The Governance System (Indian Polity and Governance)

Total Questions: 80

51. Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the code given at the end: [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]

Assertion (A): The primary objective of India's federal design was to weave a nation out of its many diverse parts and protect national integration.

Reason (R): Accommodation of diversities has built a stronger, not weaker, Indian nationhood.

Correct Answer: (b) Both (A) and (R) are individually true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Solution:Here, Assertion and Reason both are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A) Under Article 1, India is a Union of States which include 28 states and 8 Union Territories There is a division of Power between the Union and the States where more powers are given to the Union.

Indian Federal design aims to weave a nation out of its many diverse parts and protect national integration. Therefore, the accommodation of diversities has resulted in a strong nationhood, not a weaker one.

52. Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R): [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]

Assertion (A): The nature of Indian Political System embodies the elements of 'continuity and change'.

Reason (R): The Indian Political System contains the elements of the following political system such as the modern style, the traditional style and saint style.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below.

Correct Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Solution:Like the Indian Political system, from the Mauryan period to the modern era, its specific elements still exist in tangible form.

Although the continuous and changing Indian Political system from various ages and periods contained elements of modern style, traditional style and saint style. Thus, both statements (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

  • The Mughal Empire also significantly influenced the Indian government and politics. It established a strong central government and administration system. Mughal emperors like Akbar and Shah Jahan administered a vast territory covering most of modern-day India. They implemented policies that promoted religious tolerance and cultural syncretism.
  • The advent of the British East India Company heralded colonial rule that lasted nearly two centuries. The British established a government and political system alien to India. They introduced concepts like democracy, rule of law, separation of powers and constitutionalism. However, their focus remained on economic exploitation, and many Indian political leaders arose to fight for India's Independence.
  • The Indian government and politics we see today were fundamentally shaped by the Independence movement and the framing of the Indian Constitution in 1950. India adopted a parliamentary form of government with an elected parliament and prime minister. The Constitution establishes India as a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic

53. Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R): [R.A.S/R.T.S. (Pre) 2013]

Assertion (A): Women, Dalits, Poor and Minority groups are the biggest stakeholders of Democracy in India. Reason (R): Democracy in India has emerged as the carrier for the desire of Self Respect.

Correct Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Solution:Democracy protects individual rights and increases the self- respect and dignity of women, poor, Dalits and minority groups. So, they are the biggest stakeholders of democracy in India. Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) explains (A) correctly.

Basic Features Of Democratic Government

  • Rule by the People: In a democratic political system, ultimate authority and decision-making power rest with the people. Citizens typically have the right to participate in the political process through voting.
  • Representation: Democracies often employ a representative system, where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. This is known as representative democracy.
  • Protection of Individual Rights: Democracies emphasize the protection of individual rights and freedoms. Constitutions or legal frameworks often guarantee citizens certain fundamental rights.
  • Rule of Law: Democracies operate under the rule of law, where laws apply equally to all individuals, including government officials. No one is above the law.
  • Pluralism and Diversity: Democratic societies tend to value diversity of opinions and perspectives. Multiple political parties and a vibrant civil society are common features.
  • Free and Fair Elections: Democratic elections are expected to be free and fair, allowing citizens to choose their leaders without coercion or manipulation.
  • Peaceful Transfer of Power: In a stable democracy, power transitions occur peacefully, often through regular elections.

54. The reason for the Indian Constitution being the bulkiest is that: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 1997]

Correct Answer: (e) All of the above
Solution:The Indian Constitution is the longest-written Constitution in the world. There is no single reason for the bulkiest of the constitution in the given option. The nature of the constitution has become larger due to all the above reasons. So, there is not even a single valid reason among all the choices, but all are true.

