Indian Politics Questions and Answers

Answer: B

The State Election Commission was constituted under Article 243K.

Article 243K, added by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, vests the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of all panchayat elections in a State Election Commission. Article 243ZA extends its role to municipal elections. Rajasthan set up its commission in July 1994 accordingly.

Article 243A concerns the Gram Sabha, Article 246 divides legislative powers between the Union and the States, and Article 256 concerns the obligation of States to comply with Union laws.

Answer: B

The Act mandates a Local Complaints Committee in every district.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 requires the District Officer to constitute a Local Committee in each district. It hears complaints from workplaces with fewer than ten workers, where no Internal Committee exists, and complaints against the employer.

The Internal Complaints Committee is set up by each employer at the workplace, not at the district level. Saathins are village-level women workers of Rajasthan's Women's Development Programme, and Sakhi is the One Stop Centre scheme for women affected by violence; neither is the committee the Act prescribes.

Answer: C

The second appeal can be made within 60 days.

The Rajasthan Guaranteed Delivery of Public Services Act, 2011 gives citizens notified services within fixed time limits. A person refused service, or not served in time, can appeal to the first appellate authority within 30 days. Against the first appellate authority's decision, a second appeal lies to the second appellate authority within 60 days of that decision.

30 days is the limit for the first appeal, which is the usual trap. The Act does not set 45 or 15 days for the second appeal.

Answer: A

The final appellate authority is the State Information Commission.

Under the Right to Information Act, 2005, a refusal can be taken to the first appellate authority within the public authority and then, in a second appeal, to the Information Commission: the State Information Commission for state public authorities and the Central Information Commission for central ones. Section 19(7) makes the Commission's decision binding.

The Human Rights Commission, the Law Commission and the Election Commission have no role in RTI appeals.

Answer: A

The State Election Commission of Rajasthan was constituted in 1994.

The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992, which came into force in 1993, required every state to set up a State Election Commission (Articles 243K and 243ZA) to conduct elections to panchayats and municipalities. Rajasthan constituted its commission in 1994, in time for the panchayat elections held under the new law.

1993 is the year the amendments took effect, which is the usual trap. 1995 and 1996 are later than the commission's constitution.

Answer: A

Urban local bodies were empowered by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.

The 74th Amendment, 1992, added Part IXA (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule to the Constitution. It gave municipalities constitutional status, regular elections, reserved seats, a State Finance Commission and a list of 18 functions.

The 73rd Amendment did the same for panchayats. The 72nd Amendment concerned reserved seats for Scheduled Tribes in the Tripura assembly, the 75th provided for rent tribunals, and the 76th placed Tamil Nadu's reservation law in the Ninth Schedule.

Answer: C

The answer is Statement-I is false but Statement-II is true.

Statement-I is false: in the parliamentary system the Constitution provides for the states, the Governor is only the nominal head of the state executive. The real executive authority is exercised by the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, on whose aid and advice the Governor acts (Article 163). Calling the Governor the executive authority of that scheme misstates the position.

Statement-II is true: under Article 155 the Governor is appointed by the President, and under Article 156 holds office during the pleasure of the President, normally for a term of five years.

Answer: B

The chairperson can be removed by the President.

Under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the chairperson and members of a State Human Rights Commission are appointed by the Governor, but Section 23 provides that they can be removed only by the President, for example for proved misbehaviour or incapacity after an inquiry by the Supreme Court, or on grounds such as insolvency.

The Governor is the trap: he appoints but does not remove. The Chief Justice of the High Court and the Chief Minister have no power of removal.

Answer: C

Panchayati Raj was inaugurated in Rajasthan on 2 October 1959.

Following the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee's recommendation of a three-tier system, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated Panchayati Raj at Nagaur on 2 October 1959, making Rajasthan the first state to adopt it.

24 April is National Panchayati Raj Day, marking the 73rd Amendment coming into force in 1993, which is why the 24 April dates are traps. 1958 is before the system began, and 1962 is too late.

Answer: C

The State Election Commission was formed under Article 243K.

Article 243K, added by the 73rd Amendment in Part IX, vests the superintendence, direction and control of panchayat elections in a State Election Commission headed by a State Election Commissioner appointed by the Governor. Rajasthan's commission was set up under it.

Article 243ZA applies the same commission to municipal elections, but it is the Part IXA provision that borrows the body Article 243K creates. Article 243Z deals with the audit of municipal accounts, and Article 242 has been omitted from the Constitution.