Polity (Part-2) (CDS-Solved Paper)

The Indian Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs for enforcement of any of the fundamental rights conferred by part III of Indian Constitution Under Article 32. There are five types of writs-Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari and Quo warranto.

Habeas Corpus writ is issued to produce a person who has been detained, whether in prison or in private custody, before a court and to release him if such detention is found illegal.

The reports of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG) relating to the accounts of the Union Shall be submitted to the President.

The President in case of the union and to the Governor in case of the state who in turn cause them to be tabled before the House.

The National Commission for women was set up as statutory body in January, 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, Passed by the Parliament in 1990 (Act No. 20 of 1990 of Government of India) to review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women.

PIL is directly filed by an individual or group of people in the Supreme Court and High courts and Judicial member. India had to wait till 1986 when the then Chief Justice PN Bhagwati introduced Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to the Indian Judicial system.

He is therefore held, alongwith Justice VR Krishna Iyer, to have pioneered judicial activism in the country.

Article 44 of the Directive Principles sets its implementation as duty of the State to make guidelines for its effective implementation. It is not a part of fundamental rights.

Uniform civil code on the ongoing point of debate within India mandate to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India with a common set of rules governing every citizen.

The executive powers of state are vested with Governor. Unlike President of India, Governor has no such power to declare emergency in the state except under Article 356 that empowers a Governor to report the President about the failure of government in his state,  thus to take over the administration of that particular state.

Article 360 states that if the President is satisfied that a situation has arisen whereby the financial stability or the credit of India or any part is threatened, President may declare a state of emergency.

During the period of such proclamation, the executive authority of the union extends to the giving of directions to nay state to observe such canons of financial propriety as may be specified in the directions. Hence, option (a), (b) and (c) are correct, option (d) is incorrect.

The bill was introduced in 1883 by Viceroy Ripon, who actually desired to abolish the racial prejudice from the Indian Penal Code. Ripon had proposed an amendment for existing laws in the country and to allow Indian judges and magistrates the jurisdiction to try British offenders in criminal cases at the District level.

It was never allowed before. So naturally, the Europeans living in India looked it as a humiliation and the introduction of the bill led to intense opposition in Britain as well as India (by the British residents). So, it was withdrawn but was reintroduced and enacted in 1884 with several amendments.
Hence, option (c) is correct.

The Second Five-Year Plan was drafted under the leadership of PC Mahalanobis. KN Raj drafted sections of India’s first Five-Year Plan. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect. The Second Five Year Plan focused on heavy industries and followed socialist pattern of society as its goal.

Since savings and investment were growing in this period, a bulk of these industries like electricity, railways, steel, machineries and communication could be developed in the public sector. Thus, statement 2 is correct.

However, the Second Five-Year Plan had its problems as well, because industry attracted more investment than agriculture, the possibility of food shortage became adverse. So, the planners found balancing industry and agriculture really difficult. Hence, statement 3 is also correct.

The amended Haryana Panchayati Raj Act barred five categories of people from contesting Panchayat elections. These were:
1. Persons, who are charged in a criminal case for an offence that could be punished with imprisonment for not less than 10 years.
2. Those who defaulted on agriculture loans.
3. Persons with outstanding payments of electricity bills.
4. Those, who do not have the minimum specified educational qualification.
5. Those, who do not have a functional toilet at their residence.
Hence, option (a) is correct.

Sarkaria Commission was setup in June, 1983 by the Central Government of India. The Sarkaria Commission’s charter was to examine the relationship and balance of power between State and Central Governments in the country and suggest changes within the framework of Constitution of India.

The Eleventh Finance Commission of India was appointed by the President on 3rd July, 1998 for the Period 2000-05.
Second Administrative Reforms Commission 5th August, 2005 as a committee of inquiry to prepare a detailed blueprint for revamping the public administration system.

In April, 2007, a three member commission headed by the former Chief Justice MM Punchhi was set-up by the UPA government to take a fresh look at relative roles and responsibilities of various levels of government and their inter-relations.
Hence, option (a) is correct.