Indian Politics Questions and Answers

Answer: A

The Constituent Assembly began functioning on 9 December 1946, meeting in the Constitution Hall in New Delhi.

Sachchidananda Sinha presided over that first sitting as temporary chairman; Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent president two days later. The Muslim League boycotted the session.

Answer: A

Correct answer: A judge of the Supreme Court

Article 324(5) provides that the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from office except in like manner and on like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court - that is, by an order of the President following an address by both Houses, supported by a special majority, on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. Conditions of service cannot be varied to his disadvantage after appointment. The protection is not shared equally. The other Election Commissioners can be removed by the President on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner, which is a much weaker safeguard and has been criticised as leaving them dependent on him, even though all three have equal decision-making power. The same removal procedure applies to the Comptroller and Auditor General under Article 148. A member of the UPSC is removed differently - by the President on the ground of misbehaviour, after an inquiry and report by the Supreme Court. A Governor holds office simply during the President’s pleasure.

Answer: C

S. Radhakrishnan received the Bharat Ratna in 1954, before becoming president in 1962.

He was one of the first three recipients, along with C. Rajagopalachari and C.V. Raman. Rajendra Prasad, V.V. Giri and Zakir Husain all received it after holding the office.

Answer: D

Correct answer: Articles 20 and 21

Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended under Article 359 even during a national emergency. Article 20 protects against conviction under retrospective criminal law, double jeopardy and compelled self-incrimination; Article 21 guarantees life and personal liberty. The protection was inserted by the 44th Amendment in 1978, in direct response to the Emergency of 1975–77. During that period the Supreme Court had held in ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla that when Article 21 was suspended a detainee had no remedy at all, even against unlawful killing - a decision now regarded as the Court’s lowest point, and expressly overruled in the Puttaswamy privacy judgment of 2017. For other rights, the President may under Article 359 suspend the right to move any court for their enforcement. Separately, Article 358 suspends the six freedoms of Article 19 automatically - but only where the emergency is declared on the ground of war or external aggression, not armed rebellion, another safeguard added in 1978.

Answer: C

The Annual Financial Statement is laid before Parliament under Article 112.

It is what the budget is formally called: a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the government for the coming financial year. It must be presented before 31 March, since no money can be drawn from the Consolidated Fund after that without a fresh appropriation.

Answer: B

Nirmala Sitharaman became India's first full-time woman defence minister in September 2017.

Indira Gandhi had held the portfolio in addition to being prime minister, but not as a full-time minister. Sitharaman became finance minister in 2019.

Answer: C

Correct answer: To produce a detained person before the court and test the legality of the detention

Habeas corpus means “you may have the body”. The court orders that a detained person be produced before it so that the legality of the detention can be examined, and if no lawful ground is shown the person is released. It is the oldest and most important of the writs, and it lies against private individuals as well as public authorities - unlike the others. It can be sought by anyone on the detainee’s behalf, not only by the person detained, which matters when someone is held incommunicado. The remaining four are worth learning alongside it. Mandamus commands a public authority to perform a duty it has refused. Prohibition stops a lower court or tribunal exceeding its jurisdiction, and is issued while proceedings are pending. Certiorari quashes an order already made by such a body. Quo warranto asks by what authority a person holds a public office. All five may be issued by the Supreme Court under Article 32 and by the High Courts under Article 226.

Answer: C

The Ninth Schedule holds acts and regulations of state legislatures dealing chiefly with land reform, which are protected from challenge on the ground that they violate fundamental rights.

It was added by the First Amendment in 1951. In 2007 the Supreme Court held that laws placed in it after 1973 can still be reviewed if they violate the basic structure.

Answer: D

Correct answer: 26 January 1950

The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day. The date was chosen deliberately. On 26 January 1930 the Indian National Congress had declared Purna Swaraj, complete independence, at its Lahore session, and the anniversary had been observed as Independence Day through the years that followed. Bringing the Constitution into force on that day honoured it. Three dates are commonly confused. The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949, now marked as Constitution Day. It came into force on 26 January 1950. And 15 August 1947 is Independence Day, when the country became a dominion under the Indian Independence Act while still governed by the Government of India Act 1935. It was on 26 January 1950 that India ceased to be a dominion and became a republic, with a President in place of the British monarch as head of state.

Answer: D

Delhi became the second state to accept online RTI applications, launching its e-RTI portal after the central government's own.

The Right to Information Act of 2005 requires a reply within thirty days, and online filing removes the need to send a postal order or visit an office.