Free Topic-Wise General Studies MCQs
This quiz analyzes Article 13 and the A.K. Gopalan case. Understand the judicial principle where unconstitutional provisions of a statute are separated and struck down without voiding the entire act.
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Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct because Article 13(1) incorporates the Doctrine of Severability, ensuring that pre-constitutional laws are not wiped out entirely but only to the extent of their inconsistency with Fundamental Rights. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Severability applies to both pre-constitutional and post-constitutional laws, meaning courts strike down only the offending parts rather than the entire enactment if the remainder is functionally independent. Statement 3 is incorrect because the distinction between void and voidable statutes is a product of judicial interpretation by the Supreme Court (notably in cases like Keshavan Madhava Menon v. State of Bombay), not a definition provided by the General Clauses Act of 1897.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the doctrine of severability, rooted in Article 13, aims to save valid legislative provisions by separating them from unconstitutional ones if they are independent and distinct. Statement 2 is correct because Chief Justice H.J. Kania led the six-judge bench that delivered the landmark judgment on May 19, 1950. Statement 3 is correct because the Court struck down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, for violating Article 22(5) while maintaining the validity of the remainder of the Act.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability prohibits the judiciary from rewriting or filling in gaps in a statute; it only permits the removal of invalid portions while preserving the remainder if they are functionally independent. Statement 2 is incorrect as the doctrine of pith and substance is a tool for determining the legislative competence of a law under the Seventh Schedule, whereas severability concerns the validity of specific provisions; they are distinct legal principles, not subsets of one another. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Minerva Mills case (1980) struck down specific clauses of the 42nd Amendment based on the 'basic structure' doctrine, but it did not grant the legislature the power to excise individual clauses from constitutional amendments, nor does severability apply to the basic structure of the Constitution.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because prospective overruling was introduced to avoid reopening past transactions, not as a substitute for severability. Statement 2 is incorrect as Article 254 deals with the repugnancy between Union and State laws, whereas the Doctrine of Severability is a judicial principle derived from Article 13 to save valid parts of a statute. Statement 3 is incorrect because the judiciary cannot strike down individual articles of the Constitution under the Basic Structure doctrine; it can only invalidate constitutional amendments that violate the essential features of the Constitution.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the doctrine mandates that if valid and invalid provisions are inextricably intertwined, the entire statute must be struck down. Statement 2 is correct because the 1954 R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla case established the 'legislative intent' test, determining if the legislature would have passed the law without the offending portion. Statement 3 is correct because, in the 1951 A.K. Gopalan case, the Supreme Court invoked the doctrine to declare Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act unconstitutional while upholding the validity of the remaining Act.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in Kihoto Hollohan (1992) struck down paragraph 7 of the Tenth Schedule for lacking the required ratification under Article 368(2), while upholding the validity of the rest of the Act. Statement 2 is correct because Article 254(1) enables the doctrine of severability by allowing the invalidation of only the repugnant portion of a state law, leaving the remainder operative if it is distinct. Statement 3 is correct because the landmark R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla v. Union of India (1957) case established that the legislature's intent is the fundamental test to determine if the valid parts of a statute can survive independently after the invalid portions are severed.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct because Article 13(1) explicitly mandates that pre-constitutional laws are void only to the extent of their inconsistency with Part III, forming the constitutional basis for severability. Statement 1 is incorrect because the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973) established the 'Basic Structure Doctrine,' not the doctrine of severability, and it did not invalidate the 24th Amendment. Statement 3 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a judicial principle developed by courts (notably in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras) rather than a mechanism explicitly introduced by the Government of India Act 1935.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Severability is a judicial creation derived from Article 13, not the 42nd Amendment, which actually sought to restrict judicial review. Statement 2 is correct as Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the basis for severing the invalid parts. Statement 3 is correct because, in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950), the Supreme Court struck down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act for violating Article 14 while upholding the rest of the Act by applying the doctrine of severability.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan (1950) declared Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act unconstitutional for violating Article 22(5) while severing it to preserve the rest of the Act. Statement 2 is correct because Article 13(1) explicitly mandates that pre-constitutional laws are void only to the extent of their inconsistency with Part III, forming the constitutional basis for the doctrine. Statement 3 is correct as the R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla (1957) judgment established the 'test of legislative intent,' determining whether the valid and invalid parts are so inextricably bound that the legislature would not have enacted the law without the invalid portion.