Salient Features of Indian Constitution
The characteristics of the Indian Constitution can be seen as follows:

  • Lengthiest Written Constitution - The Constitution of India is the lengthiest of all the written Constitutions of the world. It is a very comprehensive and detailed document.
    ∗ Several factors that have contributed to its elephantine size include -the need to accommodate the vast diversity of the country, a single constitution for both the Center and States, the presence of legal experts and luminaries in
    the Constituent Assembly, etc.
  • Drawn from Various Sources-The Constitution of India has borrowed most of its provisions from the Government of India Act of 1935 as well as from the constitutions of various other countries.
  • Blend of Rigidity and Flexibility-Constitutions are classified into rigid (requires a special procedure for its amendment) and flexible (can be amended in the same manner as ordinary laws are made).
    ∗ The Constitution of India is neither rigid nor flexible, but a synthesis of both
  • Federal System with Unitary Bias-The Constitution of india establishes a federal system of government and contains all the usual features of a federation. However, it also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features. Parliamentary System of Government. The parliamentary system is based on the principle of cooperation and coordination between the
  • Parliamentary Form of Government-The Constitution of India has adopted the British legislative and executive organs.
  • Synthesis of Parliamentary Sovereignty and Judicial Supremacy-The synthesis of parliamentary sovereignty and judicial supremacy in India represents a delicate balance between the authority of the legislature to enact laws and the
    power of the judiciary to review and interpret these laws in light of constitutional principles.
    ∗ While Parliament retains the ultimate authority to make laws, the judiciary serves as the guardian of the Constitution, ensuring that parliamentary actions adhere to constitutional norms and protect fundamental rights.

55. Which of the following statements is true? [38th B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1992]

Correct Answer: (a) The Federal form of Government is in United States of America.
Solution:The government system of America is federal. The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 States however India is a Union of 28 States and 8 Union Territories.

Article 1 of Indian Constitution declares it as the Union of States. A federal government is one in which there is a division of powers between the central government and state governments by the constitution itself, and both operate in their respective jurisdictions independently.

Some Constitutional experts called the Indian Constitution having unitary nature because at the time of emergency it provides a strong Centre, but the reality is that Indian Constitution is of federal nature, having some unitary features.

56. Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism? [U.P.S.C. (Pre) 2017]

Correct Answer: (d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating units.
Solution:A written Constitution, distribution of powers, supremacy of the constitution, Independence of Judiciary, unequal representation of states in the Rajya Sabha and Dual Governments are all features of Indian federalism. However, Indian federalism is not a result of any agreement among the federating units.

While using the word 'Union', Dr. Ambedkar mentioned in the Constituent Assembly that it shows that (a) the Indian federation is not the result of an agreement by the units, and (b) the component units have no freedom to secede from it. Thus option (d) is not a feature of Indian federalism.

57. Given below are two statements, one is labelled as: Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R): [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2020]

Assertion (A): Indian federalism is called 'Quasi- federal'.

Reason (R): India has an independent judiciary with power of Judicial Review.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below.

Correct Answer: (b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
Solution:The Constitution of India has been described in various ways. K.C. Wheare describes it as Quasi-federal. It means that government generally belongs to the Federal System, but the Constitution enables the Federation to be converted into a unitary state. Generally, it happens during an emergency.

Independent Judiciary empowered by Judicial Review is a crucial feature of our Constitution. The Constitution of India explicitly establishes the doctrine of Judicial Review in the following Articles: 13, 32, 136, 137, 226 and 227. Thus, both statements (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

58. Select the correct answer using the codes given below: [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2007 ]

Assertion (A): Indian Constitution is quasi-federal.

Reason (R): Indian Constitution is neither federal nor unitary.

Correct Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Solution:The framers of the Constitution adopted the federal system for two main reasons: the large size of the country and its socio-cultural diversity. There is no unanimous view among the Constitutional experts regarding the nature of the Constitution. Granville Austin describes Indian Federalism as Cooperative Federalism, while K.C.

Where describes it as Quasi-Federal. In the words of D.D. Basu, the Constitution of India is neither purely federal nor unitary, but it is a combination of both. Thus option (a) is the correct answer.

