Constitutions and Law

Originally, there were 395 articles, 22 parts and 8 schedules in the Constitution of India. Now, the Constitution of India has 448 articles in 25 parts, 12 schedules, 5 appendices and 98 amendments. 

The Indian Constitution exhibits federal characteristics (division of powers between Union and States, independent judiciary, written constitution, rigidity) but contains unitary features (single citizenship, strong center during emergencies, flexible amendment process, directive principles). Dr. Ambedkar described it as 'quasi-federal' - federal in form but unitary in spirit.

The main function of the 'Constituent Assembly' was framing the constitution.

The original Constitution of India (1950) provided for a Supreme Court consisting of a Chief Justice and 7 other judges, making it a total of 8 judges. This number has since been increased through constitutional amendments to accommodate the growing workload.

Article 342 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President to specify Scheduled Tribes in states and union territories after consultation with the Governor. This article provides the constitutional framework for identifying and notifying tribal communities that qualify for protective affirmative action measures. Article 300 relates to property rights, Article 323 establishes administrative tribunals, and Article 356 deals with President's Rule in states - none of these relate to Scheduled Tribes.

The Indian Constitution borrowed its amendment procedure from South Africa. The South African Constitution provided for a flexible amendment process requiring special majorities, which India adapted. Ireland contributed fundamental rights provisions, UK influenced parliamentary procedures, and Germany provided directive principles. The amendment process balances flexibility with stability.

Article 330 provides for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha. Article 332 deals with reservation in State Legislative Assemblies, while Article 333 covers nomination of Anglo-Indians. Article 334 originally dealt with duration of reservations (now extended indefinitely). These provisions ensure representation for marginalized communities in the democratic process.

Article 323A of the Indian Constitution provides for the establishment of Administrative Tribunals to adjudicate disputes related to recruitment and service conditions of public servants. These tribunals reduce the burden on regular courts by providing specialized, faster resolution of administrative matters. State Administrative Tribunals can also be established under this article for state-level matters.

Constitution of India refers to 'Minorities' to those based on religion.

Constitutional amendments in India follow the procedure laid down in Article 368, requiring special majorities in Parliament and sometimes ratification by states. The President cannot amend the Constitution unilaterally, and referendums are not part of the Indian amendment process. The Prime Minister must follow parliamentary procedure. This ensures amendments are neither too rigid nor too flexible.

Statement 1 is correct. It was established under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution by the President of India. Therefore, it is a constitutional body.

Statement 1 is correct. The constitution has not prescribed any legal, educational or administrative qualifications required by the members of the Election Commission. Statement 2 is correct. The Constitution authorises the Parliament to determine the qualification of members of the commission and the manner in which they should be elected. 

Article 200 of the Constitution explicitly grants the Governor the power to withhold assent to a Bill passed by the state legislature and reserve it for the President's consideration. The President may then either give assent or direct the Governor to return the Bill to the legislature. Article 201 deals with bills reserved for President's consideration, while Articles 220 and 240 cover different constitutional provisions.

Article 226 empowers every High Court to issue writs for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights as well as for 'any other purpose' within their territorial jurisdiction. This gives High Courts wider writ jurisdiction than the Supreme Court under Article 32, which is limited only to Fundamental Rights enforcement.

The federal structure is a basic feature of the Indian Constitution. To alter it substantially (such as switching from federal to unitary), the special procedure under Article 368 would be required - a two-thirds majority in Parliament PLUS ratification by at least half of the state legislatures. This double majority requirement ensures that states cannot be stripped of their powers without their consent.