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the Doctrine of Severability ensures that only the unconstitutional portion of a statute is declared void, preserving the remainder if it is functionally independent. Statement 2 is correct because Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the basis for both severability and the doctrine of eclipse. Statement 3 is incorrect because the doctrine is a judicial creation derived from constitutional interpretation under Article 13, not a provision of the General Clauses Act of 1897.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct because the Supreme Court in Deep Chand v. State of Uttar Pradesh (1959) held that post-constitutional laws violating fundamental rights are void ab initio and cannot be 'eclipsed' by a subsequent constitutional amendment. Statement 1 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Eclipse applies primarily to pre-constitutional laws (Article 13(1)), and the Kesavananda Bharati case dealt with the Basic Structure doctrine, not the expansion of the Eclipse doctrine. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Severability (Article 13) allows courts to strike down only the unconstitutional parts of a statute while upholding the remainder, and it has no connection to the President or the Law Commission for repealing statutes.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Doctrine of Severability (Article 13) allows courts to strike down only the unconstitutional portion of a statute if it is separable from the valid part. Statement 2 is correct because the Bhikaji Narain Dhakras case established that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are not dead but merely 'eclipsed' and become enforceable upon the removal of the constitutional hurdle. Statement 3 is correct because Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Part III are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, meaning they remain valid for pre-constitutional acts and revive if the restriction is lifted.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. All three statements are incorrect because the doctrine of severability is derived from Article 13(2) and was notably applied in A.K. Gopalan (1950), not Golaknath (1967), which dealt with the amendability of the Constitution. Furthermore, the power to sever invalid provisions applies to all forms of delegated legislation, including executive notifications, and is not restricted to parliamentary acts. Finally, the doctrine of eclipse, established in Bhikaji Narain Dhakras (1955), relates to pre-constitutional laws being rendered unenforceable rather than being a mechanism for proportionality-based striking down of delegated legislation.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan (1950) struck down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act while upholding the rest of the Act using the doctrine of severability. Statement 3 is correct because Article 13(1) and 13(2) mandate that laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the constitutional basis for severability. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Severability is a principle of statutory interpretation long predating 1973, and the Kesavananda Bharati case is famous for the 'Basic Structure' doctrine, not for introducing severability to the Preamble.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the landmark R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla v. Union of India (1957) established that if the valid and invalid parts of a statute are distinct and independent, the valid part can be sustained. Statement 2 is correct because the 'test of severability' hinges on the legislative intent, determining whether the legislature would have passed the law had it known the invalid portion would be struck down. Statement 3 is correct as the Supreme Court in Commissioner of Income Tax v. Ahmedabad Rana Caste Association (1983) applied the doctrine to uphold the validity of tax provisions by separating the taxable income of an association from its exempt charitable receipts.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. All three statements are incorrect because the doctrine of severability is primarily a judicial principle derived from Article 13(2) of the Constitution, not Article 368. Statement 1 is false as Minerva Mills dealt with constitutional amendments and judicial review, not the prospective overruling of delegated legislation. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Shankari Prasad case (1951) focused on the amendability of Fundamental Rights, whereas the doctrine of severability in Indian law was famously established in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950). Statement 3 is wrong because Article 368 pertains to the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution, and severability is a tool used by courts under Article 13 to preserve the valid portions of a statute, not a constitutional protection for delegated legislation.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan (1950) upheld the validity of the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, while striking down only a specific provision. Statement 3 is correct because Article 13(1) mandates that laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the basis of the Doctrine of Severability. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Court struck down Section 14 of the Act (not Section 21) for violating Article 22, and it notably held that Article 19 did not apply to preventive detention, rejecting the argument that such laws must satisfy the reasonableness test of Article 19.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. All three statements are correct. In State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara (1951), the Supreme Court upheld the Bombay Prohibition Act while striking down only those specific provisions that infringed upon fundamental rights, demonstrating the application of the doctrine. The R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla v. Union of India (1957) case established the 'legislative intent' test, which mandates that if the valid and invalid parts of a law are so intertwined that they form a single scheme, the entire statute must be struck down to preserve the legislature's true purpose.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Doctrine of Severability ensures that if an invalid part of a law is distinct and separable, the remaining valid portion is upheld to preserve legislative intent. Statement 2 is correct because, in State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara (1951), the Supreme Court upheld the Bombay Prohibition Act by severing only those specific provisions that unconstitutionally encroached upon the Union's power to regulate imports. Statement 3 is correct as the Doctrine of Pith and Substance mandates that if the 'true nature and character' of a law falls within a legislature's competence, incidental encroachment into another list does not render the law ultra vires.
