Question Discussion & Solution

• Under the 36th Amendment of the Indian Constitution, Sikkim become the 22^nd state of the Indian Union.
• The Prime Minister of Sikkim appealed to the Indian Parliament for making Sikkim a state of India, in the year 1975.
• A referendum was held in Sikkim and 97.5 percent of the people voted to abolish the monarchy.
• Sikkim became the 22nd state of the Indian Union, on 16 May 1975.
• The 36th amendment of the Indian constitution made Sikkim a full state of India and added its name to the First Schedule of the Constitution.
• Every year, the state celebrates May 16 as Sikkim statehood day. 

Additional Information

The correct answer is Heera Lal Shastri.

• Heera Lal Shastri was the first Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

Key Points

• Chief Minister is the head of the state government.
• According to Article 164 in the Indian Constitution, Governor appoints Chief Minister.
• However, the Governor cannot appoint any random person as the Chief Minister but has to follow a provision.
• The present state of Rajasthan was created on 30 January 1949 by merging the earlier state of Rajputana and a number of princely states.
• The latter were further regrouped in 1956.
• Hiralal Shastri, a prominent politician, and educationist, the serving ‘Prime Minister’ of the princely Jaipur State.
• He was appointed as the 1st Chief Minister of this state. (General election in India came into effect in 1952).
• About Rajasthan (as of Sep 2021)
  • ​Current Governor: Kalraj Mishra
  • Capital: Jaipur (Executive Branch)
  • Current Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
  • Rajya Sabha Seats: 10
  • Lok Sabha Seats: 25

Additional Information

The correct answer is 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

 Key Points

• The ECA was enacted in 1955.
• The act provides for the control of production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce in any farm good deemed “essential” and “in the interest of the general public”.
• The list of items under the Act includes drugs, fertilizers, pulses, and edible oils, and petroleum and petroleum products.

 Important Points

• If the Centre finds that a certain commodity is in short supply and its price is spiking, it can notify stock-holding limits on it for a specified period.
• The States act on this notification to specify limits and take steps to ensure that these are adhered to.
• Anybody trading or dealing in a commodity, be it wholesalers, retailers, or even importers are prevented from stockpiling it beyond a certain quantity.

 Additional Information

•  The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 is aimed at deregulating commodities such as cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion, and potatoes.

The correct answer is 2 and 3 only.

Key Points

• The Council of Ministers in the Centre shall be collectively responsible to Lok Sabha, not parliament.
  • ​Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• The Union Ministers shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President of India.
  • Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The Prime Minister shall communicate to the President about the proposals for legislation.
  • Hence statement 3 is correct.

​​​Additional Information

• Special Powers of Rajya Sabha
  • The Upper House also has some special powers, such as:
    • Power to transfer a subject from the State List to Union List for a specified period (Article 249).
    • To create additional All-India Services (Article 312).
    • To endorse Emergency under Article 352 for a limited period when the Lok Sabha remains dissolved.

The correct answer is  Suryakant.

Key Points

• Suryakant is the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh from 5 October 2018 to 24 May 2019.
• Suryakant is also a former Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• He is also a judge of the Supreme court.
• Justice Surya Kant took oath as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on 24 May 2019.

Important Points

• Justice V. Ramasubramanian was the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh from 22 June 2019 to 22 September 2019.
• From 6 October 2019, Lingappa Narayana Swamy is the chief justice of Himachal Pradesh.
• Himachal Pradesh high court was established in 1971.