📘 Q.6 IAS Prelims 2023 — Polity & Governance: Finance Bill vs Money Bill

🧷 Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

📍 The Question:

With reference to Finance Bill and Money Bill in the Indian Parliament, consider the following statements:

  1. When the Lok Sabha transmits Finance Bill to the Rajya Sabha, it can amend or reject the Bill.
  2. When the Lok Sabha transmits Money Bill to the Rajya Sabha, it cannot amend or reject the Bill, it can only make recommendations.
  3. In the case of disagreement between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, there is no joint sitting for Money Bill, but a joint sitting becomes necessary for Finance Bill.

How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Correct Answer: (a)


🔎 Curiosity Raiser (UPSC trap zone)

UPSC deliberately mixes Money Bill and Finance Bill to test whether you know the exact constitutional procedure, not surface similarity.


🧠 Core Concept Tested

Articles 110, 117 and 108 — Legislative procedure for financial legislation


🔍 Classroom Explanation (UPSC Prelims Focused)

Statement 1 ❌

  • Only Money Bills (Article 110) restrict Rajya Sabha’s powers.
  • Finance Bill (I) under Article 117(1) is treated like an ordinary bill.
  • Hence, the statement is over-generalised and incorrect.

Statement 2 ✅

  • For a Money Bill, Rajya Sabha:
    • cannot amend or reject,
    • can only make recommendations.
  • Lok Sabha may accept or reject them.

Statement 3 ❌

  • No joint sitting for Money Bills.
  • For Finance Bills, joint sitting is possible but not mandatory.
  • The phrase “becomes necessary” makes the statement incorrect.

📘 Enrich Notes (Prelims Value Add)

  • Money Bill (Art. 110) → Lok Sabha supremacy, no joint sitting
  • Finance Bill (Art. 117) → Two types; Finance Bill I follows ordinary procedure
  • Joint Sitting (Art. 108) → Never for Money Bills

🧘‍♂️ IAS Monk Whisper

Procedure is power in disguise;
miss the procedure, miss the Constitution.

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