Revision Series | Polity | Historical Background of Indian Constitution | 113

September 7, 2023

Which of the following is/ are features of Charter Act of 1833?
. 1. It introduced a system of Open Competition for civil services for first time in India.
2. The laws made under the previous acts were called as Acts while laws made under this act were called as Regulations.
Code:

(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) Both 1 and 2
(D) Neither 1 nor 2

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Answer: (d)

Statement 1 is incorrect: It attempted to introduce a system of open competition for selection of civil servants, and stated that Indians should not be debarred from holding any place, office and employment under the company. However, this provision negated after opposition from Court of Directors.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The laws made under the previous acts were called as Regulations while laws made under this act were called as Acts.

Consider the following provisions relating to Regulating Act of 1773:
1. The Governor of Bengal was designated as the Governor-General of India.
2. The executive council comprises four members were created.
3. It prohibited the servants of East India Company from engaging in any private trade.
4. It provided for the establishment of High Court in Calcutta in 1774.
Which of the following are correct?

(A) 2 & 3 only
(B) 2,3 & 4 only
(C) 1,3 & 4 only
(D) 1,2 & 3 only

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Answer: (a)

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Regulating Act of 1773 designated the Governor of Bengal as the Governor-General of Bengal.

Statement 2 is correct: The Regulating Act of 1773 created an executive council comprises four members to assist Governor-General of Bengal.

Statement 3 is correct: The Regulating Act of 1773 prohibited the servants of East India Company from engaging in any private trade or accepting presents or bribes from the natives.

Statement 4 is incorrect: It provided for the establishment of Supreme Court in Calcutta in 1774 comprising one chief justice and three other judges.

Which one of the following was not provided in the Regulating Act of 1773?

(A) It made the Presidency of Bengal supreme over those of Bombay and Madras in matters relating to war and peace.
(B) The tenure of the Governor-General and his Councillors was fixed as five years.
(C) The Supreme Court of Justice was established at Calcutta.
(D) The Governor-General-in-Council was authorized to appoint successors to Bombay and Madras Presidencies.

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Answer: (b)

Which of the following statements are correct with reference to Indian council act 1861?
1. It provided that the Viceroy should nominate some Indians as non-official members of his expanded council.
2. It empowered the Viceroy to make rules and orders for the more convenient transaction of business in the council.
3. It empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances, without the concurrence of the legislative council, during an emergency.
Code:

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3

Show Answer

Answer: (d)

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 features:

It provided that the Viceroy should nominate some Indians as non-official members of his expanded council. In 1862, Lord Canning, the then Viceroy, nominated three Indians to his legislative council–the Raja of Benaras, the Maharaja of Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao.
It empowered the Viceroy to make rules and orders for the more convenient transaction of business in the council. It also gave recognition to the ‘portfolio’ system, introduced by Lord Canning in 1859.
It empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances, without the concurrence of the legislative council, during an emergency.

Consider the following statements regarding the Government of India Act of 1935:
1. It was a lengthy and detailed document having 321 Sections and 12 Schedules.
2. Residuary powers were given to the Central legislature.
3. It introduced bicameralism in six out of eleven provinces.
Which of the statements given above are incorrect?

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3

Show Answer

Answer: (a)

It was a lengthy and detailed document having 321 Sections and 10 Schedules.
Residuary powers were given to the Viceroy. However, the federation never came into being as the princely states did not join it.

Consider the following statements:
1. The Objective Resolution was moved by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
2. The Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution was inspired by the Irish Constitution.
3. The idea of a concurrent list in the Constitution was taken from the Australian Constitution.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1,2 and 3

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Answer: (b)

Which of the following Acts was the first to recognize the principle of elective representation?

(A) Indian Councils Act, 1861
(B) Government of India Act, 1935
(C) Government of India Act, 1909
(D) Government of India Act, 1919

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Answer: (c)

Consider the following statements regarding the Government of India Act, 1919:
1. The Act separated, for the first time, provincial budgets from the central budget.
2. It led to the establishment of a bicameral legislature at the center.
3. The Governor has complete access to the funds and can overrule the decisions or laws of ministers for any deemed condition..
Which of the statements given above are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1,2 and 3

Show Answer

Answer: (d)

Which of the following Changes was/were made by the Independence Act, 1947?

