UPSC Essentials : Daily subject-wise quiz | Polity and Governance MCQs on Cabinet committee, voter turnout and more (Week 62)

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements:

1. A person cannot contest an election, if he/she has been imprisoned.

2. If an MP is absent for over 90 days from all the meetings without permission, then her seat will be declared vacant.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 3

Consider the following:

1. Political Affairs

2. Economic Affairs

3. Employment & Skill Development

4. Investment and Growth

On how many of the above does India have a cabinet committee?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

QUESTION 4

With reference to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, consider the following statements:

1. The overall voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was higher than the turnout in 2019.

2. The female voters had a marginally higher turnout than male voters.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

QUESTION 5

Which of the following articles of the Constitution of India provides for the special address by the President at the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People?

(a) Article 87

(b) Article 86

(c) Article 85

(d) Article 84

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (a)

FYI:

— The country has been divided into 543 Parliamentary Constituencies, each of which elects one member, in order to form the Lok Sabha. The eligible voters choose the members of the Lok Sabha directly.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Source: http://www.mea.gov.in)

2. (d)

FYI:

— The Lok Sabha elections resulted in two unexpected winners: Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib and Engineer Rashid from Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla, both of whom are currently in prison on serious charges being investigated by the National Investigation Agency. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Amritpal Singh has been imprisoned in Dibrugarh, Assam, under the National Security Act (NSA) since March 2023.

— Rashid is currently in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, facing charges under the harsh Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in an alleged terror-funding case.

— Despite their imprisonment, the duo now have a constitutional mandate to serve as legislators because of their election triumph.

— Taking the oath is the first step towards fulfilling their responsibilities as lawmakers. Although this is not clearly stated in the Constitution, detained politicians have previously been allowed temporary parole to take the oath.

— The most famous election triumph from prison occurred in 1977, when trade unionist George Fernandes was elected to the Muzaffarpur seat while imprisoned during the Emergency. He was released from prison before the oath ceremony.

— Article 101(4) of the Constitution states that if an MP is absent for over 60 days from all the meetings without permission, then her seat would be declared vacant. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

3. (d)

FYI:

— The Prime Minister establishes these committees with selected Cabinet members and assigns them certain tasks. The Prime Minister may adjust the number of committees and the duties allocated to them.

— Each committee has anywhere between three and eight members. These committees often include Cabinet ministers.

— If the Prime Minister is a member of such a committee, he serves as its head.

— The committees address difficulties, create suggestions for consideration by the Cabinet, and make judgements on items allocated to them. The Cabinet is authorised to examine such decisions.

— There are eight Cabinet committees at present — the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth, Cabinet Committee on Security, Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Employment & Skill Development, and Cabinet Committee on Accommodation.

— The Modi government established investment and employment committees in 2019. The Prime Minister heads all committees save the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.

— CCS makes major decisions about critical appointments, national security issues, and India’s defence expenditure.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

4. (d)

FYI:

— According to the data released by the Election Commission, the overall turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections stood at 65.79% — 1.61 percentage points lower than the turnout in 2019. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— According to the EC, male voters had a marginally higher turnout (65.80%) than female voters (65.78%). Voters of the ‘other genders’ category had a turnout of 27.08% — an increase from 14.64% in 2019. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— State-wise data showed that 19 states recorded higher female voters’ turnout than their male counterpart, with Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh being the top states where women voters outperformed men.

— Gujarat had the highest gap between male and female voter turnouts, with the male turnout recorded at 63.52% and female turnout at 56.56% — an almost seven percentage points difference.

— Meghalaya recorded a 100% turnout for the ‘other genders’ category.

— Nagaland had the highest decrease in voter turnout (25.35 percentage points), while Shillong had the highest increase (8.33 percentage points).

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

5. (a)

FYI:

— Article 87 of the Constitution of India provides for the special address by the President.

— At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.

— The rules governing the procedure of either House shall provide for the allotment of time for debate of the issues raised in such an address.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 61)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 61)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 61)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 61)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 61)

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