Explanation: Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) applied the doctrine of severability to strike down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, while upholding the rest of the Act. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is rooted in Article 13 and was applied by the Supreme Court long before the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case, which established the Basic Structure doctrine. Statement 2 is incorrect because the doctrine of eclipse applies to pre-constitutional laws that become inconsistent with fundamental rights, rendering them 'eclipsed' and unenforceable, but they are not 'revived' by the 1950 enactment of Part III; rather, they remain dormant until the constitutional inconsistency is removed.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the doctrine mandates that only the repugnant portion of a statute is struck down, unless the valid and invalid parts are inseparable, rendering the whole act void. Statement 2 is correct because the 'test of severability' focuses on legislative intent, evaluating if the legislature would have passed the law without the unconstitutional component. Statement 3 is correct as the 1954 R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla case clarified that the doctrine applies to both pre-constitutional laws (under Article 13(1)) and post-constitutional laws (under Article 13(2)), ensuring that the entire statute is not invalidated due to a minor unconstitutional provision.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as the doctrine of severability, rooted in the principle of 'ut res magis valeat quam pereat', allows courts to uphold the constitutional parts of a statute by excising only the offending provisions. Statement 3 is correct because Article 13(1) explicitly declares pre-constitutional laws void only to the extent of their inconsistency with Fundamental Rights, providing the statutory foundation for severability. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of eclipse applies to pre-constitutional laws (making them dormant rather than permanently invalid) and is distinct from the doctrine of severability, and the basic structure doctrine was only established in the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case, not the 1950 Gopalan judgment.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability mandates that only the inconsistent part of a statute is declared void, not the entire act. Statement 2 is incorrect as the doctrine of eclipse and the doctrine of severability are distinct legal principles; the former renders a pre-constitutional law inoperative rather than void, allowing it to be 'revived' by a constitutional amendment, whereas severability involves cutting away the offending portion. Statement 3 is incorrect because Section 6 of the General Clauses Act deals with the effect of repeal and does not provide the legal basis for severability, which is instead derived from the judicial interpretation of Article 13 itself.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as the doctrine of severability (Article 13) ensures that only the unconstitutional portion of a statute is struck down, provided the remaining part is functionally independent. Statement 3 is correct because in State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara (1951), the Supreme Court severed specific invalid provisions of the Bombay Prohibition Act while upholding the rest of the legislation. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is primarily rooted in Article 13(1) for pre-constitutional laws, and the Golaknath case (1967) is famously associated with the prospective overruling of the power of Parliament to amend Fundamental Rights, not the retrospective application of severability to 1935 Act statutes.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan (1950) struck down only Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, while upholding the rest of the Act. Statement 3 is correct because the R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla (1957) judgment established the 'test of severability,' determining if the legislature would have enacted the valid parts independently. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Indra Sawhney (1992) case did not use the doctrine of severability to retain reservation policies; rather, it upheld the 27% OBC reservation while striking down the 10% reservation for economically weaker sections as unconstitutional at that time.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because Article 13(2) applies to post-constitutional laws, whereas pre-constitutional laws are governed by Article 13(1). Statement 2 is incorrect as the doctrine of severability applies to legislative enactments, not private contracts, and the Behram case primarily clarified that laws violating fundamental rights are not nullities but merely unenforceable against citizens. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Eclipse applies only to pre-constitutional laws (Article 13(1)), while post-constitutional laws that violate fundamental rights are void-ab-initio and cannot be revived by the removal of a constitutional barrier.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability (Article 13) allows the court to strike down only the unconstitutional portion of a statute, not to rewrite or amend it. Statement 2 is incorrect as the Golaknath case dealt with the prospective overruling of the power to amend Fundamental Rights, not the severability of the Ninth Schedule. