laid before both the Houses<\/strong>&nbsp;of Parliament when it reassembles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The&nbsp;<strong>Parliament has the following three options<\/strong>&nbsp;w.r.t ordinance making power so brought before it:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Approve the Ordinance: If both houses of the Parliament approve the ordinance, it becomes an act immediately.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disapprove the Ordinance<\/strong>: If both the Houses of Parliament pass resolutions disapproving the ordinance, it<strong>&nbsp;ceases to operate immediately.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Take No Action:<\/strong>&nbsp;If no action is taken by the Parliament w.r.t. the ordinance, it&nbsp;<strong>ceases to operate on the expiry of six weeks from the<\/strong><strong>reassembly&nbsp;<\/strong>of Parliament.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the Houses of Parliament are summoned to reassemble on different dates, the period of six weeks is calculated from the later of those dates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thus,&nbsp;<strong>in case of non-approval<\/strong>&nbsp;by the Parliament, the&nbsp;<strong>maximum life of an ordinance<\/strong>&nbsp;can be&nbsp;<strong>six months and six weeks.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is because the maximum possible gap between the sessions of the Parliament can be six months.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The following points are to be noted w.r.t. an ordinance making power promulgated by the President:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>If<\/strong>&nbsp;an ordinance is&nbsp;<strong>allowed to lapse<\/strong>&nbsp;without being placed before Parliament, then the&nbsp;<strong>acts done and completed<\/strong>&nbsp;under it, before it ceases to operate,&nbsp;<strong>remain fully valid and effective.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The President can&nbsp;<strong>promulgate&nbsp;<\/strong>as well as&nbsp;<strong>withdraw&nbsp;<\/strong>an ordinance at&nbsp;<strong>any time.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, it is to be noted that the ordinance making power of the President is&nbsp;<strong>not a discretionary power.<\/strong>&nbsp;He can&nbsp;<strong>promulgate&nbsp;<\/strong>or&nbsp;<strong>withdraw&nbsp;<\/strong>an ordinance&nbsp;<strong>only on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers (CoM).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-kb-palette-4-color\">Like any other legislation, an ordinance&nbsp;<strong>can be retrospective.<\/strong><\/mark>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Thus, <strong>it may come into force from a back date.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As far as the&nbsp;<strong>Scope of the Ordinance<\/strong>&nbsp;is concerned, it\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Can&nbsp;<\/strong>modify or repeal any act of Parliament or another ordinance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Can&nbsp;<\/strong>amend a tax law.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-kb-palette-34-color\"><strong>Can not&nbsp;<\/strong>amend the Constitution.<\/mark><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Comparison between Ordinance Making Powers of President &amp; Governors<\/strong>:<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>President (Article 123)<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Governor (Article 213)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>\u2013 He can promulgate an ordinance only when&nbsp;<strong>either both or one of the Houses<\/strong>&nbsp;of Parliament are\/is&nbsp;<strong>not in session.<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2013 He can promulgate an ordinance only when&nbsp;<strong>either both or one of the Houses<\/strong>&nbsp;of the State Legislative Assembly are\/is&nbsp;<strong>not in session<\/strong>.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 He can promulgate an ordinance only when he is satisfied that&nbsp;<strong>circumstances exist<\/strong>&nbsp;that render it necessary for him to take&nbsp;<strong>immediate action<\/strong>.<\/td><td>\u2013 He can promulgate an ordinance only when he is satisfied that&nbsp;<strong>circumstances exist<\/strong>&nbsp;which render it necessary for him to take&nbsp;<strong>immediate action.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 His ordinance making power is&nbsp;<strong>co-extensive<\/strong>&nbsp;with the legislative power of the&nbsp;<strong>Parliament<\/strong>.<br>\u2013 This means that he can issue ordinances&nbsp;<strong>only on<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>those subjects<\/strong>&nbsp;on which the&nbsp;<strong>Parliament&nbsp;<\/strong>can make laws.<\/td><td>\u2013 His ordinance making power is&nbsp;<strong>co-extensive<\/strong>&nbsp;with the legislative power of the<strong>&nbsp;State Legislature.&nbsp;<\/strong><br>\u2013 This means that he can issue ordinances&nbsp;<strong>only on those subjects<\/strong>&nbsp;on which the&nbsp;<strong>State Legislature<\/strong>&nbsp;can make laws.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him has the&nbsp;<strong>same force and effect<\/strong>&nbsp;as an Act of the&nbsp;<strong>Parliament<\/strong>.<\/td><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him has the&nbsp;<strong>same force and effect<\/strong>&nbsp;as an Act of the&nbsp;<strong>State Legislature.