Govt Exams
1. It provides for a three-tier Panchayati Raj system in states with population above 20 lakhs
2. It made Panchayat elections mandatory every five years
3. It reserves seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
All three statements are correct.
The 73rd Amendment Act (1992) introduced the Constitutional framework for Panchayati Raj.
It provides for a three-tier system in states with population above 20 lakhs (Article 243C).
It mandates regular elections every five years (Article 243E) and reserves seats for SCs and STs proportionate to their population (Article 243D).
Article 85(2)(b) empowers the President to dissolve the Lok Sabha.
The President exercises this power on the advice of the Prime Minister.
Article 84 deals with qualifications for the President, Article 75 with the PM and Council of Ministers, and Article 52 with the President's existence.
Certiorari is used to quash an order or judgment of a lower court or administrative body.
It is issued when there is excess of jurisdiction or violation of natural justice (Article 226, 32).
Option A describes Mandamus, Option B describes Habeas Corpus, and Option D describes Quo Warranto.
Each writ has specific applicability and scope.
The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976, passed during the Emergency period, added three words to the Preamble: 'Socialist', 'Secular', and 'Integrity'.
This amendment is considered one of the most controversial amendments.
The word 'secular' was inserted between 'sovereign' and 'democratic' to emphasize the state's religious neutrality.
The 73rd Amendment (1992) did NOT change the term of Gram Panchayats.
The term was already 5 years and remains 5 years.
However, it did make 3-tier structure mandatory, reserved 1/3rd seats for women, added Part IXA (Articles 243-243O), and created constitutional status for Panchayats.
The 74th Amendment similarly applies to Urban Local Bodies.
Article 37 states that while DPSPs are not enforceable by any court, they are fundamental to the governance of the country and the state shall be guided by these principles in making laws.
Articles 36-51 comprise the entire DPSP chapter. DPSPs cover social and economic rights like education, health, fair wages, etc.
This question tests knowledge of amendments made to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution since its original adoption in 1950.
The original Preamble of the Indian Constitution, adopted on January 26, 1950, described India as a "Sovereign Democratic Republic." The words "Socialist" and "Secular" were NOT part of this original Preamble. However, the 42nd Constitutional Amendment of 1976 (during the Emergency period under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) added both "Socialist" and "Secular" to the Preamble. Since the question asks for a single word that was NOT in the original but was added later, and both "Socialist" and "Secular" fit this criterion, "Socialist" is listed as the correct answer in the given options, though technically "Secular" was also added at the same time. The words "Sovereign" and "Democratic" were present in the original Preamble from 1950.
The correct answer is (C) Socialist, as it was added to the Preamble through the 42nd Amendment in 1976 and was not part of the original Preamble of 1950.
This question asks about the constitutional recognition of local government bodies under India's 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992.
The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, was a landmark legislation that provided constitutional recognition to Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities) for the first time in independent India's history. Prior to this amendment, while rural local bodies (Panchayats) had some constitutional mentions, municipalities and other urban local bodies lacked formal constitutional status despite existing in practice. This amendment added Part IXA to the Constitution, establishing a three-tier system of urban governance through Municipal Corporations (in large cities), Municipalities (in towns), and Nagar Panchayats (in smaller urban areas). District Planning Committees and Metropolitan Planning Committees were created as supporting bodies under this amendment, but they were not the primary focus—the main achievement was the constitutional recognition of municipalities themselves as the primary urban local bodies.
The correct answer is (A) Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities), as the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 1992 provided constitutional recognition to municipalities for the first time.
This question tests knowledge of India's constitutional division of legislative powers between the Union and States through the three lists in the Seventh Schedule.
Criminal law and procedure is correctly placed in the Concurrent List because both Union and State governments need authority to maintain law and order within their respective jurisdictions.
The Indian Constitution divides subjects into three lists:
- Union List (List I): Subjects under exclusive Union control like Defense, Foreign Affairs, Currency, and Coinage—these cannot be legislated by States.
- State List (List II): Subjects under exclusive State control like police, public order, and agriculture.
- Concurrent List (List III): Subjects where both Union and States can legislate, with Union law prevailing in case of conflict. Criminal law and procedure is here because States handle most criminal cases while the Union sets the Indian Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code framework.
Analyzing the options: Defense (A), Currency and coinage (C), and Foreign affairs (D) are all in the Union List—exclusively Union matters. Criminal law and procedure (B) is the only subject in the Concurrent List among these options.
The answer is (B) Criminal law and procedure, as it appears in the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule, allowing both Union and States legislative authority.
This question concerns the constitutional procedure when a bill is rejected by the President and subsequently re-passed by Parliament with a special majority.
When the President returns a bill without assent along with a message, this is called a "veto." The President is exercising constitutional discretion under Article 111 of the Indian Constitution.
According to Article 111, if both houses of Parliament re-pass the bill with a majority of not less than 2/3 of members present and voting, the bill must be presented to the President again.
When a bill is re-passed with the constitutionally mandated 2/3 majority, the President has no option but to give assent. The bill becomes law automatically without requiring Presidential consent—the 2/3 majority effectively overrides the Presidential veto.
The bill becomes law without Presidential assent because re-passage by both houses with a 2/3 majority is a constitutional override of the Presidential veto, making assent mandatory and automatic.