Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is 65th Constitutional Amendment, 1992.

Key Points

• The constitutional recognition to National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was given by the 65th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1990, and the commission was formed on 12th March 1992. 
• By the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act 2003, the erstwhile National Commission for SC and ST has been replaced by 

1. National Commission for Scheduled Caste.
2. National Commission for Scheduled Tribe. 

• Both the chairman and members of the commission are appointed by the President.
• The term of office of Chairman and members is decided by the President (generally, it is for 3 years) from the date on which he or she assumes office.
• All the members of the commission shall not be eligible for an appointment of more than 2 terms. 
• The composition of the commission includes Chairman, Deputy-Chairman, and 3 other members. 
• At least one member should be a woman.
• The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Commission have the status of Union Minister and Union Minister of State.
• While investigating any matter or inquiring about any complaint, the Commission shall have all the powers which the Civil Court has while pursuing the suit.
• The commission will submit its annual report to the President in case of Centre and Governor in case of State.

Additional Information

• 102nd Constitutional Amendment, 2018 provides Constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes.
• 104th  Constitutional Amendment, 2020 extended the reservation of seats for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and states assemblies from 70 years to 80 years.
  • It also removed the reserved seats for the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

The correct answer is One-tenth of the total members of the House.

Key Points

• The quorum to constitute a sitting of the House is one-tenth of the total number of Members of the House.

Additional Information

• Article 100 of the Constitution of India stipulates that at least 10% of a total number of members of the House must be present to constitute the quorum to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament.
• The quorum of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha is one-tenth of the total membership of each house.
• The definition of a quorum is the minimum number of voting members who must be present at a properly called meeting in order to conduct business in the name of the group without a quorum, a group cannot take any substantive action or give notice.

The Correct answer is Justice Fazl Ali.

Key Points

• The creation of the Andhra state intensified the demand from other regions for the creation of states on a linguistic basis.
• This forced the Government of India to appoint (in December 1953) a three-member States Reorganisation Commission under the chairmanship of Fazl Ali to re-examine the whole question. Its other two members were K M Panikkar and H N Kunzru.
• It submitted its report in September 1955 and broadly accepted language as the basis of the reorganisation of states. But, it rejected the theory of ‘one language-one state’. Its view was that the unity of India should be regarded as the primary consideration in any redrawing of the country’s political units. It identified four major factors that can be taken into account in any scheme of the reorganisation of states:

1. Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of the country.
2.  Linguistic and cultural homogeneity.
3. Financial, economic and administrative considerations.
4. Planning and promotion of the welfare of the people in each state as well as of the nation as a whole.

• The commission suggested the abolition of the four-fold classification of states under the original Constitution and the creation of 16 states and 3 centrally administered territories. The Government of India accepted these recommendations with certain minor modifications.
• By the States Reorganisation Act (1956) and the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act (1956), the distinction between Part-A and Part-B states was done away with and Part-C states were abolished. Some of them were merged with adjacent states and some others were designated as union territories. As a result, 14 states and 6 union territories were created on November 1, 1956.
• The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 established the new state of Kerala by merging the Travancore- Cochin State with the Malabar District of Madras state and Kasargode of South Canara (Dakshina Kannada).
• It merged the Telugu-speaking areas of Hyderabad state with the Andhra state to create the Andhra Pradesh state. Further, it merged the Madya Bharat state, Vindya Pradesh state and Bhopal state into the Madya Pradesh state. Similarly, it merged the Saurashtra state and Kutch state into that of the Bombay state.

The correct answer is The maximum number is not fixed.

• According to the Indian Constitution, at one time, a person can be the Governor of a maximum of any number of states, the maximum number is not fixed.

Key Points

• The office of the Governor is the highest office in the state.
• The Governor is also called the first-person of the state.
• The Governor is appointed and removed by the President of India.
• Governor holds the office till the President of India.
• Condition for the office of the governor:
  • He should be an Indian Citizen.
  • He should be 35 years old or more.
  • He should not hold any office of profit.
  • He cannot be a member of parliament or state legislature.

Additional Information

• Article Related to Governor:
  • Article 152: Definition
  • Article 153: Governors of states.
  • Article 154: Executive Power of Governor.
  • Article 155: Appointment of Governor
  • Article 156: Term of office of Governor
  • Article 157: Qualifications for that appointment of Governor
  • Article 158: Conditions of Governor's office.
  • Article 159: Oath or Affirmation by Governor
  • Article 160: Discharge Of the functions of the Governor in Contingencies
  • Article 161: Power of Governor to grant pardon, etc.
  • Article 162: Extent of Executive Power of State. 

Key Points

• Article 226 of the Constitution of India deals with the power of the High Courts to issue writs.
• Enshrined under Part V of the Constitution of India, Article 226 confers power to the High Courts to issue orders, directions, and writs in the nature of Habeas corpus, Mandamus, Certiorari, Prohibition, and Quo Warranto. 
• As per Article 226(1), every High Court within the territory of India has the power to issue orders, directions, and writs to any individual or authority including the Government for the enforcement of fundamental rights as well as other legal rights under its own local jurisdiction. 
• Article 226(2) confers the power to the High Courts to issue orders, directions, and writs outside their own local jurisdiction in the cases where the cause of actions lies wholly or in part within their local jurisdiction.

Additional Information