UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Polity and Governance (Week 19)

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Directive Principle of State Policy, consider the following statements:

1. They are fundamental in the governance of the country, and it is the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.

2. They are justiciable.

3. The State shall direct its policy towards securing that the citizens have the right to an adequate means of livelihood.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 2

With reference to the impeachment of the President in India, consider the following statements:

1. The impeachment motion should be moved after at least 30 days’ notice in writing signed by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of the House of their intention to move the resolution.

2. The impeachment motion can be passed by a simple majority.

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 3

With reference to the deputy speaker of the House of the People, consider the following statements:

1. The election of the Deputy Speaker takes place as per the procedure mentioned in the Article 94 of the Constitution of India.

2. He may be removed from office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then members of the House.

3. Salaries and allowances of the deputy speaker are specified in the Second Schedule.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

Which of the following article of the constitution of India provides for the Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour?

(a) Article 22

(b) Article 24

(c) Article 23

(d) Article 21(a)

QUESTION 5

With reference to the private member bills, consider the following statements:

1. These are legislative proposals introduced by a member of the House who is a minister.

2. These bills can be introduced in either house of the parliament.

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

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (b)

FYI:

— The Constitution lays down certain Directive Principles of State Policy, which though not justiciable, are ‘fundamental in the governance of the country‘, and it is the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws. Hence, statement  1 is correct and 2 is not correct.

— These lay down that the State shall strive to promote the welfare of people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may, a social order, in which justice-social, economic and political-shall form in all institutions of national life.

— Article 37 — in Part IV on Directive Principles of State Policy “which contain the principles fundamental in the governance of the country”.

— Article 38 states that “the State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing effectively, as it may, a social order in which economic justice shall inform all institutions of the national life”.

— Article 39 states that “the State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing that the citizens have the right to an adequate means of livelihood”. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. (d)

FYI:

— Article 61 of the Constitution of India provides for the procedure for impeachment of the President.

— When a President is to be impeached for violation of the Constitution, the charge shall be preferred by either House of Parliament.

— No such charge shall be preferred unless—

(a) the proposal to prefer such charge is contained in a resolution which has been moved after at least fourteen days’ notice in writing signed by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of the House has been given of their intention to move the resolution. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

(b) such resolution has been passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the House. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— When a charge has been so preferred by either House of Parliament, the other House shall investigate the charge or cause the charge to be investigated and the President shall have the right to appear and to be represented at such investigation.

— If as a result of the investigation a resolution is passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the House by which the charge was investigated or caused to be investigated, declaring that the charge preferred against the President has been sustained, such resolution shall have the effect of removing the President from his office as from the date on which the resolution is so passed.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

3. (b)

FYI:

— Article 93 says “The House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the House shall choose another member”.

— Article 178 contains the corresponding position for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of a state.

— The election of the Deputy Speaker usually takes place in the second session — and is generally not delayed further in the absence of genuine and unavoidable constraints.

— Rule 8 of The Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha says the election of Deputy Speaker “shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix”. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Once elected, the Deputy Speaker usually continues in office for the entire duration of the House.

— Under Article 94 (Article 179 for state legislatures), the Speaker or Deputy Speaker “shall vacate his office if he ceases to be a member of the House”. They may also resign to each other, or “may be removed from office by a resolution of the House of the People passed by a majority of all the then members of the House”. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The salaries and allowances of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are specified in the Second Schedule. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: Constitution of India)

4. (c)

FYI:

— Article 23 of the Constitution of India provides for the prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour.

— Traffic in human beings and begar and other similar forms of forced labour are prohibited and any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with law.

— Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from imposing compulsory service for public purposes, and in imposing such service the State shall not make any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste or class or any of them.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

5. (b)

FYI:

— Private Members’ Bills are legislative proposals introduced by a member of the House who is not a minister (the Bills introduced by them are Government Bills). Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— Private members bill can be introduced in either house of the parliament. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Every Friday, the Lok Sabha allots the last two and a half hours of business to private members’ business, which includes Private Members’ Bills and Private Members’ Resolutions.

— In the Rajya Sabha, two-and-a-half hours every alternate Friday during a Session are generally allotted for the same.

— The Rajya Sabha Secretariat handbook says the importance of Private Members’ Bills “lies in the fact that they enable legislators to draw attention to issues which might not be represented in government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework requiring legislative intervention”.

— To date, only 14 of such Bills have become Acts. Six of the 14 Bills became law in 1956 and the last one to receive parliamentary approval was the Supreme Court (Enlargement of Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction) Bill, 1968, on August 9, 1970.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 18)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 18)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 18)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 18)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 18)

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