Chapter 3 Features of the Constitution
Textbook Questions and Answers
1. Prepare a table to show the separation of powers in a Federal Government.
Answer:
Union List | State List | Concurrent List |
Defence, foreign relations, war and peace, currency, international trade, etc. | Agriculture, law and order, local government, health, prison administration etc. | Employment, environment economic and social planning, personal law, education, etc. |
2. Find one word for:
Question 1.
The Government at the centre which carries out the administration of the entire country.
Answer:
Union Government
Question 2.
The machinery with whom rests the responsibility of conducting elections in a free and fair atmosphere.
Answer:
Election Commission.
Question 3.
The third list of subjects for making laws
Answer:
The Concurrent List
3. Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
Why does the Government function at two levels in a Federation?
Answer:
(i) One of the important features of our Constitution is the Federal System.
(ii) In countries with large territories and huge populations, the Government is run by a Federal System.
(iii) Ruling a large territory from a single capital city is not only difficult but may also lead to the neglect of some far-flung areas.
(iv) People residing there cannot participate in the affairs of the Government. Therefore, the governments function at two levels in a § Federation.
Question 2.
What do you understand by Residuaiy Powers?
Answer:
(i) Our Constitution has given three lists on various subjects.
(ii) The first list is called Union List. It contains 97 subjects on which the Union Government makes laws.
(iii) The State List is for the State Governments to legislate upon. It contains 66 subjects.
(iv) Apart from these two lists, there is a Concurrent List which contains 47 subjects.
(v) Both governments can make laws on subjects included in this list. If a subject comes up that is not included in any of the lists, the Union Government is entitled to make laws on it. These powers are termed as ‘Residuary Powers’.
Question 3.
Why has the Constitution created an independent Judiciary in India?
Answer:
(i) The Judiciary of India is independent machinery according to the provisions of the Constitution.
(ii) It is separate from the Executive and Legislative bodies of the Indian Government.
(iii) The Supreme Court is the guardian of the Constitution which ensures that the Fundamental Rights of the citizens are not violated.
(iv) To carry out its duties without fear or favour or external pressure, the Judiciary in India is independent.
4. Hold a group discussion on the merits and demerits of an independent judicial system.
Answer:
Merits of an independent judicial system:
- The judicial system enables the courts to give impartial judgements.
- Judiciary does not act under any political pressure.
- As the judges are appointed by the President and not by the Government.
Demerits of an independent judicial system:
- As the judiciary is independent, it is out of the scope of the government’s control.
- The judiciary is not answerable to anyone if the process of dispensing justice is slow.
5. Find out about the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and discuss the advantages of conducting elections with EVM.
Answer:
- Difficult to tamper/cheat
- Cost-effective and economical
- Time-saving
- Calculation is faster
- Easy to use / carry / transport
- Data can be saved for later use.
Activity:
Establish an Election Commission in your class, decide upon the positions you would like to fill through elections. Then conduct elections under the guidance of this Commission.
In Text Questions and Answers
Do this:
Question 1.
Make a list of North-Eastern Indian States and name their capital cities.
Answer:
State | Capital |
Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
Assam | Dispur |
Meghalaya | Shillong |
Manipur | Imphal |
Mizoram | Aizwal |
Nagaland | Kohima |
Tripura | Agartala |
Find out:
Question 1.
Find out about the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and discuss the advantages of conducting elections with EVM.
Answer:
- Difficult to tamper/cheat
- Cost effective and economical
- Time saving
- Calculation is faster
- Easy to use / carry / transport
- Data can be saved for later use.
Question 2.
How many amendments have been made in the Indian Constitution till date?
Answer:
As of September 2016, there have been 101 (latest of List Bill) amendments to the Constitution of India, since it was first enacted in 1950.
Additional Important Questions and Answers
Complete the sentence by choosing the appropriate words from the options given below:
Question 1.
One of the important features of our Constitution is the _______ System. (Federal, Unitary, Republic)
Answer:
Federal
Question 2.
The Government functions at ________ levels in a Federation. (two, three, four)
Answer:
two
Question 3.
The Government that oversees the administration of the region that we live in is called _______.(Union Government, State Government, None of the above)
Answer:
State Government
Question 4.
The system of running the administration of a country cooperatively by the governments at two levels, making laws about different subjects is called __________. (Socialism, Communism, Federalism)
Answer:
Federalism
Question 5.
The ______ is for the Union Government to make laws. (State List, Union List, Concurrent List)
Answer:
Federalism
Question 6.
The _______ is for the State Government to legislate upon. (Union List, State List, Concurrent List)
Answer:
State List
Question 7.
The ______ List contains 47 subjects and both the Government can make laws on these subjects. (Concurrent List, Union List, State List)
Answer:
Concurrent List
Question 8.
If a subject comes up and it is not included in any of the Lists, the _______ is entitled to make laws. (State Government, Union Government, President)
Answer:
Union Government
Question 9.
In India, there are ____ State Governments and _______ Union Territories.(29, 7 ; 28, 8)
Answer:
29, 7
Question 10.
The ______ System of Government the Legislature has the highest decision making power. (Parliamentary, Autocratic, Communist)
Answer:
Parliamentary
Question 11.
The ______ who runs the administration emerge from the Lok Sabha and is / are answerable to the Lok Sabha for all its / their decisions.
(Opposition Ministers, Council of Ministers,President)
Answer:
Council of Ministers
Question 12.
Judges are appointed by the ______ (President, Government, Vice-President)
Answer:
President
Question 13.
The Indian Constitution has granted _________ to all Indians. (Single citizenship, Dual citizenship, None of these)
Answer:
Single citizenship
Question 14.
