Indian Polity Previous Year Questions (PYQ) with Answers – Page 5

An ordinance has the same force as an Act of Parliament, so it can amend a central law and can be retrospective, but like any law it cannot take away a Fundamental Right.

Democracy rests on the consent of the people and their equal political rights, while accountability runs from the rulers to the ruled, not the other way round.

Restructuring military commands for the best use of resources, including joint and theatre commands, is a task of the Department of Military Affairs, not of the Department of Defence.

Only the Supreme Court and the High Courts are courts of record under the Constitution; subordinate courts are not. Article 129 declares the Supreme Court a court of record, and Article 215 does the same for every High Court.

Most members of the Rajya Sabha are elected indirectly by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies through proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

The CAG audits spending from the Consolidated Fund and of bodies substantially financed by government, but has no control over the release of money from the fund.

The 73rd Amendment gave panchayats constitutional status. The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992 came into force on 24 April 1993, the date now marked as National Panchayati Raj Day.

Gondi, spoken by the Gond tribal community of central India, has not been included in the Eighth Schedule. The Eighth Schedule lists the languages recognised by the Constitution, and Articles 344 and 351 link it to the development of Hindi.

Under First Past the Post, the candidate with the most votes wins, even if that is far less than half of all votes cast.

Article 165 of the Constitution says the Governor shall appoint a person qualified to be a judge of a High Court as the Advocate General of the state, and he is the highest law officer of the state, the counterpart of the Attorney General at the Centre.

The Fifth Schedule lets the Governor make regulations for the peace and good government of a Scheduled Area, and it names three matters such a regulation may cover: it may prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or among members of the Scheduled Tribes, regulate the allotment of land…

A Lok Adalat works by bringing the two sides to a settlement, so it can only handle matters the parties are free to compromise.

Till 1949 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, sitting in London, was the highest court of appeal for cases arising in British India.

The Committee on Prevention of Corruption (1962-64), headed by K. Santhanam, recommended a central body to keep watch over honesty in government, and the Central Vigilance Commission was set up in February 1964 by an executive resolution of the Union government.

Each case tested an amendment against the basic structure of the Constitution.

Only five Fundamental Rights are reserved for Indian citizens. Article 15 bars discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth; Article 16 gives equality of opportunity in public employment; Article 19 gives the six freedoms of speech, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession; Article 29 protects…

Article 3 lets Parliament, by an ordinary law, form a new state by separating territory from a state, join states, and change the area, boundaries or name of any state.

Article 24 says that no child below the age of 14 years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or in any other hazardous employment.

The CAG of India is an auditor who checks spending after it happens; he has no say over money leaving the treasury.

The 42nd Amendment made that advice binding on the President. Before 1976, Article 74(1) only said there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at its head to aid and advise the President.