Abolition of untouchability : The Supreme Court held that the right under Article 17 is available against private individuals and it is the constitutional obligation of the State to take
necessary action to ensure that this right is not violated. Right to privacy: Article 21 declares that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. Right to privacy defined under article 21. So it is available only against state.

Both statements are wrong. These are the additional qualifications laid down by Representation of People Act (1951) and not by the constitution itself. The Constitution lays down the following qualifications for a person to be chosen a member of the Parliament:1. He must be a citizen of India. 2. He must make and subscribe to an oath or
affirmation before the person authorised by the election commission for this purpose 3. He must be not less than 30 years of age in the case of the Rajya Sabha and not less than 25 years of age in the case of the Lok Sabha. 4. He must possess other qualifications prescribed by Parliament.

Standing Committee of the Inter-State Council was set up in 1996 for continuous consultation and processing of matters for the consideration of the Council. It consists of the following members:

(i) Union Home Minister as the Chairman

(ii) Five Union Cabinet Ministers

(iii) Nine Chief Ministers

The Council is assisted by a secretariat called the Inter-State Council Secretariat. This secretariat was set-up in 1991 and is headed by a secretary to the Government of India. Since 2011, it is also functioning as the secretariat of the Zonal Councils.

TIKDAM: If you know the basics of the Standing Committees of the Parliament, then you must have known that it don’t have all them members of the parliament. It is a committee with less volume, for a smooth and fast working(which is the objective of a standing committee). So, by the knowledge of this committee, we can guess that Standing committee of Inter-State Council too can’t have all the chief ministers, as given in statement 3. Thus, we can guess option (b) as the correct option.

He can pardon, reprieve, respite,
remit, suspend or commute the punishment or sentence of any person convicted of
any offence against a state law. He cannot pardon a death sentence. Even if
a state law prescribes for death sentence, the power to grant pardon lies with
the President and not the governor. But, the governor can suspend, remit or
commute a death sentence.

There are three exceptions to this
general rule of non-discrimination: (a) The state is permitted to make any
special provision for women and children. For example, reservation of seats for
women in local bodies or provision of free education for children. (b) The state is permitted to make any
special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally
backward classes of citizens or for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
For example, reservation of seats or fee concessions in public educational
institutions. (c) The state is empowered to make any
special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally
backward classes of citizens ( not economically backward)or for the scheduled
castes or the scheduled tribes regarding their admission to educational
institutions including private educational institutions, whether aided or
unaided by the state, except the minority educational institutions. Article 15(2) says that no citizen shall be subjected to any disability, liability, restriction or condition on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth with regard to (a) access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment; or (b) the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, road and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly by State funds or dedicated to the use. This
provision prohibits discrimination both by the State and private individuals,
while the article 15(1) prohibits discrimination only by the State. Tikdam: remember the jat agitation or patidar agitation. They demanded the reservation based on their economic
status. But state was constrained to provide reservation based on economic
criteria. If you remember this fact, you can eliminate the second option.

Both statements are wrong. When there is a lack of quorum of the permanent judges to hold or continue any session of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India can appoint a judge of a High Court as an ad hoc judge of the Supreme Court for a temporary period. He can do so only after consultation with the chief justice of the High Court concerned and with the previous consent of the president.

Territory of India is a wider expression than the Union of India Territory of India: includes the states but also union territories and territories that may be acquired by the Government of India at any future time. Union of India includes only states Article 2 empowers the Parliament to admit into the Union of India, or establish, new states on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit Thus, Article 2 grants two powers to the Parliament: (a) the power to admit into the Union of India new states; and (b) the power to establish new states Article 3 deals with the internal re-adjustment inter se of the territories of the constituent states of the
Union of India.

2nd statement is wrong. Dismissal of the council of ministers when it cannot prove the confidence of the state legislative assembly comes under the Situational discretion and not constitutional discretion.

The governor has constitutional discretion in the following cases: 1. Reservation of a bill for the consideration of the President. 2. Recommendation for the imposition of the Presidentªs Rule in the state. 3. While exercising his functions as the administrator of an adjoining union territory (in case of additional charge). 4. Determining the amount payable by the Government of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to an autonomous Tribal District Council as royalty accruing from licenses for mineral exploration 5. Seeking information from the chief minister with regard to the administrative and legislative matters of the state.

Governor, has situational discretion in the following cases: 1. Appointment of chief minister when no party has a clear-cut majority in the state legislative assembly or when the chief minister in office dies suddenly and there is no obvious successor. 2. Dismissal of the council of ministers when it cannot prove the confidence of the state legislative assembly. 3. Dissolution of the state legislative assembly if the council of ministers has lost its majority.

The Centre Òstate financial relations in
normal times (described above) undergo changes during emergencies. These are as
follows: National Emergency While the proclamation of national emergency (under Article 352) is in operation, the president can modify the constitutional distribution of revenues between the Centre and the states. This means that the president can either reduce or cancel the transfer
of finances (both tax sharing and grants-in-aid) from the Centre to the states.
Such modification continues till the end of the financial year in which the
emergency ceases to operate. Financial Emergency While the proclamation
of financial emergency (under Article 360) is in operation, the Centre can give
directions to the states: (i) to observe the specified canons of financial
propriety; (ii) to reduce the salaries and allowances of all class of persons
serving in the state (including the high court judges); and (iii) to reserve
all money bills and other financial bills for the consideration of the
President.

