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The Tenth Schedule was added by the ______ Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985.
Answer: 52nd
The 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985 added the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law) to curb political defections motivated by lure of office or similar considerations. It was a response to the 'Aya Ram, Gaya Ram' phenomenon of the 1960s-70s. The law was later strengthened by the 91st Amendment (2003) removing the 'split' exception.
The Constitution mandates that the Prime Minister must communicate all decisions of the Council of Ministers to the President in Hindi.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Article 78(a) requires the Prime Minister to communicate all Council of Ministers' decisions to the President, but does not specify language. Article 346 allows communication between States and with the Union in Hindi or English. In practice, English remains dominant in high-level executive communication due to administrative continuity and linguistic diversity.
Under Article 252, Parliament can legislate on a State List subject if:
- Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by simple majority
- Two or more State Legislatures pass resolutions requesting such law
- President issues a proclamation of emergency
- Supreme Court directs Parliament to legislate
Answer: Two or more State Legislatures pass resolutions requesting such law
Article 252 enables 'cooperative federalism': if two or more State Legislatures pass resolutions requesting Parliament to legislate on a State List subject, Parliament can make a law applicable to those States (and others that adopt it later). Examples: Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976.
The Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is appointed by the ______ and can be removed by the ______ on grounds of misbehaviour.
Answer: President, President
Article 316 states that UPSC Chairman and members are appointed by the President. For removal, Article 317 requires: (1) Presidential reference to Supreme Court for inquiry, (2) Supreme Court report confirming misbehaviour/incapacity, (3) Presidential order of removal. This ensures independence while maintaining accountability for constitutional office-holders.
The Supreme Court can award compensation in PIL cases for violation of Fundamental Rights.
- True
- False
Answer: True
In Rudul Sah v. State of Bihar (1983) and subsequent cases, the Supreme Court held that it can award monetary compensation in PIL/writ petitions for violation of Fundamental Rights, especially under Article 32. This 'constitutional tort' remedy provides immediate relief to victims when ordinary civil remedies are inadequate, enhancing access to justice.
In the Nabam Rebia case (2016), the Supreme Court held that a Governor cannot:
- Summon the House without ministerial advice
- Withhold assent to a Money Bill
- Appoint the Chief Minister
- D
Answer: Summon the House without ministerial advice
In Nabam Rebia v. Deputy Speaker, Arunachal Pradesh (2016), the Supreme Court held that the Governor cannot summon, prorogue, or dissolve the State Assembly at their discretion when the Council of Ministers enjoys majority support. Such powers must be exercised on ministerial advice, except in rare situations of constitutional breakdown. This curbed arbitrary use of gubernatorial powers.
A 'No-Confidence Motion' can be introduced only in the ______ and requires the support of at least ______ members for admission.
Answer: Lok Sabha, 50
Rule 198 of Lok Sabha Rules allows a No-Confidence Motion against the Council of Ministers only in Lok Sabha (not Rajya Sabha), as the government is collectively responsible to Lok Sabha (Article 75(3)). It requires support of at least 50 members for admission. If passed, the government must resign. This is a key tool of parliamentary accountability.
The Right to Speedy Trial is part of the Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21.
- True
- False
Answer: True
In Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar (1979) and Kadra Pahadiya v. State of Bihar (1983), the Supreme Court held that 'speedy trial' is an essential component of 'reasonable, fair, and just procedure' under Article 21. Delayed justice violates personal liberty, especially for undertrial prisoners. This has driven reforms in criminal justice administration.
The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 related to:
- Cooperative Societies
- Goods and Services Tax
- National Judicial Appointments Commission
- Right to Education
Answer: Cooperative Societies
The 97th Amendment Act, 2011 added Part IXB to the Constitution for regulation of Cooperative Societies. It mandated democratic elections, fixed terms, and audit requirements for cooperatives. However, in 2021, the Supreme Court struck down parts related to State cooperatives (violating federalism), upholding only provisions for multi-State cooperatives.
In the Rajendra Singh Rana case (2007), the Supreme Court held that the Speaker must decide disqualification petitions under the Tenth Schedule within a ______ timeframe.
Answer: reasonable
In Rajendra Singh Rana v. Swami Prasad Maurya (2007), the Supreme Court held that while the Tenth Schedule doesn't specify a time limit, the Speaker must decide disqualification petitions within a 'reasonable timeframe' to prevent political uncertainty. Delayed decisions can be challenged for violating constitutional morality, though courts avoid dictating exact timelines to respect legislative autonomy.
