Question 1

Question 72The Supreme Court, on March 4, 2024, said the elections to the Rajya Sabha and Council of States required "utmost protection" and the right to vote should be carried out freely without fear of persecution.With reference to the above statement, answer the following:(a) Analyse why the Supreme Court emphasised "utmost protection" for elections to the Rajya Sabha.(b) Mention one exclusive power of the Rajya Sabha, which makes it different from the powers of Lok Sabha.

Accepted Answer

(a) The Supreme Court’s emphasis on "utmost protection" for Rajya Sabha elections arises from several key concerns tied to the integrity of India’s democratic process:Indirect Nature of Elections: Rajya Sabha members are elected by elected MLAs, not the general public. This layer of separation makes the process more vulnerable to manipulation, such as coercion, horse-trading, or bribery.Risk of Undue Influence: In the past, allegations have surfaced about money power, threats, or misuse of official machinery in influencing MLAs during these elections. Ensuring "utmost protection" helps guard against such distortions.Free and Fearless Voting: The Court highlighted that voting should happen without fear of persecution, suggesting concerns about reprisals or political pressure on legislators. Ensuring secrecy and independence in voting is essential for fair representation.Preserving Constitutional Morality: As an institution meant to represent states and function as a check on the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha must reflect genuine federal and democratic values. Protecting its electoral process is critical to preserving the spirit of the Constitution.(b) When the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by two-thirds majority that a subject in the State list has assumed national importance, then Parliament can make laws on that subject.This power makes the Rajya Sabha significant in matters of federal governance and national interest, something that the Lok Sabha cannot initiate independently.

Question 2

Question 73The independence of the judiciary shall be guaranteed by the State and enshrined in the Constitution or the law of the country. It is the duty of all governmental and other institutions to respect and observe the independence of the judiciary.With reference to the above statement, mention any four ways in which the Constitution has ensured the independence of the judiciary.

Accepted Answer

Four ways in which the Constitution has ensured the independence of the judiciary are:Security of Salaries and Service conditions — Judges' salaries, allowances, etc., shall not be changed to their disadvantage during their term of office. The salaries. of the Judges cannot be reduced except during periods of financial emergency. Their salaries and allowances are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India and so are not subject to vote of Parliament.Freedom to Announce Decisions and Decrees — The Judges are free to announce their decisions and decrees in the court chambers without any danger to their person, property or fame. Their decisions cannot be criticised in public or by the press. It is the duty of the State to ensure their personal safety at all costs.Punishment for Contempt of Court — The Supreme Court can punish for the contempt of court if a person or authority makes an attempt to lower its authority.Full Control Over its Procedure of Work and Establishment — The Supreme Court is free to decide its own procedures of work and its establishment as well as the conditions of service of its employees. Thus, it is free from influence of any outside agency.

Question 3

Question 74Read the given excerpt and answer the question that follows:An English politician who served as Viceroy of India. He is commonly regarded as a ruthless viceroy due to his approach to the Great Indian Famine of 1876-1878.(a) Identify the Viceroy in the given statement.(b) Mention any three of his policies which impacted colonial India from 1876 to 1880.

Accepted Answer

(a) The Viceroy being mentioned in the given statement is Lord Lytton. Lord Lytton organised a Grand Delhi Durbar in 1877 to proclaim Queen Victoria as the Empress of India. Lakhs of rupees were spent on the event but nothing was done for Indians who were in the grip of the Great Indian Famine.(b) Three policies of Lord Lytton which impacted colonial India from 1876 to 1880 are:Lord Lytton introduced the Vernacular Press Act in 1878. The Vernacular Press Act forbade vernacular papers to publish any material that might incite feelings of dissatisfaction against the British Government. Editors who opposed this Act were sentenced to jail. This Act was not applicable to English newspapers. In 1882, this Act was repealed by Lord Ripon.Lord Lytton introduced the Indian Arms Act in 1878. The Indian Arms Act of 1878 made it a criminal offence for Indians to carry arms without licence. This Act was not applicable to the British.Lord Lytton removed import duties on cotton textiles for the benefit of British cloth industry at the cost of nascent Indian textile industry.

Question 4

Question 75Name the incident related to the above newspaper article and examine the cause and effect of the incident.

Accepted Answer

'The Amritsar Massacre' in the given picture is referring to the 'Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy' (1919).Cause of the Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy — In April 1919, there occurred a number of demonstrations and strikes in the country, along with Gandhiji's Satyagraha in order to protest against the Rowlatt Act. The British government took brutal measures to suppress this anti-British struggle. In fact, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on the orders of General Dyer in Amritsar on April 13, 1919 was a part of this repression.A large but peaceful crowd gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on April 13, 1919, to protest against the arrest of leaders like Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlu and Dr. Satya Pal, when General Dyer closed down the only exit with his troops and ordered them to shoot at the crowd. The troops kept on firing till their ammunition was exhausted.Effect of the Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy —The conscience of the nation was shaken at the massacre of innocent people. On learning about this gruesome massacre, Rabindranath Tagore expressed the pain and anger of the country by renouncing his Knighthood, i.e., giving up the honour granted by the British Crown for exceptional personal achievement or public service.After the massacre, the British government made a half-hearted attempt at constitutional reform. But it also made it clear that it had no intention of parting with political power or sharing it with Indians.The British government also refused to annul the Rowlatt Act and make amends for the atrocities in Punjab.Gandhiji turned from a cooperator to a non-cooperator and decided to start the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Question 5

Question 76The newspaper goes on to state that:"Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his morganatic wife, the Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated today while driving through the streets of Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital. A youthful Servian student fired the shots, which added another to the long list of tragedies that have darkened the reign of Emperor Francis Joseph."Which disaster was aggravated due to the above incident? What were the consequences of the disaster?

Accepted Answer

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his morganatic wife, the Duchess of Hohenberg, in the streets of Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, on June 28, 1914 is referred to as the Sarajevo Crisis. Sarajevo Crisis was the immediate cause that aggravated the First World War (1914-1918).Consequences of First World WarMassive Destruction and Loss of Life — World War I caused enormous loss of life, with millions of soldiers and civilians killed or wounded, and led to widespread destruction of property.Economic Crisis — Countries faced severe economic depression due to war expenses and loss of manpower.The Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919) — The Treaty was designed to prevent Germany from going to war again. It declared Germany guilty of aggression. Harsh terms were imposed on Germany including loss of territory, merchant ships, military restrictions, heavy reparations and Germany had to provide other countries with coal supply for years.Collapse of Monarchies — Three ruling dynasties were destroyed —the Romanov in Russia during the War itself, the Hohenzollern in Germany and the Hapsburg in Austria-Hungary. Soon after the War, the rule of Ottomans came to an end in Turkey.Territorial Rearrangements —The period after the war saw the beginning of the end of the European supremacy in the world. Economically and militarily, the United States surpassed Europe to emerge as a world power. The peace treaties signed after the war transformed the political map of the world, particularly of Europe.Austria and Hungary became separate independent States. Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia emerged as independent States. Thus, the War led to the development of democracy in Europe.Empires having different cultures were dissolved and independent states having distinct cultures emerged after the War. These included Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Yugoslavia. Under the impulse of nationalism Alsace-Lorraine was restored to France and Schelswig-Hostein was restored to Denmark.Formation of the League of Nations — One of the most significant consequences of the War was the creation of the League of Nations. The horrors of War convinced the leaders of the world that there must be a mechanism to prevent War and promote international cooperation. This culminated in the setting up of the League of Nations.

Long Answer Questions