Indian Polity Quiz: Day: 118

Answer: (c)

• A democratic polity can be classified into two categories—monarchy and republic. In a monarchy, the head of the state (usually king or queen) enjoys a hereditary position, that is, he comes into office through succession, eg,Britain. In a republic, on the other hand, the head of the state is always elected directly or indirectly for a fixed period, eg, USA. So, option (a) and (b) is not correct.
• A democratic polity, as stipulated in the Preamble, is based on the doctrine of popular sovereignty, that is, possession of supreme power by the people.
• Countries with limited governments have fewer laws about what individuals and businesses can and cannot do. In many cases, such as the United States, it is a constitutionally limited government, bound to specific principles and actions by a state or federal constitution.

Answer: (a)

• Article 25 says that all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. It covers not only religious beliefs(doctrines) but also religious practices (rituals).
• Article 25 guarantees rights of individuals, while Article 26 guarantees rights of religious denominations or their sections. In other words, Article 26 protects collective freedom of religion.

Answer: (c)

Gandhian principles:

• To organise village panchayats and endow them with necessary powers and authority to enable them to function as units of self-government(Article 40).
• To promote cottage industries on an individual or co-operation basis in rural areas (Article 43).
• To promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of co-operative societies (Article43B).
• To promote the educational and economic interests of SCs, STs, and other weaker sections of the society and to protect them from social injustice and exploitation (Article 46).
• To prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are injurious to health (Article 47).
• To prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle and to improve their breeds (Article 48).

Answer: (d)

• Mandamus literally means ‘we command’. It is a command issued by the court to a public official asking him to perform his official duties that he has failed or refused to perform. It can also be issued against any public body, a corporation, an inferior court, a tribunal or government for the same purpose.
• Prohibition literally, it means ‘to forbid’. The writ of prohibition can be issued only against judicial and quasi-judicial authorities. It is not available against administrative authorities, legislative bodies, and private individuals or bodies.
• Certiorari, in the literal sense, it means ‘to be certified’ or ‘to be informed’. It is issued by a higher court to a lower court or tribunal either to transfer a case pending with the latter to itself or to squash the order of the latter in a case. Previously, the writ of certiorari could be issued only against judicial and quasi- judicial authorities and not against administrative authories. However, in 1991, the Supreme Court ruled that the certiorari can be issued even against administrative authorities affecting rights of individuals.

Answer: (a)

The Drafting Committee had seven members:

• Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar;
• N. Gopalaswami;
• B.R. Ambedkar;
• K.M Munshi;
• Mohammad Saadulla;
• B.L. Mitter (Replaced by N. Madhava Rao)
• D.P. Khaitan(Replaced by T. T. Krishnamachari)
• At its first meeting on 30th August 1947, the Drafting Committee elected B.R Ambedkar as its Chairman.
• Towards the end of October 1947, the Drafting Committee began to scrutinise the Draft

Constitution prepared by the B.N Rau, the Constitutional Advisor. It made various changes and

submitted the Draft Constitution to the President of the Constituent Assembly on 21st of February 1948.

Answer: (d)

• According to the citizenship act 1955, after 3 December 2004 citizenship by birth can be obtained only if both of their parents are citizens of India or one of whose parents are a citizen of India and the other is not an illegal migrant at the time of the birth. Here as parents of the child holds OCI card, by registration the child can acquire Indian citizenship and not by Birth.
• An OCI cardholder has the right to appear in competitive exams such as JEE, NEET, etc., as they are exams meant to gain admission in Indian universities.
• OCI cardholders can purchase residential and commercial properties in India. But they are not permitted to purchase agricultural land, including farmland or any kind of plantation property. .

Answer: (d)

• Vacancies that arise due to resignation, death, or disqualification in Rajya Sabha are filled up through by-elections.
• It adopts single transferable voting but not a secret ballot.
• Recently, Supreme Court has held that the NOTA option is meant only for universal adult suffrage and direct elections and not for polls held by the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote as done in the Rajya Sabha.

Answer: (c)

• Family courts act 1984, provided guidelines for the establishment of Family courts in India.
• Family courts are established by the State government in consultation with the High court (not the District courts).
• Family courts act 1984 makes it obligatory for the State governments to set up a Family court in every city or town with a population exceeding one million.
• There is only one right of appeal against the judgements of the Family court and it lies with the High court..

Answer: (a)

• No rights could be offered unlimited. Fundamental rights must not be an exception.
• Fundamental Rights are not absolute but qualified and thus not unlimited. The state can impose reasonable restrictions on them. However, whether such restrictions are reasonable or not is to be decided by the courts. Thus, they strike a balance between the rights of the individual and those of the society as a whole, between individual liberty and social control.
• They are defended and guaranteed by the Supreme Court. Hence, the aggrieved person can directly go to the Supreme Court, not necessarily by way of appeal against the judgement of the high courts. They are not sacrosanct or permanent. The Parliament can curtail or repeal them but only by a constitutional amendment act and not by an ordinary act. Moreover, this can be done without affecting the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution.

Answer: (d)