Insights Static Quiz -407, 2019–Polity

Solution: d)

Fundamental Rights are not absolute and subject to reasonable restrictions. Further, they are not sacrosanct and can be curtailed or repealed by the Parliament through a constitutional amendment act.

They promote the idea of political democracy. DPSP promote the idea of social and economic democracy.

Most of them are directly enforceable (self-executory) while a few of them can be enforced on the basis of a law made for giving effect to them. Such a law can be made only by the Parliament and not by state legislatures so that uniformity throughout the country is maintained (Article 35).

Solution: d)

The following are denied to foreign citizens, also called aliens:

1. Right against discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth (Article 15)
2. Right to equality of opportunity in the matter of public employment (Article 16)
3. Right to freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession (Article 19)
4. Cultural and educational rights (Articles 29 and 30)
5. Right to vote in elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly
6. Right to contest for the membership of the Parliament and the state legislature
7. Eligibility to hold certain public offices, that is, President of India, Vice-President of India, judges of the Supreme Court and the high courts, governor of states, attorney general of India and advocate general of states.

Solution: d)

Article 280 of the Constitution of India provides for a Finance Commission as a quasi-judicial body. It is constituted by the President of India every fifth year or at such earlier time as he considers necessary.

The Constitution authorises the Parliament to determine the qualifications of members of the commission and the manner in which they should be selected. Accordingly, the Parliament has specified the qualifications of the chairman and members of the commission.

The recommendations made by the Finance Commission are only of advisory nature and hence, not binding on the government. It is up to the Union government to implement its recommendations on granting money to the states.

The Fifteenth Finance Commission of India is an Indian Finance Commission constituted in November 2017 and is to give recommendations for devolution of taxes and other fiscal matters for five fiscal years, commencing 1 April 2020.

Solution: c)

The National Human Rights Commission is a statutory but non-constitutional body. It was established in 1993 under a legislation enacted by the Parliament, namely, the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

The functions of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) are:

1. To inquire into any violation of human rights or negligence in the prevention of such violation by a public servant, either suo motu or on a petition presented to it or on an order of a court.
2. To intervene in any proceeding involving allegation of violation of human rights pending before a court.
3. To visit jails and detention places to study the living conditions of inmates and make recommendation thereon.
4. To review the constitutional and other legal safeguards for the protection of human rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.
5. To review the factors including acts of terrorism that inhibit the enjoyment of human rights and recommend remedial measures.
6. To study treaties and other international instruments on human rights and make recommendations for their effective implementation.
7. To undertake and promote research in the field of human rights.
8. To spread human rights literacy among the people and promote awareness of the safeguards available for the protection of these rights.
9. To encourage the efforts of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the field of human rights.
10. To undertake such other functions as it may consider necessary for the promotion of human rights.

Solution: d)

The recognition granted by the Election Commission to the parties determines their right to certain privileges like allocation of the party symbols, provision of time for political broadcasts on the state-owned television and radio stations and access to electoral rolls.

Further, the recognized parties need only one proposer for filing the nomination. Also, these parties are allowed to have forty “star campaigners” during the time of elections and the registered–unrecognized parties are allowed to have twenty “star campaigners”.

The travel expenses of these star campaigners are not included in the election expenditure of the candidates of their parties.