Indian Polity Previous Year Questions (PYQ) with Answers – Page 12

The core idea of a constitution is constitutionalism: power is granted to the government, but only within set limits. A constitution sets up the organs of the State and divides power among them, but its chief purpose is to stop that power from becoming arbitrary.

Certiorari is Latin for to be certified or to be informed, and the writ does exactly that: a higher court calls up the record of a case from a lower court or tribunal, either to transfer the matter to itself or to quash an order already passed because of excess…

All three statements describe real features of the Indian Constitution, so all of them have to be counted. Universal adult suffrage was there from the first general election itself.

Article 338 provides for the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, a constitutional body that investigates and monitors the safeguards given to Scheduled Castes, enquires into specific complaints and reports to the President, who places the report before Parliament.

Article 60 lays down the form of the oath or affirmation that the President of India makes before entering office.

Article 316(2) says that a member of the Union Public Service Commission holds office for a term of six years from the date on which he enters upon his office, or until he attains the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India heads the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, the organisation through which the audit of Union and State accounts is actually carried out.

Five writs can be issued: habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari and quo warranto. Habeas corpus asks that a detained person be produced before the court.

Article 17 abolishes untouchability and forbids its practice in any form. It sits in Part III among the Fundamental Rights, under the right to equality, and it is one of the few rights that works against ordinary citizens as well as against the State.

Article 315 provides for a Public Service Commission for the Union and a Public Service Commission for each State, and allows two or more States to ask Parliament for a Joint Public Service Commission.

Article 148 of the Constitution creates the office of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, who audits all receipts and expenditure of the Union and the States and of bodies largely financed from public funds.

In this case of 1973 a bench of thirteen judges, the largest the Supreme Court has ever assembled, held by seven votes to six that Parliament may amend any part of the Constitution but may not damage or destroy its basic structure.

Article 151 deals with the audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Fundamental rights are the one set of provisions here that a court can enforce directly.

Article 161 lets the Governor grant pardons, reprieves, respites and remissions of punishment, and suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of an offence against a law on a matter to which the executive power of the state extends.

The Right against Exploitation is given by Articles 23 and 24 in Part III of the Constitution. Article 23 forbids traffic in human beings, begar and other forms of forced labour, and lets the State impose compulsory service for a public purpose without discrimination.

The Fundamental Duties were added on the recommendation of this committee, set up in 1976. The Swaran Singh Committee suggested that the Constitution should spell out the duties of citizens alongside their rights.

Article 167 lists the duties of the Chief Minister towards the Governor.

Part IX of the Constitution of India is headed 'The Panchayats'. It was inserted by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, which came into force on 24 April 1993, now marked as National Panchayati Raj Day, and it runs from Article 243 to Article 243-O. Part IX gives panchayats a…

Taxes on lands and buildings is entry 49 of the State List, so it is not in the Concurrent List.