A constitutional government by definition is a
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) limited government
The defining idea of constitutionalism is that government power is bounded: a constitution sets limits that the government may not cross, chiefly through rights of citizens and a division of powers. A government bound by such limits is a limited government, whatever its form.
- ✓ (d) A constitution lays down limits on what a government can impose on its citizens, and those limits cannot be trespassed; that is what makes a government 'constitutional'.
- ✗ (b) A popular (elected or well-liked) government can still act without limits; popularity is not what defines constitutional government.
- ✗ (a) Rule by the legislature describes where power sits, not whether it is limited; a legislature too is bound by the constitution.
Remember · Constitutionalism = limited government: the constitution restrains every organ of the State, mainly through fundamental rights and separation of powers.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 1 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 11 · Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 1 “So the third function of a constitution is to set some limits on what a government can impose on its citizens. These limits are fundamental in the sense that government may never trespass them.”
- NCERT Class 11 · Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 2 “the constitution is a document that sets limits on the powers of the government and ensures a democratic system in which all persons enjoy certain rights.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·