UPSC Essentials : Daily subject-wise quiz | Polity and Governance (Week 25)

2. The Lok Sabha elections of 2019 witnessed the highest number of women candidates in 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

QUESTION 2

With reference to the 73rd Amendment Act, consider the following statements:

1. It mandated the reservation of one-third of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and offices of the chairperson at all levels of Panchayati Raj institutions.

2. The act was enacted when Gulzarilal Nanda was Prime Minister.

3. The Election Commission of India is responsible for superintendence, direction, and control of the electoral rolls for these elections.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 3

With reference to the Dual-member constituencies, consider the following statements:

1. The dual-member constituencies were introduced by the Delimitation Commission Act, of 1952.

2. It was introduced to reserve seats with sizeable SC and ST populations.

3. It was discarded through the Two-Member Constituencies (Abolition) Act 1961.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 4

With reference to the Parliament, consider the following statements:

1. The maximum number of days the Lok Sabha met in a year was in 1956.

2. The Lower House has not crossed the 100-day annual threshold.

3. Both the Houses witnessed their lowest number of sittings in the year 2021.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

QUESTION 5

Which of the following articles of the Indian Constitution provides for the “organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry”?

(a) Article 45

(b) Article 46

(c) Article 47

(d) Article 48

ANSWERS TO THE MCQs

1. (c)

FYI:

— As per Census 2011, about 66% of India’s population was below 35 years of age. Given the dwindling number of young MPs, the average age in the Lok Sabha has risen over the years — from 46.5 years in the First Lok Sabha (1952-57) to 55 years in the 17th (2019-2023).

— In the first Lok Sabha (1951), there were 22 women MPs, 4.41% of the total 489. In 1957, 27 women got elected out of 494 total. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— 78 women were elected in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which is the highest ever, but it is still only 14.36% of the total. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

2. (a)

FYI:

— The government introduced The Constitution (One hundred and Twenty-eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, to reserve 33% seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies. The quota will be applicable to the reserved seats for SCs and STs as well.

— The Constitution 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts, enacted when P V Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The acts mandated the reservation of one-third of seats for women in Panchayati Raj institutions and offices of the chairperson at all levels of Panchayati Raj institutions, and in urban local bodies respectively. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Both The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992 and The Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992 were passed by Parliament in December 1992, and took effect on April 24, 1993 and June 1, 1993.

— The 73rd and 74th Constitution Amendment Acts established local self-governance in rural and urban India respectively. The two amendments were added to the Constitution’s Part IX, titled “The Panchayats” and Part IXA titled “The Municipalities” respectively.

— Direct elections for all three tiers of governance — gram panchayat at village level, taluka or block panchayat at the intermediate level, and zila panchayat or parishad at district level — were introduced. States with a population of less than 20 lakh were exempted.

— Out of the total 1/3rd seats reserved for women, 33% had to be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Importantly, one-third of the seats of office-bearers and chairpersons at all levels had to be reserved for women as well.

— A five-year-tenure was prescribed for each body, and elections to the successor body had to finish before the previous body’s term expired. In case of the body’s dissolution, an election had to be conducted within 6 months compulsorily.

— There would also be a State Election Commission in each state for superintendence, direction, and control of the electoral rolls for these elections. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

3. (c)

FYI:

— Dual-member constituencies were introduced by the Delimitation Commission Act, of 1952. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It was introduced to reserve seats with sizeable SC and ST populations. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Seats with more than half the population belonging to SCs or STs were single-member constituencies.

— However, after the first two Lok Sabha elections, in 1952 and 1957, the system was discarded through the Two-Member Constituencies (Abolition) Act, 1961. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— There were 86 two-member seats in the 1952 Lok Sabha elections. Uttar Pradesh had the most, with 17 seats out of a total of 69, while Madhya Pradesh and the former Vindhya Pradesh had the largest percentage, with 50%. West Bengal had the sole three-member seat, with one MP from the general, one from the SC, and one from the ST categories. There were 91 two-member seats in 1957, with UP having the most (18) and Odisha having the largest proportion (50%). In 1951, there were 579 two-member Assembly seats (and one three-member seat in the former Bombay state) and 551 in 1957.

— Dual-membership faced major criticism after the 1957 election as 20 such constituencies saw winners from the same group, either SC or ST, and did not elect a general candidate.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

4. (a)

FYI:

— The Lok Sabha met for over 100 days a year between 1952 and 1974. Since then, the Lower House has not crossed the100-day annual threshold except in 1978, 1981, 1985, 1987 and 1988. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The maximum number of days the Lok Sabha met in a year was in 1956, when it held 151 sittings; while its lowest was in Covid year 2020, when it met for 33 days. The Rajya Sabha also saw its lowest number of sittings (33 days) in 2020, and the highest (113 days) in 1956. Hence, statement 1 is correct and 3 is not correct.

— The highest number of Bills were cleared by the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in 1976 (during the Emergency), when 118 Bills were passed. The lowest was in 2004 (when the UPA-I government came to power), when the number stood at only 18. The second-lowest figure was in 2022, when 25 Bills were passed.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

5. (d)

FYI:

— Article 48 of the Constitution of India provides for the “Organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry”.

— The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

— Article 48-A of the Constitution of India provides for the “Protection and improvement of environment and safeguarding of forests and wild life.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 24)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 24)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 24)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 24)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 24)

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