NCERT Notes on important GK topics for the UPSC Prelims, UPPSC, NDA, CDS, CAPF, AFCAT, INET etc. This article covers some very important Articles of the Indian constitution that have been asked repeatedly in various exams. Check Other NCERT Notes Here
UPSC and State PSC in past have asked direct questions from important, current and controversial articles of the Indian constitution. They will ask you only those articles which have been very much in the news recently. You can expect one or two questions from Constitutional Articles and this article will help you learn the most important articles which were in the news.
MOST IMPORTANT ARTICLES OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION
Also Read: Part wise All Articles (1-395) of the Indian Constitution
Article 29: Protects the interests of the minorities by making a provision that any citizen/section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture have the right to conserve the same.
Article 35: It gives Parliament the exclusive power to make laws relating to Articles 16 (3), 32 (3), 33 and 34. Further, this Article enables the Parliament to prescribe punishment to offences under the fundamental rights part.
Article 45: The State shall endeavour to provide, within a period of 10 years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years.
Article 50: This article puts an obligation over the State to separate the judiciary from the executive. But, since this falls under the Directive Principles of State Policy, it is not enforceable.
Article 51: The State shall endeavour to -
(a) promote international peace and security;
(b) maintain just and honourable relations between nations;
(c) foster respect for international law and treaty obligations in the dealings of organized peoples with one another; and
(d) encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration
Article 72: Article 72 of the Indian Constitution deals with the pardoning powers of the President of India. They are of five types:
1 Pardon
2 Reprieve
3 Remit
4 Respite and
5 Commute
Article 75: It says that the council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
Article 78: This Article of the Constitution deals with the duties of the Prime Minister with respect to the furnishing of information to the President.
Article 80: As per this article, the President can nominate 12 members in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). These persons should have special knowledge or practical experience in the field of Art, Science, Literature and Social Service.
Article 81: House of the People or Lok Sabha shall not consist of more than 550 elected members of whom not more than 20 will represent Union Territories.
Article 82: The Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census. Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up a Delimitation Commission.
Article 93: The House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker thereof and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the House shall choose another member to be Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.
Article 105: It deals with the ‘Parliamentary Privileges’ enjoyed by the Parliament as a whole and Members of Parliament (MPs) in their individual capacity.
Article 121: No discussion shall take place in Parliament with respect to the conduct of any Judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court in the discharge of his duties except upon a motion for the removal of the Judge.
Article 123: It deals with the power of the President to promulgate ordinances to enact new legislations/amend existing legislations. This power is executed in 2 scenarios (i)If either one of houses of Parliamentis not in session, (ii) If both of the houses of Parliament are not in session
Article 130: The Supreme Court shall sit in Delhi or in such other place or places, as the Chief Justice of India may, with the approval of the President.
Article 131: It vests the Supreme Court with original jurisdiction over any dispute arising between the states or between the centre and state. The article gives the Supreme Court the power to take up such cases straight instead of going through a lower court or reviewing a lower court’s judgement.
Article 137: This article gave the Supreme Court of India the power to review any judgment pronounced or order made by it. The concept of the curative petition is supported by this article.
Article 142: The article allows the Supreme Court to pass any order necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
Article 143: This article confers upon the Supreme Court advisory jurisdiction. The President may seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on any question of law or fact of public importance on which he thinks it expedient to obtain such an opinion.
Article 153: There shall be a Governor for each state. The 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 has facilitated the appointment of the same person as a governor for two or more states.
Article 161: It states that the Governor of a State shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the State extends.
The recent judgement regarding the Governor’s power to pardon overrides a provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure — Section 433A — which mandates that a prisoner’s sentence can be remitted only after 14 years of jail.
Article 164(4): A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister.
Article 174: The Governor shall summon the Legislative Assembly from time to time and may prorogue and dissolve the Legislative Assembly.
Article 179(c): A member holding office as Speaker or Deputy Speaker of an Assembly may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Assembly passed by a majority of all the then members of the Assembly.
Article 200: Gives the Governor the power to reserve a bill, passed by assembly or both the houses in case of a bicameral legislature, for the consideration of the President.
Article 213: This article empowers the governor to promulgate ordinance on an urgent matter and such ordinance shall have the same force and effect as an Act of Legislature of the State.
Article 222: It makes provision for the transfer of a Judge (including Chief Justice) from one High Court to any other High Court. The initiation of the proposal for the transfer of a Judge should be made by the Chief Justice of India whose opinion in this regard is determinative.
Article 239AA: This article grants special status to the Union Territory of Delhi as national capital with regards to its administrative and legislative functioning.
Article 243K: The superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the Panchayats shall be vested in a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner to be appointed by the Governor.
Article 244: The provisions of the Fifth Schedule shall apply to the administration and control of the Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any State other than the States of Assam Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Article 244(A): It allows for creation of an 'autonomous state' within Assam in certain tribal areas. It also envisages creation of a local legislature or Council of Ministers or both to carry out local administration. It was Inserted into the Constitution by the 22nd Constitution Amendment Act, 1969.
Article 246(A): The article was inserted to validate the Parliament and the State legislatures to make laws on GST. However, for inter-state supplies, the Parliament of India was awarded exclusive power to make laws.
Article 247: Parliament may by law provide for the establishment of any additional courts for the better administration of laws made by Parliament or of any existing laws with respect to a matter enumerated in the Union List.
Article 262: Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of, or in, any inter-State river or river valley.
Article 279(A): GST Council to be formed by the President to administer & govern GST. Its Chairman is Union Finance Minister of India with ministers nominated by the state governments as its members.
Article 300A: It requires the state to follow due procedure and authority of law to deprive a person of his or her private property.
Article 311: Dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State.
Article 317: Removal and suspension of a member of a Public Service Commission. Also Read: About UPSC, State PSC & Joint State PSC
Article 330A: Reservations for women in LS - 1/3rd of seats reserved for SCs and STs shall be reserved for women, 1/3rd of total seats to be filled by direct elections to the Lok Sabha shall be reserved for women.
Article 351: It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India.
Article 361: The President or the Governor shall not be answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his office.
Article 365: If a State has failed to give effect to any directions given by the Union under any of the provisions of the Constitution, it shall be lawful for the President to hold that a situation has arisen in which the Government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. (President's Rule)
Article 371(A): No act of Parliament shall apply to the State of Nagaland in respect of the religious or social practices of the Nagas, its customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources.
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