UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz: Polity and Governance MCQs on Public Safety Act, Election Commission and more (Week 127)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Public Safety Act (PSA) of Jammu and Kashmir, consider the following statements:

1. It allows the administration to keep a person under preventive detention without trial, if it is satisfied that his remaining free might disturb public order and peace or threaten security of the state.

2. If a legislator has been detained under this act not been convicted, the imposition of PSA would cancel their membership in the Legislative Assembly.

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

Explanation

— The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) lone MLA in Jammu and Kashmir, Mehraj Malik, was apprehended by the police on charges of disturbing public order and detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) for one year.

— Malik is the first sitting legislator in J&K to have been detained under the PSA, which allows the administration to keep a person under preventive detention without trial, if it is satisfied that his remaining free might disturb public order and peace or threaten security of the state. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Malik has been accused of attacking officials on duty, locking them inside their offices, and abusing and intimidating them in public, officials said, adding that he is also facing charges of abduction.

— The imposition of PSA will not affect his membership in the J&K Legislative Assembly since he has not been convicted in any of the cases registered against him so far. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

The Electoral College of the Vice-President of India consists of:

1. Elected members of the Rajya Sabha

2. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha

3. Elected members of the Lok Sabha

4. Elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi and Puducherry

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation

— The members of both the Houses of Parliament will vote to elect the country’s next Vice President. The election comes after Jagdeep Dhankhar suddenly resigned on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament in July, two years before his tenure’s end.

— Article 66 lays down the process of the election of the Vice-President. It says the Vice-President “shall be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot”.

— The Electoral College consists of 233 elected members of the Rajya Sabha (currently, five seats are vacant), 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, and 543 elected members of the Lok Sabha (currently, one seat is vacant), adding up to 788 members (currently, 782 members). In the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, the elector has to mark preferences against the names of the candidates.

— Elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi and Puducherry do not take part in the election of the Vice-President of India.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following are vested with the Election Commission?

1. Superintendence of electoral rolls

2. Control of the preparation of the electoral rolls

3. Conduct of the election of the President of India

4. Conducts elections to Panchayats and Municipalities

5. Conducts the election of the Prime Minister

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 1, 2, 4 and 5

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— The Superintendence, direction and control of elections are vested in an Election Commission as per the Article 324 of the Constitution of India.

— The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to Parliament and to the Legislature of every State and of elections to the offices of President and Vice-President held under this Constitution shall be vested in a Commission (referred to in this Constitution as the Election Commission). Hence, 1, 2 and 3 are correct.

— Elections to Panchayats and Municipalities are conducted by the State Election Commission. Hence, 4 is not correct.

— The Prime Minister is chosen by MPs in the Lok Sabha. Hence, 5 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Municipalities, consider the following pairs:

1. 243R — Composition of Municipalities

2. 243Q — Constitution of Municipalities

3. 243U — Constitution and composition of Wards Committees

4. 243S — Duration of Municipalities

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one pair

(b) Only two pairs

(c) Only three pairs

(d) All four pairs

Explanation

— Article 243Q of the Constitution of India provides for the Constitution of Municipalities. There shall be constituted in every State,— Hence, pair 2 is correct.

(a) a Nagar Panchayat (by whatever name called) for a transitional area, that is to say, an area in transition from a rural area to an urban area;

(b) a Municipal Council for a smaller urban area; and

(c) a Municipal Corporation for a larger urban area, in accordance with the provisions of this Part:

— Article 243R of the Constitution of India provides for the Composition of Municipalities. Hence, pair 1 is correct.

— Article 243S of the Constitution of India provides for the Constitution and composition of Wards Committees, etc. Hence, pair 4 is not correct.

— There shall be constituted Wards Committees, consisting of one or more wards, within the territorial area of a Municipality having a population of three lakhs or more.

— Article 243U of the Constitution of India provides for the Duration of Municipalities, etc. Hence, pair 3 is not correct.

— Every Municipality, unless sooner dissolved under any law for the time being in force, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

QUESTION 5

Under The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, (CAA) the entry cutoff date for acquiring Indian citizenship for these minorities is December 31, 2014. This date has not been altered, but special protection from prosecution or detention has been granted to:

1. Registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals who sheltered in India up to January 9, 2015.

2. Holders of diplomatic and official passports from certain countries where visa requirements are waived under intergovernmental agreements, or residents from nations eligible for “visa on arrival” at specific ports.

3. Foreign military personnel aboard warships visiting India for humanitarian exercises/ events, unless excluded by a separate government notification.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— Under The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, (CAA) the entry cutoff date for acquiring Indian citizenship for these minorities is December 31, 2014. This date has not been altered, but special protection from prosecution or detention has been granted to minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh for entering India after the cutoff date.

— MHA sources said this provision is for those who are seeking long term visas, and will have to acquire Indian citizenship through naturalisation if they entered after the CAA cutoff date.

(i) Registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals who sheltered in India up to January 9, 2015.

(ii) Holders of diplomatic and official passports from certain countries where visa requirements are waived under intergovernmental agreements, or residents from nations eligible for “visa on arrival” at specific ports.

(iii) Foreign military personnel aboard warships visiting India for humanitarian exercises/ events, unless excluded by a separate government notification.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 124)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 126)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 126)

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