2017

Statement 1 is incorrect: Private member's bills are introduced by Members of Parliament (MPs) who are not ministers i.e., they do not hold any position in the government. These bills allow non-ministerial MPs to propose legislative changes, reflecting their views or those of their political parties on important issues.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While the passage rate of private member's bills is very low, it is not true that no such bill has ever been passed in recent times. Since 1952, a total of 14 private member's bills have been passed by Parliament. One of the most notable examples is the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1970, which was successfully enacted. However, the majority of private member's bills fail to become law due to a lack of government backing, time constraints, or procedural hurdles.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D) neither 1 nor 2.

* The right to vote and to be elected in India is a constitutional right, enshrined in Article 326 of the Indian Constitution.

* Article 326 grants the right to vote to every Indian citizen based on universal adult suffrage, ensuring that elections to the Parliament and State Legislatures are conducted democratically.

* The Constitution (Sixty-first Amendment) Act, 1988, reduced the minimum voting age for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies from 21 years to 18 years. This amendment aimed to enhance youth participation in the electoral process and strengthen democratic representation.

* While the right to vote is a constitutional right, it is subject to reasonable restrictions based on factors such as non-residence, unsoundness of mind, crime, or corrupt practices as prescribed by law.

The statement 1 is incorrect. In India, the winning candidate is the one who receives the highest number of votes, which is also known as the first-past-the-post system. There is no requirement for the winning candidate to secure at least 50% of the votes polled.

The statement 2 is also incorrect. The Constitution of India does not mandate that the Speaker's post goes to the majority party and the Deputy Speaker's post goes to the Opposition. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from amongst themselves.

Therefore, neither of the statements is correct.

To contest elections for the Lok Sabha, a candidate must fulfill the following constitutional requirements: - Must be a citizen of India. - Must be at least 25 years old. - Must be a registered voter in any parliamentary constituency.

The Parliament of India exercises control over the Council of Ministers through various parliamentary mechanisms, ensuring accountability and transparency in governance. These include:

* Adjournment Motion: This motion is used to discuss a specific and urgent matter of public importance. If admitted, it compels the government to respond and can lead to debate, criticism, or even censure, putting the ruling party in a difficult position.

* Question Hour: Held at the beginning of a parliamentary sitting, MPs can question ministers on government policies, decisions, and administrative matters. This provides a structured way to scrutinize the executive's performance.

* Supplementary Questions: After a minister responds to a question during Question Hour, MPs can ask follow-up questions to seek further clarification or probe deeper into the issue, enhancing ministerial accountability.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D) 1, 2 and 3.

The Preamble to the Constitution of India serves as a window into the vision and intent of its makers.

Here's why: - It is the introductory statement that lays the philosophical and ideological foundation of the Constitution, shaping the governance framework of the nation. - It expresses the aspirations and objectives envisioned by the framers, such as securing justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for all citizens. - It enshrines fundamental principles like sovereignty, democracy, secularism, socialism, and a republic, which define the nature of the Indian state.

While provisions like Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy further elaborate these ideals, the Preamble serves as a concise yet powerful expression of the framers' intent, reflecting the essence of India's constitutional philosophy.

In the Indian context, Rights and Duties are correlative, meaning they are interdependent and go hand in hand. The Indian Constitution provides for both:

- Fundamental Rights (Articles 12-35) ensure individual freedoms and protect citizens from arbitrary state action. - Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) outline the moral and civic responsibilities of citizens toward the nation and society.

Interrelation Between Rights and Duties: - Rights cannot be exercised in isolation; they must be balanced with duties. For example, the Right to Freedom of Speech (Article 19) is linked to the duty to respect the dignity and rights of others (Article 51A(e): Duty to promote harmony and spirit of brotherhood).

The parliamentary system is fundamentally characterized by the principle of collective responsibility. According to Article 75(3) of the Constitution of India, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the legislature). This ensures that the executive remains accountable to the elected representatives and can only stay in power as long as it enjoys the confidence of the legislature. In contrast, the separation of powers where the executive and legislature work independently (Option A) and the continuity of policy due to a fixed tenure (Option B) are primary features of a Presidential system. Furthermore, in a parliamentary system, the head of government can be replaced through a vote of no confidence or a change in party leadership without necessitating a general election (Option D).

* The superior virtue of democracy lies in "the intelligence and character of ordinary men and women."

* Democracy is built on citizen participation, where people are not just passive subjects but active contributors to governance. It assumes that the collective wisdom of the people (when informed and engaged) can lead to better decision-making and promote the welfare of society.

* While strong leadership and dedicated party workers play a role, democracy fundamentally empowers the citizenry, ensuring that governance is shaped by the will and values of the people rather than a select few.

* Thus, the true strength of democracy lies in the intelligence, awareness, and character of its citizens, who drive the system through participation and informed choices.

Statement 1 is incorrect: Fundamental Duties, enshrined in Part IV-A (Article 51A) of the Constitution, are non-justiciable. The Constitution itself does not provide any specific "legislative process" for their enforcement. While Parliament has the authority to enact separate statutes to penalize certain behaviors (such as the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971), there is no inherent enforcement mechanism or process defined within the constitutional text for these duties.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Fundamental Duties are essentially a moral and civic code for citizens and are not considered "correlative" to legal duties in a strict legal-technical sense. Legal duties are specific obligations created by statutory law that carry distinct legal penalties for non-compliance. In contrast, Fundamental Duties are broad principles intended to guide the conduct of citizens and do not have a direct, binding correlation with the legal duties defined in various acts of Parliament.