The Official Languages Act, 1963 allows English to continue for official purposes of the Union indefinitely.
- True
- False
Answer: True
The Official Languages Act, 1963 (amended in 1967) allows English to continue indefinitely for: (1) Official purposes of the Union, (2) Parliamentary proceedings, (3) Central-State and inter-State communication, (4) Competitive exams. This was a pragmatic solution to linguistic diversity, balancing Hindi promotion with administrative continuity.
Article 371F provides special provisions for which State?
- Sikkim
- Mizoram
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Goa
Answer: Sikkim
Article 371F, added by the 36th Amendment Act, 1975, provides special provisions for Sikkim's integration into India. It protects Sikkim's existing laws, land ownership patterns, and reservation policies. It also allows the Parliament to determine the number of seats for Sikkim in Lok Sabha and State Assembly, ensuring representation while preserving local identity.
Article ______ provides for grants-in-aid to States in need of assistance, as determined by Parliament.
Answer: 275
Article 275 empowers Parliament to make grants-in-aid to States that are in need of financial assistance, particularly for welfare of Scheduled Tribes or development of backward areas. These grants are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India (not voted). The Finance Commission recommends the principles for such grants under Article 280.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is a constitutional body established under Article 338.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Article 338 establishes the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) as a constitutional body. The 89th Amendment Act, 2003 bifurcated the earlier combined commission into separate NCSC (Article 338) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST, Article 338A). Both have powers of a civil court for investigating safeguards implementation.
The Governor can promulgate Ordinances under which Article when the State Legislature is not in session?
- Article 123
- Article 213
- Article 214
- Article 215
Answer: Article 213
Article 213 empowers the Governor to promulgate Ordinances when the State Legislature is not in session, if satisfied that circumstances require immediate action. Ordinances have the same force as Acts but must be approved by the Legislature within 6 weeks of reassembly, or they lapse. The Governor's satisfaction is subject to judicial review for mala fides.
The Estimates Committee, the largest parliamentary committee, has ______ members, all from the ______.
Answer: 30, Lok Sabha
The Estimates Committee has 30 members, all elected from Lok Sabha by proportional representation. It examines estimates included in the Budget and suggests economies, improvements, and administrative reforms. Unlike PAC, it cannot question policy, only examine expenditure efficiency. Its reports are advisory but carry significant weight.
In the Navtej Singh Johar case (2018), the Supreme Court decriminalized homosexuality by reading down Section 377 IPC, citing violation of Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21.
- True
- False
Answer: True
In Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018), a five-judge bench unanimously held that Section 377 IPC (criminalizing 'carnal intercourse against the order of nature') violated: Article 14 (equality), Article 15 (non-discrimination), Article 19 (freedom of expression), and Article 21 (privacy, dignity, autonomy). This landmark judgment affirmed LGBTQ+ rights as Fundamental Rights.
The 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978 was enacted primarily to:
- Introduce GST
- Reverse excesses of the 1975 Emergency
- Implement Panchayati Raj
- Add Fundamental Duties
Answer: Reverse excesses of the 1975 Emergency
The 44th Amendment Act, 1978 was passed by the Janata Party government to undo authoritarian changes made during the 1975-77 Emergency. Key reversals: (1) Restored judicial review of emergency proclamations, (2) Made 'armed rebellion' (not 'internal disturbance') the ground for National Emergency, (3) Protected Articles 20-21 from suspension during Emergency, (4) Restored Parliament's term to 5 years.
The Tenth Schedule does not apply to a merger if at least ______ of the members of a legislature party agree to merge with another party.
Answer: two-thirds
Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule provides an exception to disqualification: if 2/3rd of a legislature party's members merge with another party, neither the merging members nor those who remain face disqualification. This provision balances party discipline with democratic realignment, though the 91st Amendment (2003) removed the 'split' exception (1/3rd members).
States in India can adopt their own official language(s) for state-level administration.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Article 345 empowers State Legislatures to adopt any language(s) in use in the State or Hindi as the official language for state-level administration. For example, Tamil Nadu uses Tamil, Kerala uses Malayalam, while some states like Karnataka use both Kannada and English. However, communication with the Union must be in Hindi or English (Article 346).