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Kesavananda Bharati judgment upheld the validity of the 24th Amendment while establishing the Basic Structure doctrine, rather than excising clauses through severability.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as the doctrine of severability, affirmed in A.K. Gopalan (1950), allows courts to strike down only the unconstitutional parts of a law if they are separable from the valid portions. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of eclipse applies to pre-constitutional laws (making them dormant rather than void ab initio), whereas post-constitutional laws that violate fundamental rights are void ab initio under Article 13(2). Statement 3 is incorrect because the Supreme Court in Behram Khurshed Pesikaka (1955) clarified that while the doctrine of severability applies to both, the doctrine of eclipse is restricted to pre-constitutional laws, and post-constitutional laws infringing on fundamental rights are considered void from their inception.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a principle of statutory interpretation derived from Article 13, not a component of the Basic Structure doctrine established in the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case. Statement 2 is correct as it reflects the judicial practice of upholding the constitutional portion of a statute if it remains functional and independent after the invalid part is removed. Statement 3 is correct because courts apply the 'test of severability' to ensure that if the remaining provisions cannot stand alone or if the legislative intent is fundamentally altered, the entire Act must be struck down.
Explanation: Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is correct because Article 13 mandates that laws inconsistent with fundamental rights are void to the extent of such inconsistency, a principle applied to both pre-constitutional (Art 13(1)) and post-constitutional (Art 13(2)) laws, notably affirmed in cases like A.K. Gopalan and Kesavananda Bharati. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability applies to domestic statutes under Article 13, not international treaties, which are governed by different principles of international law and executive treaty-making power. Statement 2 is incorrect because the doctrine is a judicial tool used by courts to preserve the valid parts of a statute, not an executive power to amend or notify the removal of sections, and no such 1973 amendment exists.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because Section 15 of the General Clauses Act, 1897, deals with the construction of references to re-enacted provisions, not the automatic revival of rules upon a statute being declared unconstitutional. Statement 2 is incorrect as the executive cannot unilaterally excise invalid portions of subordinate legislation; the doctrine of severability is a judicial tool applied by courts under Article 13 to determine if the valid portion can survive independently. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Indra Sawhney judgment (1992) dealt with the constitutional validity of reservations under Article 16(4) and did not establish a general rule allowing the executive to selectively excise clauses of reservation policies while preserving preambles.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as the Supreme Court in State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara (1951) affirmed that the doctrine of severability applies to both pre- and post-constitutional laws to ensure only the offending portions are struck down. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine is a judicial creation derived from constitutional interpretation, not the General Clauses Act of 1897. Statement 3 is incorrect because it reverses the constitutional provisions: Article 13(1) deals with pre-constitutional laws (void to the extent of inconsistency with Fundamental Rights), while Article 13(2) prohibits the state from making laws that abridge Fundamental Rights post-commencement.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability was first articulated by the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) regarding the Preventive Detention Act, but it was not incorporated into the Ninth Schedule; the Ninth Schedule was introduced by the 1st Amendment Act of 1951. Statement 2 is incorrect because while the principle of severability has roots in the Government of India Act 1935, the doctrine as applied to post-constitutional laws under Article 13(2) is a judicial innovation of the Supreme Court, not a colonial transition mechanism. Statement 3 is incorrect because Article 13(2) explicitly prohibits the state from making any law that takes away or abridges fundamental rights, and the President has no constitutional authority under Article 372 to validate partially unconstitutional laws enacted by the legislature.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the basis of the doctrine. Statement 3 is correct because in A.K. Gopalan (1950), the Supreme Court struck down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act as unconstitutional while upholding the validity of the remaining provisions. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a judicial principle of statutory interpretation derived from Article 13, not an amendment to Article 368, and the Shankari Prasad case (1951) dealt with the validity of constitutional amendments, not the limitation of judicial review over penal laws via severability.