59. What is the nature of the Indian Constitution? [63rd B.P.S.C. (Pre) 2017]

Correct Answer: (d) Federal in nature but unitary in spirit
Solution:Indian federalism is called a quasi-federal structure because it exhibits features of both federal and unitary systems of government. The Constitution of India has a federal structure as it divides powers between the central government and the state governments.

However, it also has certain unitary features that give the central government more power in certain situations. This blend of features makes the federal structure of the Indian Constitution more flexible and adaptable as per the needs.

The Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr. Ambedkar, said that "Our Constitution would be both unitary as well as federal according to the requirements of time and circumstances".

Unitary Features of the Indian Union

  • The flexibility of the Constitution - the Constitution is a blend of flexibility and rigidity. Certain provisions of the Constitution can be easily amended. In case the amendments seek to change aspects of federalism in India, the provision to bring about such amendments is not easy. (Read about types of majorities in Indian Parliament using which amendments or certain other provisions are introduced.)
  • More power vests with the Centre - the constitution guarantees more powers with the Union List. On the Concurrent List subjects, the parliament can make laws that can override the laws made by a state legislature on some matters. The parliament can also make laws regarding certain subjects in the State List.
  • Unequal representation of states in the Rajya Sabha - the representation of the states in the upper house is based on the states populations. For example. Uttar Pradesh has 31 seats and Goa, I in the Rajya Sabha, in an ideal federal system, all the states should have equal representation.
  • The executive is a part of the legislature in India, the executive in both the centre and the states is a part of the legislature. This goes against the principle of division of powers between the different organs of the government.
  • Lok Sabha is more powerful than the Rajya Sabha - in our system, the Lok Sabha is more powerful than the upper house and unequal powers to two houses is against the principle of federalism.
  • Emergency powers the centre is provided with emergency powers. When an emergency is imposed, the centre has increased control over states. This undermines the autonomy of the states. (You may also read about President's rule - Article 356 in the linked article.)

60. Who called Indian Federalism as the Cooperative Federalism. [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2008]

Correct Answer: (a) G. Austin
Solution:Indian federalism is called a quasi-federal structure because it exhibits features of both federal and unitary systems of government. The Constitution of India has a federal structure as it divides powers between the central government and the state governments.

However, it also has certain unitary features that give the central government more power in certain situations. This blend of features makes the federal structure of the Indian Constitution more flexible and adaptable as per the needs.

The Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr. Ambedkar, said that "Our Constitution would be both unitary as well as federal according to the requirements of time and circumstances".

Unitary Features of the Indian Union

  • The flexibility of the Constitution - the Constitution is a blend of flexibility and rigidity. Certain provisions of the Constitution can be easily amended. In case the amendments seek to change aspects of federalism in India, the provision to bring about such amendments is not easy. (Read about types of majorities in Indian Parliament using which amendments or certain other provisions are introduced.)
  • More power vests with the Centre - the constitution guarantees more powers with the Union List. On the Concurrent List subjects, the parliament can make laws that can override the laws made by a state legislature on some matters. The parliament can also make laws regarding certain subjects in the State List.
  • Unequal representation of states in the Rajya Sabha - the representation of the states in the upper house is based on the states populations. For example. Uttar Pradesh has 31 seats and Goa, I in the Rajya Sabha, in an ideal federal system, all the states should have equal representation.
  • The executive is a part of the legislature in India, the executive in both the centre and the states is a part of the legislature. This goes against the principle of division of powers between the different organs of the government.
  • Lok Sabha is more powerful than the Rajya Sabha - in our system, the Lok Sabha is more powerful than the upper house and unequal powers to two houses is against the principle of federalism.
  • Emergency powers the centre is provided with emergency powers. When an emergency is imposed, the centre has increased control over states. This undermines the autonomy of the states. (You may also read about President's rule - Article 356 in the linked article.)