PYQP – Current Affairs – Polity

UPSC – CSE Prelims 2021

CURRENT AFFAIRS – POLITY

1. Consider the following statements:

1. ‘Right to the City’ is an agreed human right and the UN-Habitat monitors the commitments made by each count, in this regard.
2. ‘Right to City’ gives every occupant of the city the right to reclaim public spaces and public participation in the city.
3. ‘Right to the City’ means that the State cannot deny any public service or facility to the unauthorized colonies in the city.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?  (UPSC CSE 2021)

(A)   1 only

(B)   3 only

(C)   1 and 2

(D)   2 and 3

Answer:    (D)

Explanation :  

Statement 1 − UN-Habitat does not monitor the commitments made by each country in this regard.

Statement 2 – The Right to the City is the right of all urban inhabitants, not just citizens, to participate in and appropriate urban space and resources. This means that all urban inhabitants should have a role in decision-making regarding urban space and be able to access, occupy and use urban space.

UPSC – CSE Prelims 2018

CURRENT AFFAIRS – POLITY

1. Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty. Which of the following in the Constitution of India correctly and appropriately imply the above statement?

(a) Article 14 and the provisions under the 42^nd Amendment to the Constitution

(b) Article 17 and the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV

(c) Article 21 and the freedoms guaranteed in Part III

(d) Article 21 and the provisions under the 44^th amendment to the Constitution

Ans: (c)

The Correct Answer is Article 21 and the freedoms guaranteed in Part III.

• Right to Privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article Article 21 and the freedoms guaranteed in Part III of the Indian Constitution.
• Right to Privacy has been declared as a Fundamental Right by the Supreme Court in the case of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) vs Union of India.
• The Judgement overruled the verdicts given in M.P. Sharma case in 1958 and the Kharak Singh case in 1961, both of which said that the right to privacy is not protected under the Indian constitution.

CURRENT AFFAIRS – POLITY

2. Regarding Money Bill, which of the following statement is not correct?

(a) A bill shall be deemed to be a Money Bill if it contains only provision relating to imposition, abolition, remission, alteration and regulation of any tax.

(b) A Money bill has provision for the custody of the Consolidated Fund of India or the Contingency Fund of India.

(c) A Money bill is concerned with the appropriation of moneys out of the Contingency Fund of India.

(d) A Money bill deals with the regulation of borrowing of money or giving of any guarantee by the Government of India.

Ans: (c)

• A money bill cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha.
• Rajya Sabha can neither reject a Money Bill nor amend it
• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha decides whether the Bill is a Money Bill or not. 
• Also, the Speaker’s decision shall be deemed to be final.
• Article 110 of the constitution deals with Money Bill in India. 
• A Money Bill may only be introduced in Lok Sabha, on the recommendation of the President. 
• It must be passed in Lok Sabha by a simple majority
• It may be sent to the Rajya Sabha for its recommendations, which Lok Sabha may reject if it chooses to. 
• If such recommendations are not given within 14 days, it will be deemed to be passed by Parliament.
• A Bill is said to be a Money Bill if it only contains provisions related to taxation, borrowing of money by the government, expenditure from or receipt to the Consolidated Fund or Contingency Fund of India, (Hence option 1, 2 and 4 is correct) and the appropriation of money out of the consolidated Fund of India (Option 3 is incorrect.). 

CURRENT AFFAIRS – POLITY

3. With reference to the Election of the President of India, consider the following statements:

1. The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State.
2. The value of the Vote of MPs of the Lok Sabha is more than the value of the vote of MPs of the Rajya Sabha

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (a)

The correct answer is 1 only.

• The electoral college of President of India consists of elected members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Legislative Assemblies of the states, and the Legislative Assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
• He is elected indirectly by the principle of Proportional Representation by means of Single Transferable Vote.
• Under Article 324 of the Constitution of India, the authority to conduct elections to the Office of President is vested in the Election Commission of India.
• The value of votes of MLAs would differ from State to State as it is based on population criterion and population of each state is different. (Hence statement 1 is correct)
• However, the value of votes of all MPs is the same whether in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. (Hence statement 2 is incorrect)

CURRENT AFFAIRS – POLITY

4. Consider the following statements :

1. In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines.
2. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.
3. Rajasthan has iron ore mines.

  Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 3 only

Ans: (d)

The correct answer is 3 only.

• As per the new mining law — Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2015 — which came into effect from January 2015, the non-coal mines have to be auctioned by the respective state governments. (Hence statement 1 is incorrect)
• In Rajasthan, the Iron-Ore Deposits are located in the district of Jaipur, Udaipur, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Bhilwara, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dausa and Banswara. (Hence statement 3 is correct)
• In Andhra Pradesh gold mines are found in Ramagiri in Anantapur district. 
• Jharkhand has both alluvial and native gold.
  • Alluvial gold is obtained from the sands of the Subarnarekha (gold streak) river, Sona Nadi in Singhbhum district, and the streams draining the Sonapat valley. Native gold is found near Lowa in Singhbhum district. (Hence statement 2 is incorrect)