UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of daily subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Each day, we cover one new subject. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Polity and Governance to check your progress. Come back tomorrow to solve the History, Culture, and Social Issues MCQs. Don’t miss checking the answers and explanations at the end of the quiz.

Consider the following:

1. Deceitful promise to marry

2. Mob lynching.

3. Organised crime

4. Attempt to suicide

How many of the above are covered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Which of the following statements is not correct about the Attorney-General for India?

(a) He shall hold office at the pleasure of the President.

(b) He should be qualified to be appointed a Judge of the High Court.

(c) He shall have the right to an audience in all courts in the territory of India.

(d) He gives advice to the Government of India upon such legal matters, and to perform such other duties of a legal character.

With reference to the annual report on crime in India for the year 2022, consider the following statements:

1. The crime rate has increased from 2021 to 2022.

2. The largest share of crimes against women under IPC sections was registered under Kidnapping & Abduction of Women.

3. Reporting of cyber crime decreased as compared to 2021.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

With reference to the Delimitation Commission, consider the following statements:

1. The Commission is appointed by the President of India.

2. The orders of the Commission can be questioned before any court.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Which of the following articles of the constitution of India provides for promotion of co-operative societies?

(a) Article 39

(b) Article 39A

(c) Article 43A

(d) Article 43B

FYI:

— The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, 2023 makes several significant departures from the Indian Penal Code it seeks to replace, including bringing terrorism and organised crime under the purview of ordinary criminal law, introducing gender neutrality for child-related offences, and repealing Section 377, which criminalised homosexuality.

New offences

— The BNS introduces Clause 69 that seems to ostensibly tackle the “love jihad” narrative by criminalising “deceitful” promise to marry. Hence, 1 is correct.

— The BNS provisions codify offences linked to mob lynching and hate-crime murders, for cases when a mob of five or more individuals commits murder based on factors such as race, caste, community, or personal belief. The provision has punishment that extends from life imprisonment to death. Hence, 2 is correct.

— For the first time, tackling organised crime is brought under the realm of ordinary criminal law. Hence, 3 is correct.

— The punishment for attempting to conduct organised crime and committing organised crime is the same, however a distinction is made based on whether or not the claimed offence resulted in death. For situations involving death, the punishment varies from life imprisonment to death; however, where there is no death, a required minimum sentence of five years is imposed, which may be extended to life imprisonment.

— The BNS brings terrorism under the ambit of ordinary criminal law. According to an analysis by National Law School of India University, Bangalore, the definition of “terrorist” borrows from the Philippines Anti-Terrorism Act, 2020.

— The BNS introduces a new provision that criminalises “whoever attempts to commit suicide with the intent to compel or restrain any public servant from discharging his official duty”, and prescribes a jail term which may extend to one year with community service. Hence, 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— The President shall appoint a person who is qualified to be appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court to be Attorney-General for India. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— It shall be the duty of the Attorney-General to give advice to the Government of India upon such legal matters, and to perform such other duties of a legal character, as may from time to time be referred or assigned to him by the President, and to discharge the functions conferred on him by or under this Constitution or any other law for the time being in force. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

— In the performance of his duties, the Attorney-General shall have the right to audience in all courts in the territory of India. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

— The Attorney-General shall hold office during the pleasure of the President and shall receive such remuneration as the President may determine. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: Constitution of India)

FYI:

— The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) released its annual report on crime in India for the year 2022.

— The report is a compilation of data on reported crime from across the country, and provides the big picture of broad trends in crime registration.

— The NCRB, which reports to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, compiles statistics on a wide range of crimes, from crimes against women to economic and financial crimes.

2022 NCRB report

— In 2022, a “total of 58,24,946 cognizable crimes comprising 35,61,379 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 22,63,567 Special & Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered”. This was a decline of 4.5% in the registration of cases over the second pandemic year, 2021.

— The crime rate, or crimes registered per lakh population, has declined from 445.9 in 2021 to 422.2 in 2022. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— 4,45,256 cases of crime against women were registered in 2022. This was an increase of 4% over the 2021 numbers. The largest share of crimes against women under IPC sections was registered under ‘Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives’ (31.4%), followed by ‘Kidnapping & Abduction of Women’ (19.2%), and ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (18.7%). Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— Reporting of cyber crime increased significantly by 24.4 percentage points compared to 2021. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— An increase of 4.2% was observed in suicides reported during 2022 (1,70,924 suicides) as compared to 2021.

— Family Problems (other than marriage-related problems)’ (31.7%), ‘Marriage Related Problems’ (4.8%) and ‘Illness’ (18.4%) have together accounted for 54.9% of total suicides in the country during the year 2022. The overall male-to-female ratio of suicide victims was 71.8:28.2.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Delimitation is the act of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and state Assembly seats to represent changes in population.

— Under Article 82, Parliament is to enact a Delimitation Act after every Census. Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up the Delimitation Commission.

— The main objective of delimitation is to provide equal representation to equal segments of a population.

— Delimitation is carried out by an independent Delimitation Commission, appointed by the Government of India under provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act.

— The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— It is composed of the following: a retired Supreme Court judge, the Chief Election Commissioner of India and respective State Election Commissioners.

— The Delimitation Commission is to work without any executive influence. The Constitution mandates that the Commission’s orders are final and cannot be questioned before any court as it would hold up an election indefinitely. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— The Commission is supposed to determine the number and boundaries of constituencies in a way that the population of all seats, so far as practicable, is the same.

— The Commission is also tasked with identifying seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

FYI:

— Article 43B of the constitution of India provides for promotion of co-operative societies.

— The State shall endeavour to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of co-operative societies.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(Source: Constitution of India)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 43)

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 43)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment, Geography, Science and Technology (Week 43)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 43)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 43)

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