(A) The Act empowered the Assembly to abrogate or alter any law made by the British Parliament in relation to India.
(B) The Assembly were assigned two functions, one is making a constitution for free India and second, enacting of ordinary laws for the country.
(C) The total Strength of the assembly came down to 299 as against 389 originally fixed in 1946
(D) All of the above

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Answer: (d)

The Indian Independence Act of 1947 empowered the Constituent Assembly to abrogate or alter any law made by the British Parliament in relation to India. The Assembly was assigned two functions: first, making a constitution for free India and second, enacting ordinary laws for the country. The total strength of the assembly was reduced from 389 to 299 members as per the Act.

Which of the following is incorrect about Indian Independence Act?

(A) The British monarch deprived of his right to veto bills or ask for reservation of certain bills for his approval
(B) It abolished the office of Viceroy but retained the office of the secretary of state for India.
(C) It provided for the partition of India.
(D) Freedom to princely states to join the Dominion of India or the Dominance of Pakistan or to remain independent.

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Answer: (b)

It abolished the office of Viceroy. It abolished the office of the secretary of state for India and transferred his functions to the secretary of state for commonwealth affairs.

Match the following related to the formation of interim Government (1946)
Members - Portfolios held
a. C. Rajagopalachari - 1. Education & Arts
b. Jagjivan Ram - 2. Labour
c. Dr. Rajendra Prasad - 3. Food & Agriculture
d. Sardar Baldev Singh - 4. Defence

(A) A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1
(B) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
(C) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
(D) A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4

Show Answer

Answer: (c)

C. Rajagopalachari held the portfolio of Education & Arts
Jagjivan Ram held the portfolio of Labour
Dr. Rajendra Prasad held the portfolio of Food & Agriculture
Sardar Baldev Singh held the portfolio of Defence

Consider the following statements:
1. Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the first Indian to join the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
2. The number of members in the Central Legislative Council was raised from 16 to 64 by Morley- Minto Reforms.
Which of the following is /are correct?

(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) Both 1 & 2
(D) Neither 1 nor 2

Show Answer

Answer: (a)

Statement 1 is correct: Satyendra Prasad Sinha became the first Indian to join the Viceroy’s Executive Council. He was appointed as the law member.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The number of members in the Central Legislative Council was raised from 16 to 60 by Morley- Minto Reforms or Act of 1909.

Consider the following Features of the Act of 1892.
1. The Legislative Councils were given the power of discussing the Budget.
2. Richard Assheton Cross, has introduced the Indian Councils Act of 1892.
Which of the following is/are correct?

(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) Both 1 & 2
(D) Neither 1 nor 2

Show Answer

Answer: (c)

Statement 1 is correct: The Legislative Councils were given the power of discussing the Budget and addressing questions to the executive.

Statement 2 is correct: Indian Council Act 1892 was a British Parliamentary act to alter the size of the Legislative councils in British India. It was introduced by Richard Assheton Cross in 1892 to fulfill the demands put forward by the Indian National Congress. The Indian Council Act of 1892 is considered the first step toward the representative form of Modern Indian government.

The Indian Councils Act of 1861 introduced which of the following provisions in India?
1. It empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances, without the concurrence of legislative Council during an emergency.
2. It gave a recognition to the ‘portfolio’ system, introduced by Lord Dalhousie.
3. It nominated four Indians to the legislative council of viceroy.
Which of the following is/are correct?

(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 2 only
(C) 2 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3

Show Answer

Answer: (a)

Statement 1 is correct: It empowered the Viceroy to issue ordinances, without the concurrence of legislative Council during an emergency.

Statement 2 is incorrect: It gave a recognition to the ‘portfolio’ system, introduced by Lord Canning in 1859.

Statement 3 is incorrect: In 1862, Lord Canning the then viceroy, nominated three Indians to his legislative council- the Raja of Benaras, the Maharaja of Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao.

The most short-lived of all of Britain’s constitutional experiments in India was the:

(A) Indian Councils Act of 1861
(B) Indian Councils Act of 1892
(C) Indian Councils Act of 1909
(D) Government of India Act of 1919

Show Answer

Answer: (c)