Consider the following statements about Constitutional Government : 1. It is a form of limited government 2. One where Constitution is the basis of public authority 3. One where Monarch is the formal Head of the State 4. One where there is always universal adult franchise Which of the statements given above are correct ?

Constitutional government is fundamentally defined as a form of limited government where the exercise of political power is restrained by a body of rules and principles [2]. This ensures that government operates according to the rule of law rather than the arbitrary desires of rulers [1]. In such a system, the Constitution serves as the supreme basis of public authority, and all government acts derive their legitimacy from it [1]. While many constitutional governments are republics, others are constitutional monarchies where a monarch is the formal head; however, having a monarch is not a universal requirement for a government to be 'constitutional'. Similarly, while modern constitutional democracies often include universal adult franchise, it is not a defining characteristic of constitutionalism itself, which historically focused on legal limitations on power rather than the breadth of the electorate. Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are universally correct.

Sources

1. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 3: Concept of the Constitution > II Definition > p. 25
2. [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 3: Concept of the Constitution > II Definition > p. 25