Prelims · Polity & governance · 49 questions

Parliament & the Union executive

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Asked in 11 of 11 years · most in 2024 (6)

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Prelims 2021 · Q77

Medium

We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model?

1.As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the power of the Parliament to legislate is limited.
2.In India, matters related to the constitutionality of the Amendment of an Act of the Parliament are referred to the Constitution Bench by the Supreme Court.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct as UPSC frames them. The British Parliament is sovereign, but India's Parliament works within a written Constitution and can be checked by the courts. Also, cases on the meaning of the Constitution go to a Constitution Bench of at least five Supreme Court judges.

✓ 1. In the UK, Parliament is the supreme legal authority and the courts generally cannot overrule its laws. In India, the Constitution limits Parliament: it must respect Fundamental Rights, the division of powers between the Union and the States, and the basic structure, and the Supreme Court can strike down laws that breach them.
✓ 2. Article 145(3) requires at least five judges to decide any case involving a substantial question of law on the interpretation of the Constitution. So challenges to the constitutional validity of a law or an amendment are placed before a Constitution Bench. The statement's phrase 'Amendment of an Act' is loose, but the key treats it as correct.

Remember · UK: parliamentary sovereignty. India: constitutional supremacy, with judicial review, and Constitution Bench (five or more judges) for substantial questions on interpreting the Constitution (Article 145(3)).

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 6 (practise this chapter)

Sources

UK Parliament, Parliamentary sovereignty ↗ · reference work “It makes Parliament the supreme legal authority in the UK, which can create or end any law. Generally, the courts cannot overrule its legislation”
NCERT Class 11 · Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 6 “the Court ruled that there is a basic structure of the Constitution and nobody—not even the Parliament (through amendment)—can violate the basic structure.”
Constitution of India, Article 145(3), legislative.gov.in / cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in ↗ “of Judges who are to sit for the purpose of deciding any case involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution or for the purpose of hearing any reference under article 143 shall be five”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2021 · Q89

Easy

With reference to India, consider the following statements:

1.There is only one citizenship and one domicile.
2.A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State.
3.A foreigner once granted the citizenship cannot be deprived of it under any circumstances.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Only statement 1 is correct: India has a single citizenship (and a single domicile, that of India), unlike federal countries that give people citizenship of both the nation and a state. Statement 2 is wrong because Article 58 requires the President to be a citizen of India, not a citizen by birth, and statement 3 is wrong because the Citizenship Act allows the Central Government to deprive some citizens of citizenship.

✓ 1. The Constitution provides only one citizenship, that of India; Article 5 speaks of domicile 'in the territory of India', not of any state. Some federal countries have dual citizenship; India does not.
✗ 2. Article 58 lists three conditions to be President: citizen of India, at least 35 years of age, and qualified to be elected to the Lok Sabha. Birth in India is not a condition, so a naturalised citizen can be eligible.
✗ 3. Section 10 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 lets the Central Government deprive a citizen who got citizenship by naturalisation or registration of it, for example where it was obtained by fraud, after giving notice. The Citizenship Rules, 2009 lay down the notice procedure.

Remember · One citizenship, one domicile. The President must be a citizen of India, not necessarily by birth. Section 10 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 allows deprivation of some citizens.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Ch 7 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 7 “In some federal countries, there is even a system of dual citizenship. India has only a single citizenship.”
Constitution of India, Article 58 (Qualifications for election as President) ↗ “No person shall be eligible for election as President unless he— (a) is a citizen of India, (b) has completed the age of thirty-five years, and (c) is qualified for election as a member of the House of the People.”
Ministry of Home Affairs, Citizenship Rules, 2009, rule 25 (notice before deprivation of citizenship under section 10) ↗ “When it is decided to make an order under section 10 depriving a person of his citizenship of India, a notice under sub-section (4) of that section shall be given”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

The same topic in Mains

Parliament & state legislaturesGS 2 syllabus
Executive, judiciary & pressure groupsGS 2 syllabus

Read it in NCERT

Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 6cited in 1 explanation
Class 11 Indian Constitution at Work, Chapter 7cited in 1 explanation