QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC , 7 August 2021 – Polity

Solution: a)

A person must be not less than 30 years of age to be chosen as a member of the legislative council.

Solution: a)

Article 71 of the Constitution provides that disputes arising out of the election of the President or Vice-President shall be decided by the Supreme Court. The same article provides that matters relating to their election shall be regulated by a parliamentary law.

Solution: c)

The function of a constitution is to

1. provide a set of basic rules that allow for minimal coordination amongst members of a society.
2. specify who has the power to make decisions in a society. It decides how the government will be

constituted.

3. set some limits on what a government can impose on its citizens. These limits are fundamental in the sense that government may never trespass them.
4. enable the government to fulfil the aspirations of a society and create conditions for a just society.
5. ensure that a dominant group does not use its power against other less powerful people or groups.

Every society is prone to this tyranny of the majority. The Constitution usually contains rules that ensure that

minorities are not excluded from anything that is routinely available to the majority. A constitution does not always specify for a democracy. Syrian constitution is an example.

Solution: b)

Article 180 (1) of the Constitution gives the Governor the power to appoint a pro-tem Speaker. The Article says that if the chair of the Speaker falls vacant and there is no Deputy Speaker to fill the position, the duties of the office shall be performed “by such member of the Assembly as the Governor may appoint for the purpose”.

The powers of a pro-tem Speaker are wide. The Bombay High Court in its 1994 judgement in the Surendra Vassant Sirsat case holds that a pro-tem is Speaker of the House “for all purposes with all powers, privileges and immunities” until the Speaker is elected.

The Odisha High Court also agreed in the Godavaris Misra versus Nandakisore Das, Speaker, Odisha Legislative Assembly case when it said the “powers of the Speaker pro-tem are co-extensive with the powers of elected Speaker”.

Solution: b)

All High courts in India have a territorial jurisdiction not confined to a single state. Union territories jurisdiction would come under different state’s high court.