Indian Polity Quiz: Revision | 6 June, 2021

The creation of Andhra state intensified the demand from other regions for creation of states on linguistic basis.  

• This forced the Government of India to appoint (in December 1953) a three-member States Re-organization Commission under the chairmanship of Fazl Ali to re-examine the whole question.  
• Its other two members were K M Panikkar and H N Kunzru. It submitted its report in September 1955 and broadly accepted language as the basis of reorganization of states. But it rejected the theory of ‘one language– one state’.  
• Its view was that the unity of India should be regarded as the primary consideration in any redrawing of the country’s political units.  

It identified four major factors that can be taken into account in any scheme of reorganization of states: 

1. Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of the country. 
2. Linguistic and cultural homogeneity. 
3. Financial, economic and administrative considerations. 
4. Planning and promotion of the welfare of the people in each state as well as of the nation as a whole. 

Source: Laxmikanth 

It was in 1934 that the idea of constituent assembly for India was put forward for the first time by M. N. Roy, a pioneer of communist movement in India.  

• In 1935, the Indian National Congress (INC), for the first time, officially demanded a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of India.  
• In 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru, on behalf the INC declared that ‘the Constitution of free India must be framed, without outside interference, by a Constituent Assembly elected on the basis of adult franchise’. 
• The demand was finally accepted in principle by the British Government in what is known as the ‘August Offer’ of 1940. 

Source: Laxmikanth 

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. Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly on January 22, 1947.
• It influenced the eventual shaping of the constitution through all its subsequent stages. Its modified version forms the Preamble of the present constitution.

Source: Laxmikanth

India’s foreign policy aims at the promotion of international peace and security. Article 51 of the Constitution (Directive Principles of State Policy) directs the Indian State to promote international peace and security, maintain just and honorable relations between nations, foster respect for international law and treaty obligations, and encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.

Source: Laxmikanth

The Constituent Assembly appointed a number of committees to deal with different tasks of constitution-making. Out of these, eight were major committees and the others were minor committees. The names of these committees and their chairmen are given below:

Major Committees

1. Union Powers Committee – Jawaharlal Nehru
2. Union Constitution Committee – Jawaharlal Nehru
3. Provincial Constitution Committee – Sardar Patel
4. Drafting Committee – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
5. Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas – Sardar Patel. This committee had the following five sub-committees:

1. 1. Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee – J.B. Kripalani
   2. Minorities Sub-Committee – H.C. Mukherjee
   3. North-East Frontier Tribal Areas and Assam Excluded & Partially Excluded Areas Sub- Committee – Gopinath Bardoloi
   4. Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas (Other than those in Assam) Sub-Committee – A.V. Thakkar
   5. North-West Frontier Tribal Areas Sub-Committee

6. Rules of Procedure Committee – Dr. Rajendra Prasad
7. States Committee (Committee for Negotiating with States) – Jawaharlal Nehru
8. Steering Committee – Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

Source: Laxmikanth

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:

• The term ‘secular’ was added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.
• The Preamble secures to all citizens of India liberty of belief, faith and worship.
• The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or equal protection of the laws (Article 14).
• The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on the ground of religion (Article 15).
• Equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters of public employment (Article 16).

• All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate any religion (Article 25).
• Every religious denomination or any of its section shall have the right to manage its religious affairs (Article 26).
• No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes for the promotion of a particular religion (Article 27).

Source: Laxmikanth

When the Constitution was adopted in the year 1949, there were no provisions regarding Fundamental Duties to the Citizens though there was a Part III for Fundamental Rights.

• The Fundamental Duties of citizens were added to the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment in 1976, upon the recommendations of the Swaran Singh Committee that was constituted by the Government.

• The Committee suggested that steps needed to be taken to ensure that the individual did not overlook his duties while in exercise of his Fundamental Rights.
• Originally ten fundamental duties were listed. Later on, by virtue of 86th Constitution the Amendment in year 2002, 11th duty was added.

Source: https://doj.gov.in/sites/default/files/Constitution%20Day.pdf

Some provisions of the Constitution pertaining to citizenship, elections, provisional parliament, temporary and transitional provisions, and short title contained in Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 60, 324, 366, 367, 379, 380, 388, 391, 392 and 393 came into force on November 26, 1949 itself.

• The remaining provisions (the major part) of the Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950.
• This day is referred to in the Constitution as the ‘date of its commencement’, and celebrated as the Republic Day.
• January 26 was specifically chosen as the ‘date of commencement’ of the Constitution because of its historical importance.
• It was on this day in 1930 that Purna Swaraj day was celebrated, following the resolution of the Lahore Session (December 1929) of the INC.
• With the commencement of the Constitution, the Indian Independence Act of 1947 and the Government of India Act of 1935, with all enactments amending or supplementing the latter Act, were repealed.

• The Abolition of Privy Council Jurisdiction Act (1949) was however continued.

Source: Laxmikanth

The Fundamental Rights are meant for promoting the idea of political democracy.

• They operate as limitations on the tyranny of the executive and arbitrary laws of the legislature.

• They are justiciable in nature, that is, they are enforceable by the courts for their violation.
• Further, they are not sacrosanct and can be curtailed or repealed by the Parliament through a constitutional amendment act.
• They can also be suspended during the operation of a National Emergency except the rights guaranteed by Articles 20 and 21.

Source: Laxmikanth

In the Minerva Mills case (1980), the Supreme Court held that ‘the Indian Constitution is founded on the bedrock of the balance between the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles’.

Source: Laxmikanth