Question

UPSC Prelims 2021 Question:

Which one of the following in Indian polity is an essential feature that indicates that it is federal in character?

1. The independence of judiciary is safeguarded.
2. The Union Legislature has elected representatives from constituent units.
3. The Union Cabinet can have elected representatives from regional parties.
4. The Fundamental Rights are enforceable by Courts of Law.

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 1: The independence of judiciary is safeguarded.

Detailed Solution

Explanation:

Essentially, federalism is an institutional mechanism to accommodate two sets of polities—one at the regional level and the other at the national level. Each government is autonomous in its own sphere.
Independent judiciary is the core feature of the Indian federal system. Hence, the Constitution has made various provisions to ensure its independence – security of tenure of the judges, fixed service conditions for the judges, all the expenses of the Supreme Court charged on the Consolidated Fund of India, prohibition on discussion on the conduct of judges in the legislatures, ban on practice after retirement, power to punish for its contempt vested in the Supreme Court, separation of the judiciary from the executive, and so on.

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

Subject: Polity | Federalism

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