This passage relates to
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) duty to vote
The passage calls deliberately staying away from voting 'a kind of implied anarchy' and a refusal of 'political responsibility'. Its subject is voting as an obligation — the duty to vote.
- ✓ (a) Not voting is described as dodging political responsibility while enjoying a free society's benefits, so voting is presented as a duty.
- ✗ (b) The entitlement to vote is not discussed; the passage criticises people who do not use it.
- ✗ (c) The freedom to vote or not to vote is not the theme; choosing not to vote is condemned.
- ✗ (d) Participation is mentioned, but as an obligation that sustains democracy, not as a right.
Remember · Words like 'responsibility' and criticism of those who abstain signal a duty, not a right or a freedom.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·