Indian Constitution

The Indian High Courts Act of 1861 authorized the establishment of High Courts in the Presidency towns of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. These courts replaced the Supreme Courts and the Sadar Adalats in those regions, centralizing the judicial system. This was a key step in the legal history of British India.

Article 368 of Part XX of the Indian Constitution grants Parliament the power to amend the Constitution and specifies the procedure for doing so. Other articles like 352, 356, and 360 deal with emergency provisions (National, State, and Financial respectively).

Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India who advised the President to declare a state of emergency in 1975, which lasted until 1977. This period was marked by the suspension of civil liberties and elections. She was the only female Prime Minister of India to date.

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was the President of India who signed the proclamation of emergency on the advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. He served as the fifth President of India from 1974 until his death in 1977.

A republic is a form of government where the head of state is an elected or appointed official, not a hereditary monarch. This distinguishes it from systems like constitutional monarchies where the head of state inherits the position. India is a republic because its President is elected.

All the listed options are Fundamental Rights guaranteed under Part III of the Indian Constitution. Freedom of expression and the right to move freely are under Article 19, while the right to personal liberty is under Article 21.

While the right to live, freedom of religion, and equal protection are Fundamental Rights, the right to contest an election is a statutory or legal right. It is not listed under Part III of the Constitution and can be regulated by law.

'Jana Gana Mana' was composed by the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It was originally written in Bengali and later adopted as the National Anthem of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1950. Bankim Chandra Chatterji wrote the National Song, 'Vande Mataram'.

According to Article 71 of the Indian Constitution, all doubts and disputes arising out of or in connection with the election of a President or Vice-President shall be inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court. The decision of the Supreme Court in such matters is final.

Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act 1858. This act transferred the powers of government, territories, and revenues from the East India Company to the British Crown, ending Company rule in India.

For a bill to become an act, it must be passed by both houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and then receive the assent of the President. The President's signature is the final step in the legislative process.

India follows a parliamentary system of government where the President is the nominal head of state, similar to the British Monarch. While the President is the supreme commander of the armed forces and all executive actions are taken in their name, real power rests with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.

According to the Constitution of India, a judge of the Supreme Court holds office until they attain the age of 65 years. This is higher than the retirement age for High Court judges, which is currently 62 years.

The doctrine of Judicial Review, which empowers the judiciary to invalidate laws or executive actions that violate the Constitution, was borrowed from the United States. This principle ensures that the Constitution remains the supreme law of the land.

The Prime Minister is the leader of the party or coalition that holds a majority in the Lok Sabha. By convention and constitutional practice, the President invites the leader of the majority party to form the government and serve as Prime Minister.

Article 57 of the Indian Constitution states that a person who holds or has held office as President shall be eligible for re-election to that office. Unlike the United States, which limits a president to two terms, India has no constitutional limit on the number of terms.

The President of India can be removed from office through a process called impeachment for the 'violation of the Constitution'. This process is carried out by the Parliament, requiring a special majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The normal term of the Prime Minister is five years, which coincides with the normal life of the Lok Sabha. However, the Prime Minister holds office during the 'pleasure of the President' and must resign if they lose the confidence of the Lok Sabha.

There are five types of writs that can be issued by the Supreme Court (under Article 32) and High Courts (under Article 226): Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo-Warranto. These are essential tools for the enforcement of fundamental rights.

Article 356 of the Constitution allows for the imposition of President's Rule in a state if the Governor reports that the state government cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution. Article 352 refers to National Emergency, and Article 360 refers to Financial Emergency.

The minimum voting age in India is 18 years. It was reduced from 21 years to 18 years by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1988, which came into effect in 1989.

To be eligible for election to the Rajya Sabha, a candidate must be a citizen of India and at least 30 years of age. For the Lok Sabha, the minimum age requirement is lower, at 25 years.

The Attorney General of India has the right to speak and participate in the proceedings of either House of Parliament or any joint sitting and any committee of Parliament of which they may be named a member, but they do not have the right to vote.