Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Minorities can establish and administer educational institutions of their choice

• Article 30 secures religious and linguistic minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions.
• Only religious and linguistic minorities find mention in Article 30 not ethnic. Hence, both Options 2 and 3 are NOT correct.
• Article 30 also states that any State shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language. Hence, Option 4 is NOT correct.

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.

The correct answer is The direction and control of preparation of electoral roles and conduct of all elections to Panchayats shall be vested in the Election Commission of India.

 Key Points

• The direction and control of preparation of electoral roles and conduct of all elections to Panchayats shall be vested in the Election Commission of the state (Article 243K). Hence Option 2 is incorrect.

  Important Points

• Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) is a system of rural local self-government in India.
• PRI was constitutionalized through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 to build democracy at the grassroots level and was entrusted with the task of rural development in the country.
• Basic units of democratic system-Gram Sabhas (villages) and Ward Committees (Municipalities) comprising all the adult members registered as voters.
• The three-tier system of panchayats at the village, intermediate block/taluk/Mandal, and district levels except in States with the population is below 20 lakhs (Article 243B).
• Seats shall be reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the chairpersons of the Panchayats at all levels in proportion to their population.
• One-third of the total number of seats to be reserved for women.
• One-third of the seats reserved for SCs and STs shall also be reserved for women.

The correct answer is Neither 1 nor 2.

Key Points

• Role of the commission:
  • From the above, it is clear that the functions of the commission are mainly recommendatory in nature.
  • It has no power to punish the violators of human rights, nor to award any relief including monetary relief to the victim. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • Notably, its recommendations are not binding on the concerned government or authority. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
  • But, it should be informed about the action taken on its recommendations within one month.
  • In this context, a former member of the Commission observed: 
    • The government cannot wash away the recommendations made by the Commission.
    • The commission’s role may be recommendatory, advisory, yet the Government considers the cases forwarded by it.
    • It is, therefore, improper to say that the commission is powerless.
    • It enjoys great material authority and no government can ignore its recommendation’.
    • Moreover, the commission has a limited role, powers and jurisdiction with respect to the violation of human rights by the members of the armed forces.
    • In this sphere, the commission may seek a report from the Central government and make its recommendations.
    • The Central government should inform the Commission of the action taken on the recommendations within three months.
    • The commission submits its annual or special reports to the Central government and to the state government concerned.
    • These reports are laid before the respective legislatures, along with a memorandum of action taken on the recommendations of the commission and the reasons for non-acceptance of any of such recommendations.

The correct answer is The Prime Minister.

Key Points

•  The Inter-State Council is a constitutional body set up on the basis of provisions in Article 263 of the Constitution of India.

Important Points

• Prime Minister is the Chairman of the Inter-state Council.
• Chief Ministers of all the States and Union Territories having Legislative Assemblies, Administrators of Union Territories not having Legislative Assemblies, Governors of States under President’s rule and six Ministers of Cabinet rank in the Union Council of Ministers, nominated by the Chairman of the Council, are members of the Council.
• Five Ministers of Cabinet rank nominated by the Chairman of the Council are permanent invitees to the Council.
• The Inter-State Council is assisted by the Secretariat, which is headed by a Secretary to the Government of India.

Additional Information

• Inter-State Council is a recommendatory body and it investigates and discusses such subjects, in which some or all of the States of the Union and one or more of the States have a common interest, for better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject.
• It also deliberates upon such other matters of general interests to the States as may be referred by the Chairman to the Council.