UPSC Prelims 2015 GS Paper I · Q61 of 100 Polity & Governance easy

Who/Which of the following is the custodian of the Constitution of India?

  1. (a) The President of India
  2. (b) The Prime Minister of India
  3. (c) The Lok Sabha Secretariat
  4. (d) The Supreme Court of India ✓ UPSC's answer

Why the answer is (d)

• The Supreme Court is the guardian and final interpreter of the Constitution: through judicial review (Articles 13, 32, 131–136) it protects the Constitution against violations by the legislature and executive and safeguards fundamental rights — option (d).

• The President (a) takes an oath to 'preserve, protect and defend' the Constitution but acts on ministerial advice; the PM (b) and Lok Sabha Secretariat (c) have no custodial role.

• Hence option (d).

Why the other options are wrong

(a) The President of India
The President swears to protect it but acts on advice; the Court interprets and guards it.
(b) The Prime Minister of India
The PM has no custodial role.
(c) The Lok Sabha Secretariat
The Lok Sabha Secretariat is an administrative body.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2015, held on 23 August 2015. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

Practise this paper free