The ________ ensures free, fair and just atmosphere for the election. (President, Election Commission, Ruling Party)
Answer:
Election Commission.
Match the following:
Question 1.
Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ |
(1) War and peace
|
(a) State Government
|
Answer:
1 – c
2 – a
3 – b
State whether the following statements are true or false with reasons:
Question 1.
Defence is a subject on which the State Government makes laws.
Answer:
False:
- The Constitution has divided the subjects for making laws between the Union and the State Government.
- Defence is a subject on which Union Government makes laws.
Question 2.
The Union List contains 97 subjects and defence is one of the subjects included in it.
Answer:
True.
Question 3.
Chandigarh is controlled by the State Government.
Answer:
False: Chandigarh is one of the seven Union Territories of India. The Union Government controls the Union Territories.
Question 4.
In India, the Executive has the highest decision-making power.
Answer:
False: The Indian Constitution has provided for a Parliamentary System of Government. In such a system the Parliament, i.e. the Legislature has the highest decision-making power.
Name the following:
Question 1.
The system which is an important feature of our Constitution.
Answer:
Federalism
Question 2.
The Government that oversees the administration of the place we live.
Answer:
State Government
Question 3.
Number of subjects in the Union List on which the Union Government makes laws.
Answer:
97 Subjects
Question 4.
The list with 66 subjects which the State government legislates upon.
Answer:
The State List
Question 5.
The powers of the Union Government to make laws on a subject which comes up and is not mentioned in any list.
Answer:
Residuary Powers
Question 6.
Any two subjects with the Union Government.
Answer:
Defence, Currency
Question 7.
Subjects with the State Government
Answer:
Health, Prison
Question 8.
Subjects with both the governments.
Answer:
Employment, Education
Question 9.
2 Union Territories in India.
Answer:
Daman and Diu, New Delhi
Question 10.
Answerable to the Lok Sabha
Answer:
The Council of Ministers.
Question 11.
An example to show that the Indian Judiciary is independent.
Answer:
Appointment of Judges by the President
Question 12.
The type of citizenship granted to the citizens by the Indian Constitution.
Answer:
Single citizenship
Answer in one or two sentences:
Question 1.
Write any one of the important features of our Constitution.
Answer:
Federal system is one of the important features of our Constitution.
Question 2.
In which countries are governments run by the Federal System?
Answer:
In countries with large territories and huge population, the Government is run by a Federal System.
Question 3.
What is the problem faced while ruling a large territory from a single capital?
Answer:
Ruling a large territory from a single capital city is not only difficult but may also lead to neglect of some far-flung areas.
Question 4.
Explain the term Union Government.
Answer:
The Government at the centre carries out tasks like defence of the entire country, foreign policy, establishing peace, etc. It is called ‘Union Government or ‘Federal Government’.
Question 5.
What do you mean by State Government?
Answer:
The Government that oversees the administration of the region that we live in is called State Government.
Question 6.
What is called ‘Federalism’?
Answer:
The system of running the administration of a country cooperatively by the Governments at two levels, making laws about different subjects is called ‘Federalism’.
Question 7.
Which are the three lists into which the Constitution has divided subjects for making Laws?
Answer:
The three lists into which the Constitution has divided subjects for making laws are State List, Union List and Concurrent List.
Question 8.
Which powers are termed as Residuary Powers?
Answer:
(a) If a subject comes up that is not included in any of the three Lists, the Union List, the State List or the Concurrent List, the Union Government is entitled to make laws on it
(b) These powers are termed as residuary powers.
Question 9.
Which are the seven Union territories in India?
Answer:
The seven Union Territories in India are New Delhi, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
Question 10.
In the Parliamentary system of Government, who has the highest decision-making power?
Answer:
In the Parliamentary system of Government, the Parliament has the highest decision-making power.
Question 11.
What does the Indian Parliament include?
Answer:
The Indian Parliament includes the President, the Lbk Sabha or the House of the People and the Rajya Sabha or the Council of States.
Question 12.
Whom is the Council of Ministers answerable to, for all its decisions?
Answer:
The Council of Ministers is answerable to the Lok Sabha for all its decisions.
Question 13.
What have great significance in Parliamentary Democracy?
Answer:
In Parliamentary Democracy, the discussion and debates that take place in the Parliament have great significance.
Question 14.
Which disputes are referred to the Judiciary?
Answer:
The disputes that cannot be resolved mutually are referred to the Judiciary.
Question 15.
Which are the two provisions in the Constitution which ensures that the Judiciary remains more independent?
Answer:
The two provisions in the Constitution which ensures independence of Judiciary are that the judges are appointed by the President and not by the Government, and it is not easy to remove the Judges from their office.
Question 16.
Why is it necessary to amend the Constitution?
Answer:
There comes up a need to make changes or amendments in the provisions of the Constitution due to the changing circumstances.
Question 17.
What can frequent amendments in the Constitution lead to?
Answer:
Frequent amendments in the Constitution may lead to instability.
Question 18.
Write a short note on Parliamentary System of Government.
Answer:
(i) The Indian Constitution has provided for a Parliamentary System of Government.
(ii) In such a system, the Parliament, i.e. the Legislature has the highest decision-making power.
(iii) The Indian Parliament includes the President, the Lok Sabha or the House of the People and the Rajya Sabha or the Council of States.
(iv) The Council of Ministers that run the administration emerge from the Lok Sabha and is answerable to the Lok Sabha for all its decisions. In Parliamentary Democracy, the discussion and debates that take place in the Parliament have great significance.