Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the role of the Rajya Sabha in special legislative and emergency situations?
1) Under Article 249, a Rajya Sabha resolution allowing Parliament to legislate on State List subjects remains valid for one year.
2) The Parliament can extend a proclamation of President’s Rule only with the concurrence of the Rajya Sabha.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Statement 1 — Correct ✓
Under Article 249, if the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, declaring it necessary in the national interest for Parliament to legislate on a matter in the State List, such a resolution remains in force for one year. It can be renewed for further periods of one year each through a similar resolution, but each extension is limited to one year at a time.
Statement 2 — Incorrect ✗
Extension of a President's Rule proclamation (Article 356) requires approval from both Houses of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — not the concurrence of the Rajya Sabha alone. Each extension (beyond the initial 2 months) is for a maximum of 6 months at a time, and the total duration cannot exceed 3 years, subject to periodic parliamentary approval by both houses. (An exception exists only if the Lok Sabha has been dissolved — in that case, Rajya Sabha approval alone can keep the proclamation alive temporarily until the new Lok Sabha approves it within 30 days of reassembling — but this is a special case, not the general rule the statement describes.)
Conclusion: Statement 1 is correct; Statement 2 is not.