Polity and Indian Constitution Review - Lecture 1

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key articles, commissions, and legal frameworks from the Indian Constitution and recent legislative reforms (BNSS, BSA) discussed in the lecture.

Article $131A$

Granted the Supreme Court exclusive power to decide on the constitutional validity of Central laws, but was later repealed by the $43^{rd}$ Amendment Act, $1977$.

Article $131$

Defines the original and exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for disputes between the Centre and States or between different States.

Article $137$

Grants the Supreme Court the authority to review its own previously delivered judgments.

Inter-State Council

A forum for dialogue established under Article $263$ by the President (first formed in $1990$) based on the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.

Sarkaria Commission ($1983$)

A commission that recommended the establishment of a permanent Inter-State Council and suggested that Governors should have a fixed five-year tenure.

Zonal Councils

Regional advisory bodies established under the States Reorganisation Act of $1956$, with the Union Home Minister serving as the chairman for all five councils.

North Eastern Council

A regional council created separately from the five Zonal Councils under the North Eastern Council Act of $1971$.

GST Council

A constitutional body established under Article $279A$ ($101^{st}$ Amendment Act) chaired by the Union Finance Minister to make recommendations on GST rates and laws.

Mohit Minerals ($2022$) Case

A Supreme Court case that established that GST Council recommendations are non-binding and possess persuasive value only.

Article $255$

Ensures the validity of laws passed by Parliament or State Legislatures even if they lacked prior presidential or governor recommendation, provided appropriate assent is given eventually.

Article $249$

Authorizes Parliament to legislate on subjects in the State List if the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a special majority, effective for one year.

Article $250$

Allows Parliament to make laws on subjects in the State List during a state of emergency, remaining effective for $6$ months after the emergency ends.

Doctrine of Repugnancy

A legal principle arising when Central and State laws on a Concurrent List subject conflict, resulting in the Central law prevailing unless the State law has received Presidential assent.

Charter Act of $1793$

Legislation that extended the East India Company's rule for another $20$ years and mandated that salaries of Company officers be paid from Indian revenues.

Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, $2023$

The law replacing the Indian Evidence Act of $1872$, which focuses on the validation of digital evidence and the modernization of justice through technology.

Article $258A$

Added by the $7^{th}$ Constitutional Amendment of $1956$, it grants States the power to delegate their functions to the Union with the Union's consent.

Attorney General

The highest law officer in India, appointed by the President under Article $76$, who has the right of audience in all courts within the territory of India.

Solicitor General

The second supreme law officer of the country, appointed by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister.

Article $356$

Provisions for 'President’s Rule' or State Emergency, which can be recommended by a Governor in cases of constitutional breakdown.

CCTNS

Stands for Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems, a project started in $2009$ under the National e-Governance Plan following the $26/11$ attacks.

Article $280$

Constitutional provision for the Finance Commission, a quasi-judicial body constituted by the President every $5$ years.

Article $312$

Empowers the Rajya Sabha to create new All India Services (currently including IAS, IPS, and IFoS) by a two-thirds majority vote.

Article $262$

Empowers Parliament to provide for the adjudication of inter-state river water disputes, typically by creating ad-hoc tribunals and excluding the jurisdiction of other courts.

Guillotine

A parliamentary procedure where pending demands for grants are put to a vote immediately after the time allotted for discussion has expired.

Adjournment Sine Die

The termination of a sitting of a parliamentary session without fixing a specific date or time for the next meeting.

Preventive Detention

Detention used to prevent a person from committing a potential future offense; under Article $22$, it cannot exceed $3$ months without advisory board approval.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita (BNSS), $2023$

The procedural law replacing the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) of $1973$, designed to ensure speedy justice and transparency.