1. Working of the Constitution

• (a) 25%
• (b) 30%
• (c) 40%
• ✓ (d) 50%

Answer: In Maharashtra 50% seats are reserved for women in local self-governing institutions.

• (a) Right to Information Act
• ✓ (b) Dowry Prohibition Act
• (c) Food Security Act
• (d) None of the above

Answer: The Dowry Prohibition Act created a favourable environment for women to secure freedom and self-development.

• (a) universal adult franchise.
• ✓ (b) decentralisation of power.
• (c) policy of reservation of seats.
• (d) judicial decisions.

Answer: The essence of democracy is decentralisation of power.

Answer: True

• The Indian Constitution cancelled all restrictive provisions from the pre-independence period and guaranteed adult suffrage by giving the right to vote equally to both men and women above the age of 21.
• Later, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 years, giving the young generation an opportunity to participate in the political process early.
• This massive inclusion ensures that India has the largest number of voters compared to any other democratic nation, making it the largest democracy in the world.

Answer: False

Reason: The Right to Information has made the government more transparent and has reduced secrecy in its working.

Answer: True

• The Constitution is dynamic, not a rigid, unchangeable text.
• It has to change according to changing social, economic, and political conditions, and the Parliament holds the power to make these necessary amendments.
• Since it actively adapts to society's evolving needs while keeping its basic framework intact, the Constitution functions effectively as a living document.

• In the decades following independence, progress toward democratization considered citizens primarily as 'beneficiaries' of welfare and development.
• After the year 2000, this approach underwent a fundamental change. Democratic reforms and development are now considered as the 'rights' of the citizens.
• Under this new approach, citizens do not depend on the mercy of the government but can demand development as their fundamental right.
• Accordingly, citizens in India have received the Right to Information, the Right to Education, and the Right to Food Security, which have collectively strengthened democracy.

• Citizen empowerment is an essential condition of democracy. Empowering citizens requires open communication and interaction between the people and the government.
• To build this trust and create opportunities for participation, the Government of India granted the Right to Information (RTI) to its citizens in 2005.
• The RTI empowers citizens to ask questions and demand information about the functioning of government departments.
• This act has drastically reduced secrecy in the working of the government and made its functioning more transparent, accountable, and open.

• In our country, women have historically had inadequate representation in politics and representative institutions.
• Data from the Lok Sabha elections shows that in 1951-52, there were only 22 women MPs (4.50%). Although this gradually increased to 66 women MPs (12.15%) by 2014, the proportion remains critically low compared to the female population.
• Low visibility of women in public life means their issues might not be prioritized. If family structures, social surroundings, and the political sphere become more open, women can actively participate in decision-making processes.
• To correct this imbalance, specific policies like reserving 33% (and now 50% in several states including Maharashtra) of seats in local self-governing institutions have been implemented to boost women's representation in the political process.

The effects of reducing the voting age from 21 to 18 years were both quantitative and qualitative:

• Increased Political Participation: It gave an early opportunity for the young generation in India to actively participate in the political process.
• Expansion of the Voter Base: It significantly increased the total number of voters, solidifying India's position as the largest democracy in the world with the highest number of voters.
• Emergence of New Political Parties: The change brought a qualitative shift, as new political parties began emerging with the active support of young voters, directly representing the expectations and aspirations of the youth.

Establishing social justice means working towards a society based on equality and fairness. It involves:

• Removing those social conditions and practices that are responsible for injustice and insisting on equality of dignity for all individuals.
• Ending discrimination based on caste, religion, language, gender, place of birth, race, or property.
• Providing equal opportunities for development and progress to every individual in society.
• Implementing protective policies like the reservation of seats for deprived sections to bring all marginalized sections of society into the mainstream.

The Judiciary has played a crucial role in safeguarding the rights of women. Key judicial interventions and supported legislative acts include:

• Giving judgments that strictly protect the honour, dignity, and individual freedom of women against exploitation.
• Taking firm stands to reject traditional forms of male domination and authoritarianism within family structures.
• Enforcing laws such as the Domestic Violence Prohibition Act, the Dowry Prohibition Act, and acts against sexual harassment, which create a favourable environment for securing women's development and expanding the scope of Indian democracy.