8. Which of the following need/needs votes of two third majority of total membership of both Ā houses of parliament? (JNU MA 2019)
(i) Impeachment of President
(ii) Removal of the Vice-President
(iii) Removal of the Supreme Court Judges
(iv) Amendment of Lists in the Scheduled Seven of the Constitution.
In the Indian parliamentary system, the following matters require a two-thirds majority of the total membership of both houses of Parliament:
(i) Impeachment of the President: This requires a two-thirds majority of the total membership of both houses of Parliament.
(ii) Removal of the Vice-President: This requires a resolution to be passed by a majority of all the then members of the Rajya Sabha and agreed to by the Lok Sabha with a simple majority. Hence, it does not need a two-thirds majority of the total membership of both houses.
(iii) Removal of the Supreme Court Judges: This requires a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting in each house of Parliament, but not necessarily a two-thirds majority of the total membership of both houses.
(iv) Amendment of Lists in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution: This requires a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting in each house of Parliament and also a majority of the total membership of each house, in accordance with Article 368 of the Indian Constitution. Moreover, the bill should be ratified by half of the states.
Therefore, the correct answers that need votes of a two-thirds majority of the total membership of both houses of Parliament are:
- Impeachment of the President.
So, the correct options are:
(i) Impeachment of the President and