Question Discussion & Solution

The correct answer is January 2021.

• Rajya Sabha has passed The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• It will replace Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance of 2021 which merged the Jammu and Kashmir cadre of the IAS, IPS, and IFS with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory cadre, also known as AGMUT cadre.
• The President had promulgated the ordinance in January 2021.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

• Rajya Sabha is authorized to do the following
  • It can authorize the parliament to make a law on a subject enumerated in the state list (Art.249).
  • It can authorize the parliament to create a new India service common to both the Centre and the State (Art.312).

The correct answer is Speaker.

Key Points

• Before sending it to the upper house, The Speaker of the Lok Sabha certifies the bill as a money bill. Hence, option 3 is correct.
• The Speaker's decision is binding on both the Houses.
• The Bill can be introduced only in Lok Sabha.
• When a Money Bill is returned to the lower house with the recommended amendments of the Rajya Sabha, the bill is open to the Lok Sabha to accept or reject any or all of the recommendations.

Important Points

• Money bills passed by the lower house are sent to the Rajya Sabha.
• The Rajya Sabha can recommend amendments.
• The Rajya Sabha can not amend money bills.

The correct answer is 17.

Key Points

• Untouchability is neither defined in the Constitution nor in the Act.
  • It refers to a social practice that looks down upon certain depressed classes solely on account of their birth and makes any discrimination against them on this ground.
  • In 1976, it was made more stringent and was renamed ‘The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.
  • It defines ‘Civil Right’ as ‘any right accruing to a person by reason of the abolition of untouchability by 'Article 17 of the Constitution.’
  • All offenses under the Act have been made non-compoundable. 

Additional Information

• Article 14 of the Indian Constitution states that “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India”.
• Article 48 of DPSP in the Indian Constitution directs the State to prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves, and other milch and draught cattle and to improve their breeds.
• Article 22 is one such Fundamental Right that safeguards the rights of individuals who have been arrested and detained for committing an offence.

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.