Parliamentary System Features: 1. Dual executive. 2. Majority party rule 3. Collective responsibility. 4. Political homogeneity 5. Double membership. 6. Leadership of prime minister. 7. Dissolution of Lower House. 8. Fusion of powers. Presidential System Features: 1. Single executive. 2. President and legislators elected separately for a fixed term. 3. Non-responsibility 4. Political homogeneity may not exist. 5. Single membership 6. Domination of president. 7. No dissolution of Lower House. 8. Separation of powers.

Citizenship by naturalisation is recognised India subjected to certain provisions. From 3rd December 2004 onwards, a person born outside India shall not be a citizen of India by descent, unless his birth
is registered at an Indian consulate within one year of the date of birth or
with the permission of the Central Government, after the expiry of the said
period. An application, for registration of the birth of a minor child, to an
Indian consulate shall be accompanied by an undertaking in writing from the
parents of such minor child that he or she does not hold the passport of
another country. Statement 3 is correct.

Article 15 provides that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

The two crucial words in this provision are discrimination and only

The word discrimination means to make an adverse distinction with regard to or to distinguish unfavourably from others. The use of the word only connotes that discrimination on other grounds is not prohibited.

3rd statement is wrong. Summon or prorogue the state legislature and dissolve the state legislative assembly
comes under the legislative powers and functions of the Governor.Please go through different Executive and
Legislative powers of the Governor.

2nd statement is wrong. Unlike the Speaker (who is a member of the House), the Chairman is not a member of the House.
But like the Speaker, the Chairman also cannot vote in the first instance. He too can cast a vote in the case of an equality of votes.

Parliament can prescribe residence as a condition for certain employment or appointment in a state or union territory or local authority or other authority.

Only parliament shall have the power
to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of
citizenship and all matter related to citizenship Indian constitution identifies only the
persons who became citizens of India at its commencement. It does not deal
with the problem of acquisition or loss of citizenship subsequent to its
commencement. It empowers the Parliament to enact a law to provide for such
matters and any other matter relating to citizenship. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016
provides for the cancellation of OCI card for violation of any law of the
country.

The governor is neither directly
elected by the people nor indirectly elected by a specially constituted
electoral college as is the case with the president. He is appointed by the
president by warrant under his hand and seal. In a way, he is a nominee of the
Central government. But, as held by the Supreme Court in 1979, the office of
governor of a state is not an employment under the Central government. It is an
independent constitutional office and is not under the control of or
subordinate to the Central government. TIKDAM: Both of the statements can’t be
correct. Because if the office of governor is not an employment under the
Central Government, then it can’t be subordinate to it, and vice versa. So, if
you are sure with any one of the statement, then you can easily guess the
correct option.

1st statement is wrong. The Speaker of Lok Sabha is the President of all the Forums except the Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health wherein the Chairman of Rajya Sabha is the President and the Speaker is the Co-President.

The duration of the office of members of the forum is co-terminus with their membership in the respective Houses. A member may also resign from the forum by writing to the Speaker/Chairman.

Tikdam: By reading the options carefully, you can see that 1st statement is an exaggerated one. If you eliminate 1st option you can reach at the correct answer.

1st statement is correct. In the case of federal disputes, the Supreme Court has exclusive original jurisdiction.Exclusive means, no other court can decide such disputes and original means, the power to hear such disputes in the first instance, not by way of appeal.

2nd statement is wrong. The Supreme Court is empowered to issue Writs for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of an
aggrieved citizen. In this regard, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction
in the sense that an aggrieved citizen can directly go to the Supreme Court,
not necessarily by way of appeal. However, the writ jurisdiction of the Supreme
Court is not exclusive. The high courts are also empowered to issue writs for
the enforcement of the Fundamental Rights. Tikdam: By thinking a little more about
Writs, you can easily solve this question. You must be knowing that in the case
of violation of Fundamental rights we can directly go to Supreme Court. And
Supreme Court can issue writs such as habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition,
quo-warrento and certiorari for the enforcement of the fundamental rights. That
means we can directly approach the Supreme Court, so it has Original
Jurisdiction.

The judicial powers and functions of
the Parliament include the following: (a) It can impeach the President for the
violation of the Constitution. (b) It can remove the Vice-President from
his office. (c) It can recommend the removal of judges
(including chief justice) of the Supreme Court and the high courts, chief
election commissioner, comptroller and auditor general to the president. (d) It can punish its members or outsiders
for the breach of its privileges or its contempt. Tikdam: President can be impeached for
violation of the constitution only. Adjudged an insolvent( being bankrupt) is
a condition for removing Chairman/Member of UPSC. By eliminating this option
you can easily arrive at the right option.