Indian Polity Quiz: Day: 94

ANSWER: B

• Who is allowed to fly a national flag and on which days? Any person, organization, private or public, or educational institution (including scout camps) can hoist or display the Tricolour on all days or occasions in accordance with the dignity and honour of the National Flag.
• Choosing the flag: The flag can be as big or small as one wants but the ratio of the length to the height (width) of the National Flag shall be 3:2. So, the flag must always be a rectangle rather than a square or any other shape.
• Material of the Flag: The material of the flag can be handspun and handwoven or machine-made, cotton, polyester, wool, silk or khadi bunting.
• Damaged flag: It is against rules to display a damaged or disheveled National Flag. Moreover, no other flag or bunting shall be placed higher than or above or side by side with the National Flag.
• Is it ok to wear the Flag in a display of love for the nation? A person is forbidden by law to use the national flag as a portion of a costume or uniform.
• Flag on a vehicle: The India Flag Code rule says that only a few constitutional heads have the special privilege to fly the national flag on their vehicles. These dignitaries include the President and Vice President of India, Governors and Lieutenant Governors, Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers, Chief Minister and state Cabinet Ministers. Among others are Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chairman and Vice Chairman of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Speakers of Legislative Assemblies and Councils, Chief Justice of India, Judges of Supreme Court, Chief Justices and Judges of High Court and Speakers of Indian Missions Posts abroad.

ANSWER: B

• Article 17 abolishes ‘untouchability’ and forbids its practice in any form. The enforcement of any disability arising out of untouchability shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.
• The term ‘untouchability’ has not been defined either in the Constitution or in the Act. However, the Mysore High Court held that the subject matter of Article 17 is not untouchability in its literal or grammatical sense but the ‘practice as it had developed historically in the country’. It refers to the social disabilities imposed on certain classes of persons by reason of their birth in certain castes.
• The Supreme Court held that the right under Article 17 is available against private individuals, and it is the constitutional obligation of the State to take necessary action to ensure that this right is not violated. (People’s Union for Democratic Rights v. Union of India, 1982)

ANSWER: B

• Article 275 empowers the Parliament to make grants to the states which are in need of financial assistance and not to every state. Also, different sums may be fixed for different states. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• These sums are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India every year. Apart from this general provision, the Constitution also provides for specific grants for promoting the welfare of the scheduled tribes in a state or for raising the level of administration of the scheduled areas in a state including the State of Assam.
• The statutory grants under Article 275 (both general and specific) are given to the states on the recommendation of the Finance Commission.

ANSWER: A

• It was inserted in Article 352 of the Constitution in 1978 by the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act. Thus, it did not find a place in the original text of the Constitution.
• Now also, Article 352 only defines the cabinet saying that it is ‘the council consisting of the prime minister and other ministers of cabinet rank appointed under Article 75’ and does not describe its powers and functions. In other words, its role in our politico-administrative system is based on the conventions of parliamentary government as developed in Britain. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

ANSWER: B

How does the PIN code work?

• The PIN is made up of six digits.  The first digit of the six-digit postal code indicates the zone – north, east, west or south. The second digit is for the sub-zone, that is, states and union territories. The third digit, combined with the first two, indicates the sorting district within that sub-zone.
• Postal Index Number (PIN) or PIN Code is a 6-digit code of Post Office numbering used by India Post. The PIN was introduced on August 15, 1972. There are 9 PIN regions in the country. The first 8 are geographical regions and the digit 9 is reserved for the Army Postal Service.

ANSWER: B

• The maximum number of members of Rajya Sabha can be 250. Article 80 of the Constitution of India provides that 12 members are to be nominated by the President of India and not more than 238 representatives from the States to be elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
• Article 80(4) of Constitution of India provides that members of Rajya Sabha shall be elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies through the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

ANSWER: B

1. Emoluments and allowances of the President and other expenditure relating to his office.
2. Salaries and allowances of the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
3. Salaries, allowances and pensions of the judges of the Supreme Court.
4. Pensions of the judges of high courts.
5. Salary, allowances and pension of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
6. Salaries, allowances and pension of the chairman and members of the Union Public Service Commission.
7. Administrative expenses of the Supreme Court, the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and the Union Public Service Commission including the salaries, allowances and pensions of the persons serving in these offices.
8. The debt charges for which the Government of India is liable, including interest, sinking fund charges and redemption charges and other expenditure relating to the raising of loans and the service and redemption of debt. Hence, option (b) is correct.

ANSWER: D

Supplementary Grant

It is granted when the amount authorised by the Parliament through the appropriation act for a particular service for the current financial year is found to be insufficient for that year.

Additional Grant

It is granted when a need has arisen during the current financial year for additional expenditure upon some new service not contemplated in the budget for that year.

Excess Grant

It is granted when money has been spent on any service during a financial year in excess of the amount granted for that service in the budget for that year. It is voted by the Lok Sabha after the financial year. Before the demands for excess grants are submitted to the Lok Sabha for voting, they must be approved by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.

Vote of Credit

It is granted for meeting an unexpected demand upon the resources of India, when on account of the magnitude or the indefinite character of the service, the demand cannot be stated with the details ordinarily given in a budget. Hence, it is like a blank cheque given to the Executive by the Lok Sabha.

ANSWER: C

Of the total number of members of a legislative council:

1. 1/3 are elected by the members of local bodies in the state like municipalities, district boards, etc.,
2. 1/12 are elected by graduates of three years standing and residing within the state,
3. 1/12 are elected by teachers of three years standing in the state, not lower in standard than secondary school,
4. 1/3 are elected by the members of the legislative assembly of the state from amongst persons who are not members of the assembly, and
5. the remainder are nominated by the governor from amongst persons who have a special knowledge or practical experience of literature, science, art, cooperative movement and social service.

Thus, 5/6 of the total number of members of a legislative council are indirectly elected and 1/6 are nominated by the governor. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

ANSWER: A