CBSE Notes Class 8 Social Science Civics Chapter 4 - Understanding Laws

According to the NCERT Class 8 Social Science textbook 2023-24, Chapters 3 and 4 have been merged as ‘Chapter 3 – Parliament and the Making of Laws’.

By now, you must have known that the Parliament is in charge of making laws. In CBSE Notes Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 – Understanding Laws, you will find the answers to questions such as Do laws apply to everyone? How do new laws come into being? Could there be laws that are unpopular or controversial? What should we as citizens do under such circumstances? So, go through the notes and understand important topics which are discussed in this chapter.

CBSE Notes Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 – Understanding Laws

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Do Laws Apply to All?

The law cannot discriminate between persons on the basis of their religion, caste or gender. What the rule of law means is that all laws apply equally to all citizens of the country, and no one can be above the law. Neither a government official nor a wealthy person nor even the President of the country is above the law. Any crime or violation of law has a specific punishment as well as a process through which the guilt of the person has to be established.

How Do New Laws Come About?

Parliament has an important role in making laws. There are many ways through which this takes place.

• The role of citizens is crucial in helping Parliament frame different concerns that people might have into laws.
• From establishing the need for a new law to its being passed, at every stage of the process, the voice of the citizen is a crucial element. This voice can be heard through TV reports, newspaper editorials, radio broadcasts, local meetings – all of which help in making the work that Parliament does more accessible and transparent to the people.

For more information on Law Making, watch the below video

Unpopular and Controversial Laws

Sometimes a law can be constitutionally valid and hence legal, but it can continue to be unpopular and unacceptable to people because they feel that the intention behind it is unfair and harmful. When a large number of people begin to feel that a wrong law has been passed, then there is pressure on the Parliament to change this.

The involvement and enthusiasm of the people help Parliament perform its representative functions properly.

We hope CBSE Social Science Notes for Class 8 Civics helped you in your studies. Keep learning and stay tuned for more updates on CBSE and NCERT. Download BYJU’S App and subscribe to the YouTube channel to access interactive Maths and Science videos.