Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

Key Points

• India is a federal (or quasi-federal) democratic republic with a parliamentary system of government largely based on the UK model.
• Parliament is the “supreme legislative body of India” comprised of the President and the two Houses – Rajya Sabha (the Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (the House of the People).
  • ​It is not necessary for a democratic country to have a constitution.

Additional Information

• After independence, pursuant to the Indian Independence Act, the Constituent Assembly became India’s first sovereign legislature. 
• The Assembly was formed under a plan recommended by the Cabinet Mission that called for the framing of the Constitution of India. 
• A drafting committee under the chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was set up by the Constituent Assembly.  
• It took the drafting committee two years and eleven months to complete the drafting of the Constitution.
• Full democracies are nations where civil liberties and fundamental political freedoms are not only respected but also reinforced by a political culture conducive to the thriving of democratic principles.

The correct answer is 2004-2007.

Key Points

• Pratibha Devi Singh Patil: 
  • She was the 12th President of India from 2007 to 2012
  • She was the first female President in India.
  • She was also a Governor of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2007.
  • She was also the first female Governor of Rajasthan.

Additional Information

• Prabha Rau:
  • She was the 2nd female Governor(Acting) of Rajasthan from 2009 to 2010.
  • She also served as a Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
• ​​Margret Alva:
  • She was 3rd female Governor of Rajasthan from 2012 to 2014
  • She was also a Governor of Goa, Gujarat, and Uttrakhand.
  • She also held the office of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Ministry Youth and Sports and Women and Child Development, and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

The correct answer is 3 only.

 Key Points

• In case of a censure motion, reasons must be stated for its adoption in the Lok Sabha while in case of motion of no confidence no such reasons for its adoption are required to be stated in the Lok Sabha. Hence Statement 3 is not correct and option 3 is correct.

 Important Points

• Article 75 of the constitution states that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People.
• Collective responsibility means that the entire Council of ministers is a team that sinks or swims together.
• So if the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the Council of ministers then all have to resign. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• Censure motion is moved against the Council of Ministers, a group of ministers, or as individual ministers for the failure to perform duties.
• The censure motion is usually moved by the opposition party against the ruling party or any of its ministers for failing to act in a certain matter.
• Censure motion must be specific and self-explanatory, stating the reasons for its adoption. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• It can be moved only in the Lok Sabha and not in the Rajya Sabha.
• No leave of the House is required for moving a censure motion but it must specify the charges against the government for which it is moved.
• If the censure motion is passed, the Council of ministers is bound to seek the confidence of the Lok Sabha as early as possible.

 Additional Information 

Difference between Censure Motion and Motion of No Confidence

• No confidence motion can only be moved against the entire council of ministers while censure motion can be moved against an individual minister, a group of ministers, and the entire council of ministers.
• Censure motion is moved for censuring the council of ministers for specific policies and action and a no-confidence motion, on the other hand, is moved for ascertaining the confidence of Lok Sabha in the council of ministers.
• The council of ministers need not resign from the office if a censure motion is passed in the Lok Sabha while in case of motion of no confidence, the council of minister must resign from office if the motion is passed. Hence Statement 4 is correct.

The correct answer is 1, 2, 4

Key Points

• Schedule 3 enriched Forms of oaths and Affirmations of offices for elected officials including judges.
• It contains the forms of oath and affirmation for:
  • Union Ministers of India
  • Parliament Election Candidates
  • Members of Parliament (MPs)
  • Supreme Court Judges
  • Comptroller and Auditor General
  • State Ministers
  • State Legislature Elections Candidates
  • State Legislature Members
  • High Court Judges

Additional Information

• First Schedule contains the Lists of the states and territories of India (also about their changes).
• The second Schedule lists the salaries of officials holding public office, Presidents, judges, and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
• The fourth Schedule contains the Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament) per State or Union Territory.
• The fifth Schedule includes the Provisions as to the Administration and Control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes.
• The sixth Schedule includes the Provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
• The seventh Schedule contains The Union (central government), state, and concurrent lists of responsibilities.
• 8^th, 9^th, 11^th and 12^th Schedule contains the Languages, Validation of certain Acts and Regulations, Panchayat Raj (rural local government), and Municipalities (urban local government) respectively.
• The tenth Schedule enriched "Anti-defection" provisions for the Members of Parliament and the Members of the State Legislatures.

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.