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him is subject to the&nbsp;<strong>same limitations<\/strong>&nbsp;as an Act of&nbsp;<strong>Parliament<\/strong>.<br>\u2013 This means that an ordinance issued by him will be invalid to the extent it makes any provision that the Parliament cannot make.<\/td><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him\/her is subject to the&nbsp;<strong>same limitations<\/strong>&nbsp;as an act of the&nbsp;<strong>State Legislature.<\/strong><br>\u2013 This means that an ordinance issued by him will be invalid to the extent it makes any provision that the State Legislature cannot make.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 He&nbsp;<strong>can withdraw<\/strong>&nbsp;an ordinance at&nbsp;<strong>any time.<\/strong><\/td><td>\u2013 He&nbsp;<strong>can withdraw<\/strong>&nbsp;an ordinance at&nbsp;<strong>any time.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 His ordinance making power is&nbsp;<strong>not a discretionary power.<\/strong>&nbsp;This means that he can promulgate or withdraw an ordinance&nbsp;<strong>only on the advice of the Council of Ministers&nbsp;<\/strong>headed by the Prime Minister.<\/td><td>\u2013 His ordinance making power is&nbsp;<strong>not a discretionary power<\/strong>. This means that he can promulgate or withdraw an ordinance&nbsp;<strong>only on the advice of the Council of Ministers<\/strong>&nbsp;headed by the Chief Minister.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 An ordinance&nbsp;<strong>should be laid before<\/strong>&nbsp;both the Houses of&nbsp;<strong>Parliament&nbsp;<\/strong>when it reassembles.<\/td><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him&nbsp;<strong>should be laid before the Legislative Assembly&nbsp;<\/strong>or both the Houses of the State Legislature (in case of a bicameral legislature) when it reassembles.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him&nbsp;<strong>ceases to operate on the expiry of six weeks<\/strong>&nbsp;from the reassembly of Parliament. It may cease to operate even earlier than the prescribed six weeks if both Houses of Parliament pass resolutions disapproving it.<\/td><td>\u2013 An ordinance issued by him&nbsp;<strong>ceases to operate on the expiry of six weeks&nbsp;<\/strong>from the reassembly of the State Legislature. It may cease to operate even earlier than the prescribed six weeks if a resolution disapproving it is passed by the Legislative Assembly and is agreed to by the Legislative Council (in case of a bicameral legislature).<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>President (Article 123)<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Governor (Article 213)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>He&nbsp;<strong>needs no instruction<\/strong>&nbsp;to make an ordinance.<\/td><td>He&nbsp;<strong>cannot make<\/strong>&nbsp;an ordinance&nbsp;<strong>without instructions from<\/strong>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<strong>President in three cases:<\/strong><br>\u2013 If a bill containing the same provisions would have required the previous sanction of the President for its introduction into the State Legislature.<br>\u2013 If he would have deemed it necessary to reserve a bill containing the same provisions for the consideration of the President.<br>\u2013 If an act of the State Legislature containing the same provisions would have been invalid without receiving the President\u2019s assent.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Which of the statements given above are correct? Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only Ordinance: Ordinance Making Power of President: Comparison between Ordinance Making Powers of President &amp; Governors: President (Article 123) Governor (Article 213) \u2013 He can promulgate an ordinance only when&nbsp;either both or one of the Houses&nbsp;of Parliament are\/is&nbsp;not in session. \u2013 He&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,3],"tags":[39],"years":[63],"class_list":["post-2720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-upsc","category-prelims","tag-indian-polity","years-63"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1,"label":"UPSC"},{"value":3,"label":"Prelims"}],"post_tag":[{"value":39,"label":"Indian Polity"}],"years":[{"value":63,"label":"2025"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"LotusArise","author_link":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/author\/team-lotusarise"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1,"name":"UPSC","slug":"upsc","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1269,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1,"category_count":1269,"category_description":"","cat_name":"UPSC","category_nicename":"upsc","category_parent":0},{"term_id":3,"name":"Prelims","slug":"prelims","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":1,"count":1251,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":3,"category_count":1251,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Prelims","category_nicename":"prelims","category_parent":1}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":39,"name":"Indian Polity","slug":"indian-polity","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":39,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":188,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2720\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2720"},{"taxonomy":"years","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lotusarise.com\/qna\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/years?post=2720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}