[Mission 2024] STATIC QUIZ, 15 December 2023 – Polity

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

• The total strength of the Constituent Assembly was to be 389. Of these, 296 seats were to be allotted to British India and 93 seats to the Princely States. Out of 296 seats allotted to the British India, 292 members were to be drawn from the eleven governors’ provinces and four from the four chief commissioners’ provinces, one from each.
• Each province and princely state (or group of states in case of small states) were to be allotted seats in proportion to their respective population. Roughly, one seat was to be allotted for every million population.
• Seats allocated to each British province were to be decided among the three principal communities—Muslims, Sikhs and general, in proportion to their population.
• The representatives of each community were to be elected by members of that community in the provincial legislative assembly and voting was to be by the method of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote.
• There was no communal representation.
• It included all important personalities of India at that time, with the exception of Mahatma Gandhi and M A Jinnah.

Solution: d)

The Constitution of India stands for a secular state. Hence, it does not uphold any particular religion as the official religion of the Indian State. The following provisions of the Constitution reveal the secular character of the Indian State:
(a) The term ‘secular’ was added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42^nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.
(b) The Preamble secures to all citizens of India liberty of belief, faith and worship.
(c) The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or equal protection of the laws (Article 14).
(d) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on the ground of religion (Article 15).
(e) Equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of public employment (Article 16).
(f) All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate any religion (Article 25).
(g) Every religious denomination or any of its section shall have the right to manage its religious affairs (Article 26).
(h) No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes for the promotion of a particular religion (Article 27).
(i) No religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution maintained by the State (Article 28).
(j) Any section of the citizens shall have the right to conserve its distinct language, script or culture (Article 29).
(k) All minorities shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice (Article 30).
(l) The State shall endeavour to secure for all the citizens a Uniform Civil Code (Article 44).

Solution: d)

Right to Equality includes the following laws:

• Equality before law
• Equal protection of laws
• Prohibition on discrimination on ground of religion
• Equal access to shops, bathing ghats, hotels etc.
• Equality of opportunity in employment
• Abolition of titles
• Abolition of untouchability

Solution: d)

Cultural and educational rights (Articles 29–30)

(a) Protection of language, script and culture of minorities (Article 29).

Solution: b)

The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 added four new Directive Principles to the original list. They require the State:

(i) To secure opportunities for healthy development of children (Article 39).

(ii) To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor (Article 39 A).

(iii) To take steps to secure the participation of workers in the management of industries (Article 43 A).

(iv) To protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and wild life (Article 48 A)