Answer: (c)

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland for another six months.
• The genesis of the law can be traced to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Ordinance 1942 which was enacted by the British to subjugate the rebels in the country during the Quit India movement, particularly in Assam and Bengal .
• Under Section 3, the Central Government or the Governor of the State or administrator of the Union Territory can declare the whole or part of the State or Union Territory as a disturbed area.
• Section 4 gives the Army powers to search premises and make arrests without warrants, to use force even to the extent of causing death, destroy arms/ammunition dumps, fortifications/shelters/hideouts and to stop, search and seize any vehicle.

Answer: (c)

• The Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 amended two articles Article 170 and 171. Under clause (1) of Article 171, the maximum strength of the Legislative Council of a State is fixed at one-fourth of the strength of the Legislative Assembly of that State. Although in the larger States, like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, this maximum is adequate, it leads to difficulties in the case of the smaller States. It is, therefore, proposed to alter the maximum to one-third of the strength of the Legislative Assembly.
• The Constitution of India provides for a high court for each state, the Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 amended Articles 230, 231, and 232

Answer: (d)

• Newly elected Members of Parliament from the Lok Sabha elect the Speaker among themselves. The election for the office of the speaker of Lok Sabha is not conducted by the Election commission of India and by the members of Lok Sabha on the date fixed by President presided over by the Protem Speaker.
• The superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all elections to the panchayats including assigning symbols for political parties for the local body shall be vested in the state election commission.

Answer: (b)

• According to Article 249, Rajya Sabha has special powers to authorise the Parliament to make a law on a subject enumerated in the State list. So, Statement 2 is not correct.
• The Constitutional cases or references made by the President under Article 143 are decided by a Supreme Court Bench consisting of at least five judges.

Answer: (b)

• The Government of India has appointed Lt General Anil Chauhan as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
• The CDS was created in 2019 for a dual role, as the most senior uniformed officer in rank (First among equals) and as a Secretary of the Department of Vacancy: Since India’s first CDS General Bipin Rawat had died, the post has been vacant. The government amended the service rules of the armed forces to fill the vacancy.
• Intent of the amendment: To make all serving and recently retired three-star and four-star officers from the three services who are under the age of 62 eligible for the post of CDS.
• Three-star officers: Lt General, Air Marshal and Vice Admiral.
• Four-star officers: The CDS, the chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.
• Amended Rules & regulations: To enable the three star officer’s appointment to the post of CDS, the government has amended the Army Rules, 1954; the Naval Ceremonial, Conditions of Service and Miscellaneous Regulations, 1963; and the Air Force Regulations, 1964.
• Service Extension: The government also has notified possible extension of the service of the CDS if deemed necessary subject to a maximum age of 65 years.

Answer: (b)

The privilege motion is moved by a member when he feels that a minister or any member has committed a breach of privilege of the House or one or more of its members by withholding facts of a case or by giving wrong or distorted facts.

Answer: (a)

• The term of the Prime Minister is not fixed and he holds office during the pleasure of the president. So long as the Prime Minister enjoys the majority support in the Lok Sabha, he cannot be dismissed by the President. However, if he loses the confidence of the Lok Sabha, he must resign or the President can dismiss him. So, Statement 1 is correct.
• National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) is a committee set up by the Government of India in the wake of a natural calamity for effective coordination and implementation of relief measures and operations. It isheaded by the Cabinet Secretary. So, Statement 2 is not correct.

Answer: (d)

• The Constitution has declared the official language(s) of the state or Hindi or English, to be the languages for transacting business in the state legislature. The legislature of a state may adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the state or Hindi as the official language of that state. So, Statement 1 is correct.
• According to Article 351, It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language and to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India. So, Statement 2 is correct.
• The constitutional provisions dealing with the language of the courts and legislation are as follows: Until Parliament provides otherwise, the following are to be in the English language only: (a) All proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every high court. (b) The authoritative texts of all bills, acts, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations and byelaws at the Central and state level. So, Statement 3 is correct.

Answer: (c)

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its front organisations as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
• UAPA has the death penalty and life imprisonment as the highest punishments.
• The UAPA is India’s main law against terrorism and terrorist activities. It allows the government to declare an organisation an “unlawful association” or a “terrorist organisation”, which is often colloquially described as a “ban” on the organisations.
• Under UAPA, both Indian and foreign nationals can be charged. The offenders will be charged in the same manner whether the act is performed in a foreign land, outside India.

Answer: (a)