Static Quiz 05 October 2024 (Polity)

The Government of India Act, 1919:
• The Government of India Act, 1919 introduced dyarchy, a system of dual government, in India. It divided the powers of the provincial government into two: the reserved and the transferred subjects.

Both the statements are correct.

Territorial Extent of Central and State Legislations „
 The Parliament can make laws for the whole or any part of the territory of India. Territory of India includes the states, UTs and any other area for the time being included in the territory of India. „
 The Parliament can alone make ‘extra territorial legislation’ thus the laws of the Parliament are applicable to the Indian citizens and their property in any part of the world. „
 Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, a state legislature may make laws for the whole or any part of the state to which it belongs. It is not possible for a state legislature to enlarge its territorial jurisdiction under any circumstances, except when the boundaries of the state itself are widened by an act of the Parliament.
 The Governor is conferred with the power to restrict or modify the applicability of an act of Parliament in the schedule area of the state. z The Governor of Assam may likewise direct that an act of Parliament does not apply to a tribal area (autonomous district) in the state or apply with specified modifications and exceptions. The President enjoys the same power with respect to tribal areas (autonomous districts) in Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

Union List Subjects:
Some of the important subjects are:
1. Defence
2. Army
3. International Relations
4. Ports
5. Railways
6. Highways
7. Communication
State List Subjects:
Some of the important subjects are:
1. Public order
2. Police
3. Public health and sanitation
4. Hospitals and dispensaries
5. Betting and gambling
Concurrent List Subjects:
Some of the important subjects are:
1. Education
2. Forest
3. Trade unions
4. Marriage
5. Adoption
6. Succession

Article 1 describes India, that is, Bharat as a ‘Union of States’ rather than a ‘Federation of States’. This provision deals with two things: one, name of the country, and two, type of polity.
• There was no unanimity in the Constituent Assembly with regard to the name of the country. Some members suggested the traditional name (Bharat) while other advocated the modern name (India). Hence, the Constituent Assembly had to adopt a mix of both (‘India, that is, Bharat’). Secondly, the country is described as ‘Union’ although its Constitution is federal in structure.
• According to Dr B R Ambedkar, the phrase ‘Union of States’ has been preferred to ‘Federation of States’ for two reasons:
o The Indian Federation is not the result of an agreement among the states like the American Federation. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
o The states have no right to secede from the federation. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The federation is a Union because it is indestructible. The country is an integral whole and divided into different states only for the convenience of administration

Financial Emergency:
Grounds of declaration: Article 360 empowers the president to proclaim a Financial Emergency if he is satisfied that a situation has arisen due to which the financial stability or credit of India or any part of its territory is threatened.
Parliamentary approval and duration: A proclamation declaring financial emergency must be approved by both the Houses of Parliament within two months from the date of its issue.

Effects of Financial Emergency
• Extension of the executive authority of the Union over the financial matters of the States.
• Reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving in the State.
• Reservation of all money bills or other financial bills for the consideration of the President after they are passed by the legislature of the State.
• Direction from the President for the reduction of salaries and allowances of all or any class of persons serving the Union; and the judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts.