Indian Polity & Constitution MCQs

Notes:
Schedules are lists in the Constitution of India that categorize and tabulate bureaucratic activities and policy of the Government. Indian Constitution had originally eight schedules. 9th schedule was added via First Amendment Act. 10th Schedule was first added by 35th Amendment (Sikkim as Associate State) but as Sikkim became a state of India, the original 10 Schedule was repealed. Later it was added once again by 52th Amendment Act, 1985 to park the anti-defection law. Eleventh Schedule was added by 73rd amendment and has list of subjects under the Panchayat Raj institutions or rural local government. Twelfth Schedule was added by 74th amendment and enlists the subjects under Municipalities or urban local government.

Notes:
According to the Constitution of India if a political party in India acquires 1% of votes in a state election.

Notes:
Supreme Court of India came into existence on 26th January, 1950 and it started working on 28th of January, 1950 from the premises of of Parliament house. It moved to current building in 1958.

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Articles 324 to 329 of Part XV of the Indian Constitution provides for the country’s electoral system. Representation of the People Act 1951 was enacted in order to regulate elections in the country.

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The maximum strength of Lok Sabha is 552 members of which 530 are elected from states, 20 are elected from Union Territories and 2 were nominated by President from Anglo-Indian community before coming into effect of The Constitution (One Hundred and Fourth Amendment) Act, 2019. The provision of special representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the House of the People by nomination has not been extended further, so for 17th Lok Sabha, it is 552, however, may be 550 during 18th Lok Sabha.

Notes:
Five current states viz. Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram were union territories before becoming full-fledged states. Goa became state in 1987, Himachal Pradesh in 1971, Manipur and Tripura in 1972 and Mizoram became state in 1987.
Sikkim had become a Protectorate in 1974 and it was given full statehood in 1974 under 35th amendment. Jammu & Kashmir is the only state in India which has been converted to two two Union Territories.

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In Kerala Education Bill (1957), the  Supreme Court said that in case of a conflict between Fundamental Right and Directive Principles, the principle of harmonious construction should be applied. The court observed that: “though the directive principles can not override the fundamental rights, nevertheless, in determining the scope and ambit of fundamental rights the court could not entirely ignore the directive principle but should adopt the principle of harmonious construction and should attempt to give effect to both as much as possible“.

Notes:
In 1974, as President of Citizens for Democracy (CFD), Jayaprakash Narayan had set up a Committee under the chairmanship of Justice V.M. Tarkunde to study and report on a scheme for electoral reforms. This committee, apart from other recommendations, had advocated for a multi-member election commission in India.

Notes:
India’s constitution combines these two contradictory principles. In India the constitution have tried to keep a balance between the Judiciary and the parliament. While Judiciary (Supreme Court) through its power of Judicial review can declare laws passed by the parliament as unconstitutional the Parliament can amend the major portions of the constitution. (without affecting the basic structure of the constitution

Notes:
NRIs can vote in parliamentary as well as assembly elections. An NRI is any Indian citizen who is ordinarily residing outside India and holds an Indian Passport.