UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Tribunals work from today, but many Bengal voters will stay excluded
Q1. With reference to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India, which one of the following best describes it?
- A. An extraordinary, time-bound revision involving fresh, intensive house-to-house enumeration of electors, distinct from the routine Special Summary Revision
- B. The routine annual summary revision of rolls carried out with reference to 1 January of the year as the qualifying date
- C. A periodic delimitation of constituencies undertaken on the basis of the latest published census figures
- D. A judicial audit of electoral rolls carried out by the jurisdictional High Court before every general election
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the legal and constitutional framework underlying the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls:
1. Electoral rolls are prepared and revised under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
2. The superintendence, direction and control of the revision of rolls vests in the Election Commission of India.
3. Adult suffrage as the basis for elections is guaranteed by Article 326 of the Constitution.
4. The conduct of the poll and the adjudication of election disputes are governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Electoral rolls are prepared and revised under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
- The superintendence, direction and control of the revision of rolls vests in the Election Commission of India.
- Adult suffrage as the basis for elections is guaranteed by Article 326 of the Constitution.
- The conduct of the poll and the adjudication of election disputes are governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q3. The appellate tribunals set up in West Bengal to hear challenges arising out of the SIR differ from the ordinary appeal mechanism against electoral-roll decisions. Consider the following statements:
1. The SIR appellate tribunals in West Bengal were presided over by former High Court judges.
2. Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, an appeal against an order of the Electoral Registration Officer lies directly to the Supreme Court.
3. The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court was asked to constitute a three-member panel of former senior judges to frame uniform procedures for these tribunals.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The SIR appellate tribunals in West Bengal were presided over by former High Court judges.
- Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, an appeal against an order of the Electoral Registration Officer lies directly to the Supreme Court.
- The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court was asked to constitute a three-member panel of former senior judges to frame uniform procedures for these tribunals.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. How many appellate tribunals were constituted to hear appeals from electors deleted during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal?
Q5. Article 326 of the Constitution of India provides that elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assembly of every State shall be on the basis of which one of the following?
- A. Adult suffrage — every citizen not less than 18 years of age and not otherwise disqualified is entitled to be registered as a voter
- B. Universal suffrage extended to every resident of the constituency irrespective of citizenship
- C. A restricted franchise conditioned on prescribed property and educational qualifications
- D. Suffrage confined to every citizen who is not less than 21 years of age
Q6. The power to make provision, by law, with respect to all matters relating to elections to Parliament and to the Legislature of every State, subject to the provisions of the Constitution, is conferred on which authority and under which Article?
- A. Parliament, under Article 327
- B. The Election Commission of India, under Article 324
- C. State Legislatures, under Article 327
- D. Parliament, under Article 329
Q7. During the West Bengal SIR, a large number of electors were flagged on a 'logical discrepancies' list. In this context, the term 'logical discrepancies' referred primarily to—
- A. Entries with data mismatches such as differences in the father's name, spelling, or middle name of the elector
- B. Electors conclusively proved to be deceased on the basis of death certificates
- C. Electors who had permanently migrated out of the state
- D. Duplicate entries confirmed to exist across two or more constituencies
Q8. Consider the following statements about the scale of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal:
1. The SIR led to the deletion of over 90 lakh names from a base of about 7.66 crore electors.
2. The deletions amounted to roughly 25 per cent of the state's electorate.
3. About 1.36 crore electors were placed under scrutiny for discrepancies during the exercise.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The SIR led to the deletion of over 90 lakh names from a base of about 7.66 crore electors.
- The deletions amounted to roughly 25 per cent of the state's electorate.
- About 1.36 crore electors were placed under scrutiny for discrepancies during the exercise.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q9. Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's handling of the West Bengal SIR matter:
1. The Court directed that appellate orders passed by the tribunals be given effect through a supplementary revised electoral roll.
2. The Court flagged the high exclusion rate in the roll revision but declined to grant blanket relief.
3. The Court sought a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on the functioning of the appellate tribunals.
4. The Court struck down the entire SIR exercise in West Bengal as unconstitutional.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- The Court directed that appellate orders passed by the tribunals be given effect through a supplementary revised electoral roll.
- The Court flagged the high exclusion rate in the roll revision but declined to grant blanket relief.
- The Court sought a report from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court on the functioning of the appellate tribunals.
- The Court struck down the entire SIR exercise in West Bengal as unconstitutional.
- A. 1 and 2
- B. 3 only
- C. 4 only
- D. 2 and 4
Q10. Consider the following statements about the Supreme Court Bench that heard the West Bengal SIR pleas:
1. The Bench hearing the pleas was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
2. Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi were among the judges on the Bench.
3. The Bench was headed by Justice Joymalya Bagchi, with Surya Kant sitting as a puisne judge.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Bench hearing the pleas was headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
- Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi were among the judges on the Bench.
- The Bench was headed by Justice Joymalya Bagchi, with Surya Kant sitting as a puisne judge.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. Within the Election Commission of India as constituted under Article 324, which one of the following is the head of the Commission?
- A. The Chief Election Commissioner
- B. The senior-most Election Commissioner
- C. The Secretary to the Election Commission
- D. The Chief Electoral Officer of the concerned State
Q12. The Representation of the People Acts, 1950 and 1951, together with allied electoral laws, fall under the administrative charge of which one of the following?
- A. The Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice
- B. The Ministry of Home Affairs
- C. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
- D. The Department of Personnel and Training