Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Polity & International Relations) – May 20, 2020

Constitutional importance of the Regulating Act, 1773.

Statement 1 is correct: For the first time, it was recognized that the East India Company was not a mere commercial body. The Act made it crystal clear that it was a Political Organization whose functions also were political in nature.

Statement 2 is correct: The Act considerably curtailed the patronage of the Company by making appointments of the first Governor-General and his Councilors, the Chief Justice and other Judges. In future also, such nominations were subject to the ratification of the Crown.

The Constituent Assembly held its first meeting on December 9, 1946. The Muslim League boycotted the meeting and insisted on a separate state of Pakistan. The meeting was thus attended by only 211 members. Dr Sachchidanand Sinha, the oldest member, was elected as the temporary President of the Assembly, following the French practice.

On December 13, 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the historic “Objectives Resolution” in the Assembly. It laid down the fundamentals and philosophy of the constitutional structure.

• “This Constituent Assembly declares its firm and solemn resolve to proclaim India as an Independent Sovereign Republic and to draw up for her future governance a Constitution
• Where in shall be guaranteed and secured to all the people of India justice, social, economic and political; equality of status of opportunity, and before the law; freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship, vocation, association and action, subject to law and public morality;
• Where by shall be maintained the integrity of the territory of the Republic and its sovereign rights on land, sea and air according to justice and the law of civilized nations; and
• This ancient land attains its rightful and honored place in the world and makes its full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and the welfare of mankind.”

42nd Amendment Act, 1976 is one of the most important amendments to the Indian Constitution. It was enacted by Indian National Congress headed by Indira Gandhi then. Due to the large number of amendments this act has brought to the Indian Constitution, it is also known as ‘Mini-Constitution.’

State Public Service Commission.

Statement 1 is correct: Although the chairman and members of a SPSC are appointed by the governor, they can be removed only by the president (and not by the governor).

Statement 2 is correct: The chairman and members of the Commission hold office for a term of six years or until they attain the age of 62 years, whichever is earlier (in the case of UPSC, the age limit is 65 years).

The term State has been used in different provisions concerning the fundamental rights. Hence, Article 12 has defined the term for the purposes of Part III. According to it, the State includes the following:

• Government and Parliament of India, that is, executive and legislative organs of the Union government.
• Government and legislature of states, that is, executive and legislative organs of state government.
• All local authorities, which is, municipalities, panchayats, district boards, improvement trusts, etc.
• All other authorities, that is, statutory or non-statutory authorities like LIC, ONGC, SAIL, etc.

In Indra Sawhney Case (1992) (popularly known as the Mandal Case), the Supreme Court declared “Rule of Law” is the Basic Structure/element of Indian Constitution.

Act Now is the United Nations’ global call to individual action on climate change. The campaign is a critical part of the UN’s coordinated effort to raise awareness, ambition, and action for climate change and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The Russian proposal entitled “Countering the use of information and communications technologies for criminal purposes” was recently put forth in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). India voted in favour of a cybercrime resolution led by Russia in a committee of the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution seeks to set up new cyber norms considered as counter alternative to the US backed Budapest Accord.

Strategic Concepts lay down the Alliance’s core tasks and principles, its values, the evolving security environment and the Alliance’s strategic objectives for the next decade. The 2010 Strategic Concept defines NATO’s cores tasks as: collective defense, crisis-management and cooperative security.