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. All three statements are correct because the A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) case famously applied the Doctrine of Severability, which dictates that if a statute's invalid provisions are inseparable from the valid ones, the entire law must be struck down. The petitioner, A.K. Gopalan, challenged his detention under the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, arguing it infringed upon his fundamental rights under Articles 19, 21, and 22, though the Court ultimately upheld the Act while severing only Section 14. Consequently, the Doctrine of Severability functions as a vital rule of statutory construction, ensuring that the judiciary preserves the constitutional validity of a law by isolating and invalidating only the unconstitutional portions.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of eclipse applies to pre-constitutional laws that become inconsistent with fundamental rights, not post-constitutional laws. Statement 2 is incorrect as the Golaknath case (1967) focused on the amendability of fundamental rights under Article 368 rather than the doctrine of severability. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Berubari Union case (1960) dealt with the procedure for ceding territory via Article 368, not the application of the severability doctrine to separate executive and legislative powers.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the 1957 R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla case established that the legislature's intention is the primary test to determine if valid provisions can survive the excision of invalid ones. Statement 2 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability does not apply to constitutional amendments; the Supreme Court's 'Basic Structure' doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati case) is used instead, which does not permit the severing of amendments that violate the Constitution's core identity. Statement 3 is incorrect because the 'pith and substance' doctrine is used to determine the legislative competence of a law regarding subject matter, whereas the doctrine of severability is used to salvage valid parts of a statute that contains unconstitutional provisions.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, establishing the legal foundation for severability. Statement 1 is incorrect because while the R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla case (1957) affirmed the doctrine, the Supreme Court clarified that the principle of severability applies differently to pre-constitutional and post-constitutional laws based on the specific language of Articles 13(1) and 13(2). Statement 3 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a judicial principle derived from Article 13, and it was never incorporated into Article 368 by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct because the Doctrine of Severability, notably applied in A.K. Gopalan (1950), allows courts to separate the valid parts of a law from the unconstitutional ones, provided the remainder remains functional. Statement 1 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Eclipse applies to pre-constitutional laws (Bhikhaji Narain Dhiras v. State of M.P., 1955), not post-constitutional ones, and it does not apply to violations of Article 14 in the manner described. Statement 3 is incorrect because the doctrine is not derived from the 1935 Act, and it does not nullify the entire enactment for violating Directive Principles, as these are non-justiciable.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan (1950) applied the doctrine of severability to invalidate only Section 14 while upholding the rest of the Preventive Detention Act. Statement 2 is correct because Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Part III are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the constitutional basis for severability. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Pith and Substance is a judicial interpretation evolved by courts to resolve legislative conflicts under the Seventh Schedule, not a codified provision of the Government of India Act 1935, and it does not grant the Union an automatic override power over the State List.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct as the doctrine of severability, often applied in cases like A.K. Gopalan (1950), mandates that if valid and invalid provisions are inextricably linked, the entire statute fails. Statement 1 is incorrect because the 'pith and substance' doctrine is used to determine the true nature of legislation under the Seventh Schedule, not to sever legislative entries themselves. Statement 3 is incorrect because while Kesavananda Bharati (1973) established the Basic Structure doctrine, it does not provide for the severance of constitutional amendments based on the 1950 preamble text, as the preamble is an integral part of the Constitution subject to amendment under Article 368.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan (1950) struck down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act for violating Article 22(5) while upholding the rest of the Act. Statement 2 is correct because Article 13(1) explicitly states that pre-constitutional laws are void only 'to the extent of such inconsistency,' providing the textual basis for the doctrine. Statement 3 is correct because the R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla (1957) judgment established the 'legislative intent' test, determining if the valid and invalid parts are so inextricably bound that the legislature would not have enacted the law without the invalid portion.
