Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – January 2, 2019

A Member of Parliament or state legislature can be disqualified on the following grounds: Statement 1 is correct. When voluntarily resigned from his party or disobeyed the directives of the party leadership on a vote. When does not vote / abstains as per partys whip. However, if the member has taken prior permission, or is condoned by the party within 15 days from such voting or abstention, the member shall not be disqualified. Statement 3 is correct. If a member has been elected as Independent, he /she would be disqualified if joined a political party.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Nominated members who were not members of a party could choose to join a party within six months; after that period, they were treated as a party member or independent member.

Both statements are correct.

The Bill amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship. Under the Act, one of the requirements for citizenship by naturalisation is that the applicant must have resided in India during the last 12 months, and for 11 of the previous 14 years. The Bill relaxes this 11 year requirement to six years for persons belonging to the same six religions and three countries. The Bil provides that the registration of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders may be cancelled if they violate any law.  Key Issues and Analysis The Bill makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. This may violate Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees right to equality. The Bill allows cancellation of OCI registration form violation of any law. This is a wide ground that may cover a range of violations, including minor offences (eg. parking in a no parking zone).

Statement 2 is correct . Governor can nominate one member to the state legislature assembly from the Anglo-Indian Community. Statement 1 is incorrect .There is no provision for the joint sitting of state legislatures.

Like Presidential election, election of vice president is held via system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (indirect  election). However, Vice President is elected by Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs. The MLAs or MLCs have no role to play here. This sounds to be an anomaly but it is justified by giving logic that Vice President works as president of the whole country in rare occasions when President is not available. In normal circumstances, his work is to preside the Rajya Sabha.

LIST OF FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES

According to Article 51 A, it shall be the duty of every citizen of India:

(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;

(b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals that inspired the national struggle for freedom;

(c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;

(d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;

(e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

(f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of the countrys composite culture;

(g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;

(h) to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;

(i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;

(j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement; and

(k) to provide opportunities for education to his child or ward between the age of six and fourteen years. This duty was added by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002.

Qualifications of Judges: A person to be appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court should have the following qualifications:

1. He should be a citizen of India.
2. (a) He should have been a judge of a High Court (or high courts in succession) for five years; or

(b) He should have been an advocate of a High Court (or High Courts in succession) for ten years; or

(c) He should be a distinguished jurist in the opinion of the president. From the above, it is clear that the Constitution has not prescribed a minimum age for appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court.

All are incorrectly matched.

1. Israel: Knesset
2. Germany: Bundestag
3. Afghanistan: Shura
4. Iran: Majlis