Q. Consider the following statements on ‘the national commission to review the working of the constitution’:
The Commission was headed by M.N. Venkatachaliah, the former Chief Justice of India.
It recommended to expand Article 19 and Article 21-A.
Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism should be considered as independent religions from Hinduism.
A new Directive Principle on Population Control should be added.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Answer:
1, 2, 3 & 4
Notes:
The National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) was set up by a resolution of the Government of India in 2000, and was asked to submit its recommendations within one year. The 11-member Commission was headed by M.N. Venkatachaliah, the former Chief Justice of India. Commission submitted its report in 2002.
Some of its recommendations are:
Article 19 should be expanded to expressly include "the freedom of the press and other media, etc." Article 21-A, the right to education, should be expanded.
The maximum length for preventive detention should be six months; and
Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism should be considered as independent religions from Hinduism, and the clauses combining them under Article 25 should be removed.
During the operation of a national emergency, the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights under Articles 17, 23, 24, 25, and 32, as well as those under Articles 20 and 21, will not be suspended.
Part IV of the Constitution's heading should be changed to 'Directive Principles of State Policy and Action.' A new Directive Principle on Population Control should be added to the list.
Every five years, an independent National Education Commission should be established.
To promote inter-religious harmony and social solidarity, an Inter-Faith Commission should be constituted.
The Justice Verma Committee's suggestions on the operationalization of Fundamental Duties should be adopted as soon as possible.
Article 51-A should add the responsibility to vote in elections, participate actively in the democratic process of governance and pay taxes and to promote a sense of family values and responsible parenting in matters of children's education, physical, and moral well-being.
Aappropriate framework for regulating political parties would need to be put in place before state funding could be considered.
All individuals who defect (individually or in groups) from the party or alliance of parties on whose ticket they were elected must renounce their parliamentary or assembly seats. A vote cast by a defector to overthrow a government should be considered void. The Election Commission, rather than the Speaker or Chairman of the House concerned, should have the authority to determine on questions of defection disqualification.
The Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule should cover disaster and emergency management.
In the event of a political breakdown in a state, the state should be given an opportunity to explain its position and correct the situation before invoking Article 356, to the extent possible.