UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz: Polity and Governance MCQs on business advisory committee, Article 361 and more (Week 139)

3. The members are in proportion to the strength of various political parties in the house.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Winter Session of Parliament begins under the shadow of an Opposition united on the demand for a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and warning that it might stall proceedings if the government does not agree.

— The negotiations between the two sides first took place at an all-party meeting and then during the meetings of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

About BAC

— A business advisory committee (BAC) is a parliamentary committee that recommends the allocation of time for government bills and other business before a legislature.

— It functions as a parliamentary standing committee to organize the legislative agenda and ensure the efficient scheduling of debates, with a key role in managing the house’s schedule.

— In India’s parliament, there are separate BACs for the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, each headed by the Speaker/Chairman, respectively. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— The members are nominated by the Speaker or Chairman in proportion to the strength of various political parties in the house, ensuring representation from across the spectrum. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The committee typically meets at the beginning of each session and then as needed to plan the legislative schedule. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: sansad.in)

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements:

1. Divorce and succession are governed by personal laws based on religious identity.

2. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, governs only Hindus and Sikhs.

3. India has a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) applicable to the entire nation.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, making it the second state in the country after Uttarakhand to legislate specifically against the practice of having more than one spouse. The Bill proposes stringent punitive measures, including imprisonment, for polygamy.

— Since India does not have a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) applicable to the entire nation, matters of marriage, divorce and succession are governed by personal laws based on religious identity. Hence, statement 3 is not correct and statement 1 is correct.

— For the majority of the population, monogamy is the only legal form of marriage. The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 – which governs Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs – prohibits bigamy. If a person governed by the Hindu Marriage Act marries again while a spouse is living, the second marriage is considered invalid. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Similarly, the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936 expressly prohibits bigamy for Parsis. The Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, on the other hand, prohibits the certification of marriages involving Christians if either of them is already married to someone else.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

SIR, or Special Intensive Revision, is a large-scale verification exercise carried out by:

(a) Election Commission

(b) NITI Aayog

(c) National Human Rights Commission

(d) Comptroller and Auditor General of India

Explanation

— As the Election Commission of India (ECI) rolls out its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across multiple states, the term ‘SIR’ has been trending across India… and along with it a lot of questions and confusion. The exercise first began in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections and has now expanded to 13 states and Union Territories in the country.

(Source: PTI Photo)

— SIR, or Special Intensive Revision, is a large-scale verification exercise that the ECI undertakes when it believes the routine annual “Summary Revision” is not enough to clean the voter rolls. It involves house-to-house enumeration, pre-filled forms, online submissions, and fresh verification of old voter data.

— Article 324 of the Indian Constitution grants ECI ‘plenary powers’ to supervise and update electoral rolls. Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, also allows the Commission to order an intensive revision whenever it finds inaccuracies in the existing rolls.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Who adjourns the House or suspends the meeting until there is a quorum in the Lok Sabha?

(a) Leader of the opposition

(b) Leader of the House

(c) Speaker of the House

(d) Secretary General of the Lok Sabha Secretariat

Explanation

— Lok Sabha saw repeated disruptions in the first half, and was adjourned twice, first minutes after it met at 11 am, and then briefly after 12 noon on Tuesday, the second day of the Winter Session of Parliament.

— Soon after Speaker Om Birla introduced a Georgian Parliamentary delegation that had come to observe the House proceedings, Opposition members rushed into the Well of the House, shouting slogans and demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls underway in multiple states.

— If at any time during a meeting of a House there is no quorum, it shall be the duty of the Chairman or Speaker, or person acting as such, either to adjourn the House or to suspend the meeting until there is a quorum.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to Article 361 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:

1. It grants the President and Governors personal immunity; they are not “answerable to any court” for the performance of their duties.

2. It protects the “office” of the Governor from judicial scrutiny regarding constitutional inaction.

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

— Article 361 grants the President and Governors personal immunity, stating they are not “answerable to any court” for the performance of their duties. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Supreme court held that while this protects the individual, it does not protect the “office” of the Governor from judicial scrutiny regarding constitutional inaction. The immunity cannot be used to shield indefinite delays. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 134)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 138)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 138)

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