Constitution of India - 2

The 7^th Amendment Act, 1956 provides for composition of the House of the People and readjustment after every census. The 31^st Amendment Act, 1973 provides for raising the upper limit for the representation of states in the Lok Sabha from 500 to 525 and reducing the upper limit for the representation of UTs from 25 to 20.

The First Schedule of the constitution deals with the list of states and union territories.

Fourth Schedule allocates seats in the Council of States, i.e. the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament).

The Appropriation Bill is a Money Bill. In case of Money Bill, the RS has only recommendatory power and need not be passed by the RS.

Article 257 in the constitution states that the executive power of every State shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of the Union, and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of such directions to a State as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that purpose.
Article 258: Power of the Union to confer powers on the States in certain cases; Article 355: Duty of the Union to protect States against external aggression and internal disturbance; Article 35: Suspension of provisions of Article 19 during emergencies.

Article 24 of the constitution states that no child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.

Part IX and Eleventh Schedule were added by 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 which contain provisions for Panchayats, Part IX A. Twelfth Schedule was added by 74^th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 which contains provisions for Municipalities, but Article 243 Q envisages three types of municipalities: Nagar Panchayats for a transitional area, Municipal Council for smaller urban areas and Municipal Corporation for larger urban areas.

Superintendence, direction and control of elections were to be vested in an Election Commission under Article 324.

The Constitution of India has 24 parts, 12 Schedules and more than 444 Articles at present. In the original constitution, there were 22 Parts, 8 Schedules and 395 Articles. Ninth Schedule was added by the 1^st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951. Tenth Schedule was added by the 52^nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985. Eleventh Schedule was added by the 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992. Twelfth Schedule was added by the 74^th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.

Article 371 A to Ideals with special provisions to Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa. The Constitution of India envisages a single policy for both Union and the States. A naturalised citizen is one who acquires citizenship either by naturalisation or by registration. They can be deprived of citizenship if they acquire citizenship by using fraudulent means.

The Indian Parliament has passed the 104^th Constitution Amendment Bill, providing reservations for the socially and educationally backward classes, besides the Scheduled Classes and Scheduled Tribes, in all private aided and unaided educational institutions.

Distribution of power between the Centre and the States in the Indian constitution is based on the Government of India Act, 1935.

The above provision has been added by 91^st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.

The above provision has been added by 91^st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.         

Fifth schedule relates to the control and administration of scheduled areas in states other than Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram, while sixth schedule deals with administration and control of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura.

Statement I is incorrect as it is a Fundamental Right under Article 23 of Part III of the Constitution. Statement 2 corresponds to Directive Principles of State Policy under Article 47 under Part V of the Constitution.

Directive Principles of State Policy are guidelines to the Central and State governments of India to be kept in mind while framing laws and policies. DPSPs aim to create social and economic conditions under which the citizens can lead a good life. They also aim to establish social and economic democracy through a welfare state. They act as a check on the government.
lt is a yardstick in the hands of the people to measure the performance of the government. It shall be the duty of the state to apply these principles in making laws.

The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), which came into effect on 15^th August, 1995, represents a significant step towards the fulfillment of the Directive Principles in Article 41 (Right to Work, to Education and to Public Assistance in certain cases) of the Constitution.

Statement 1 is incorrect as members of the RS can become cabinet ministers. Statement 2 is incorrect as cabinet secretariat is under the direct charge of the PM.

92^nd Amendment Act, 2003 added Bodo, Santhali, Maithali and Dogri languages in the 8^th Schedule of the Constitution. Originally there were 14 languages in the 8^th schedule. 21^st Amendment Act added Sindhi language. 71^st Amendment Act added Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali languages.

National Development Council is not a constitutional body. It is an extra-constitutional body. Planning Commission is a non-constitutional and non-statutory body. It was created by the Government of India in 1950 by a resolution. Zonal Councils had been recognised in the 74^th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992.

All the statements, except 2, are correct.

An amendment to the constitution of India is introduced as a bill in the Parliament. It then must be approved by both the houses of Parliament. The amendments must then be ratified by the legislatures of at least one half of the states (not all the states). Once all these stages are complete, the amendment is bound to receive the assent of the President of India.

Out of 52 items on the Concurrent List, Economic and Social Planning is placed under Article 40 of the constitution. Directive Principles of State Policy lay down that the state shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government. Planning for economic development and social justice is one such power given to village panchayats.