RAS question
The 7th Constitutional Amendment Act (1956) was related to:
Correct answer: (A) States Reorganisation.
The 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 was related to the reorganisation of Indian states and Union territories.
Explanation
The 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 implemented the States Reorganisation scheme. The official Statement of Objects and Reasons says the Constitution needed numerous amendments to implement States reorganisation from 1 October 1956. The scheme involved establishing new states, altering the area and boundaries of existing states, abolishing the old Part A, Part B and Part C categories, and classifying certain areas as Union territories. The amendment gave constitutional effect to the States Reorganisation Commission's recommendations, reorganised states largely on a linguistic basis, and produced a structure of 14 states and 6 Union Territories.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Emergency provisions are not the subject of the 7th Amendment; later changes in that area are linked to the 42nd and 44th Amendments.
- (C) Abolition of untouchability was already provided for in Article 17, while the 7th Amendment dealt with the territorial and constitutional restructuring of states.
- (D) Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Amendment, not by the 7th Amendment's States Reorganisation changes.
Concept
This tests constitutional amendments connected with Centre-state structure, especially how the map and categories of Indian states changed after independence. It recurs in RAS because state reorganisation links polity, federalism and Rajasthan's place in the Union.