GS2 2023 Q4 10 marks 150 words Parliamentary Sovereignty Comparison
UPSC Mains 2023 GS2 Q4 — Parliamentary Sovereignty Comparison
Compare and contrast the British and Indian approaches to Parliamentary sovereignty. (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Comparecontrast
- Scope keywords
- British and Indian approachesParliamentary sovereignty
- Implicit sub-parts
- Origin and definition of sovereignty in the British 'unwritten constitution' context.
- Limitations on sovereignty in India through Judicial Review and Basic Structure.
- Comparison of the source of power: 'The People' vs. 'The Crown-in-Parliament'.
- Role of a written constitution and federalism as constraints in India but not in Britain.
- Common pitfalls
- Spending too much time on historical evolution of the UK Parliament instead of contemporary comparison.
- Failing to mention the 'Basic Structure Doctrine' as the primary check on Indian parliamentary power.
- Ignoring the role of the Judiciary (Judicial Review) which differentiates the two systems significantly.
- Overlooking the fact that the Indian Parliament is a 'created' body under the Constitution, not a 'sovereign' body in the absolute sense.
- Dimensions required
- ConstitutionalLegal/JudicialHistoricalComparative Politics
- Marks allocation hint
Spend 30 words on defining the concept and its origin. Devote 50 words to the absolute nature of British sovereignty (AV Dicey's view), 50 words to the constrained nature of Indian sovereignty (Constitutional supremacy), and 20 words for a concluding synthesis on 'Constitutionalism'.
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