Ans: A

Exp:

Article 324 of the Indian Constitution provides for an independent Election Commission for the ‘superintendence, direction, and control of the electoral roll and the conduct of elections’ in India. This body administers elections to Lok Sabha, rajya sabha, state legislative assemblies, office of the president, office of the vice- president, etc. The elections to the local bodies are conducted by the State Election Commission, which is established by the state government.

Ans: C

Exp:

• Statement 1 is correct:  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations.

Statement 2 is correct: It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages. The UDHR is widely recognized as having inspired, and paved the way for, the adoption of more than seventy human rights treaties, applied today on a permanent basis at global and regional levels (all containing references to it in their preambles).

Ans: D

Exp:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Election Commission is not concerned with the elections to the panchayats and municipalities in the states. For this, the Constitution of India provides for a separate State Election Commission. The Election Commission of India administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, State legislative councils, and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country. 

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. It is appointed for the purpose of drawing up the boundaries of constituencies all over the country.

Ans: A

Exp:

The establishment of Panchayats at the grassroots level as part of the Panchayati Raj system in India can be explained as an exercise to promote:

Participatory Democracy : Panchayats encourage the active participation of local residents in the decision-making process. By involving ordinary citizens in discussions and decisions about local issues, it fosters a sense of ownership, accountability, and responsiveness in governance.

Overall, the establishment of Panchayats at the grassroots level is a fundamental step towards strengthening local governance, promoting citizen engagement, and achieving sustainable and inclusive development. Hence, option 1 is correct.

Decentralisation: Panchayats represent a form of decentralised governance where decision-making authority is devolved from higher levels of government to the local level. This promotes the distribution of power and resources, allowing communities to have more control over their own development. Hence, option 2 is incorrect.

Ans: D

Exp:

• Statement 1 is incorrect: The Supreme Court gave the Kesavananda ruling in 1973. In the past four decades, this decision has governed all interpretations of the Constitution and all institutions in the country have accepted the theory of basic structure. In fact, the theory of basic structure is itself an example of a living constitution. There is no mention of this theory in the Constitution. It has emerged from judicial interpretation. Thus, the Judiciary and its interpretation have practically amended the Constitution without a formal amendment.
• Statement 2 is correct: The basic structure doctrine has consolidated the balance between rigidity and flexibility. By saying that certain parts cannot be amended, it has underlined the rigid nature while by allowing amendments to all others it has underlined the flexible nature of the amending process.