Explanation: Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is correct as the Doctrine of Severability, rooted in Article 13(1), empowers courts to strike down only the unconstitutional portion of a statute if it is separable from the valid parts, ensuring the remainder survives. Statement 1 is incorrect because the GST Council is a recommendatory body under Article 279A, and the Union cannot unilaterally strike down state-level exemptions. Statement 2 is incorrect because Section 298 of the Income Tax Act deals with the power to remove difficulties in giving effect to the Act, not the automatic invalidation of clauses based on Directive Principles.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. All three statements are incorrect because the 24th Amendment (1971) was enacted to nullify the Golaknath judgment by asserting Parliament's power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, via Article 368. Statement 1 is false as the Kesavananda Bharati case established the 'Basic Structure' doctrine, which limits, rather than removes, the amending power. Statement 2 is false because the 25th Amendment primarily prioritized certain Directive Principles over Articles 14, 19, and 31, not the doctrine of severability. Statement 3 is false because the 24th Amendment explicitly added Article 13(4), stating that nothing in Article 13 shall apply to any amendment made under Article 368, thereby insulating amendments from judicial review based on Fundamental Rights, not defining the scope of severability.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. The doctrine of severability, rooted in Article 13, allows courts to strike down only the unconstitutional portions of a law if they are separable from the valid parts, a principle extended to delegated legislation to preserve the parent Act's intent. Statement 2 is correct as it reflects the administrative law application where courts excise ultra vires clauses to maintain the regulation's core objective. Statement 3 is correct because the 1954 R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla case established the 'test of severability,' emphasizing that if the valid and invalid parts are so intertwined that they form a single integrated scheme, the entire provision must fail.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Part III are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the basis of the Doctrine of Severability. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Eclipse and the Doctrine of Severability are distinct legal principles; the former applies to laws that become unenforceable due to a constitutional 'shadow' but are not necessarily 'severed' or void ab initio. Statement 3 is incorrect because Article 254 deals with the 'Doctrine of Repugnancy,' which determines the priority of central laws over state laws, and it does not inherently provide for severability in the manner described.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as Article 13 mandates that laws inconsistent with Part III are void only to the extent of such inconsistency, forming the basis of severability. Statement 2 is correct because, in A.K. Gopalan (1950), the Court struck down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act while upholding the rest of the statute. Statement 3 is correct as the R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla (1957) judgment established the 'test of severability,' which determines if the legislature would have enacted the valid portion independently had it known the rest was invalid.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. All three statements are factually incorrect: the doctrine of severability, as established in A.K. Gopalan and R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla cases, does not rely on a fifty percent threshold, nor is it limited to tax laws. The Maneka Gandhi case (1978) fundamentally expanded the scope of Article 21 regarding 'procedure established by law' and due process, but it did not grant the judiciary the power to rewrite administrative tax collection procedures. Furthermore, the 1922 Indian Income Tax Act contained no such severability clause, as the judiciary is constitutionally prohibited from rewriting legislation or usurping the legislature's power to set tax brackets.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. All three statements are incorrect because the 24th Constitutional Amendment (1971) was enacted to nullify the Golaknath judgment by asserting Parliament's power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, under Article 368. The amendment did not introduce the doctrine of severability; rather, it explicitly added Article 13(4) and 368(3) to state that Article 13 does not apply to constitutional amendments, thereby attempting to insulate them from judicial review. The doctrine of severability is a judicial principle originating from Article 13(1) and (2) to invalidate only the unconstitutional parts of a statute, whereas the 24th Amendment sought to exclude constitutional amendments from the scope of judicial scrutiny entirely, which was later countered by the Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973) via the Basic Structure doctrine.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 2 is correct because the 24th Amendment (1971) was enacted to nullify the Golaknath judgment, explicitly affirming Parliament's power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, thus bypassing the restrictions that previously necessitated the doctrine of severability in that context. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a tool for judicial review of ordinary legislation under Article 13, not a mechanism for the judiciary to validate the procedural compliance of constitutional amendments under Article 368. Statement 3 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability was never incorporated into the Preamble, and the Preamble itself was amended by the 42nd Amendment (1976), not the 24th, to include the terms 'socialist' and 'secular'.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla (1957) judgment established the 'intention of the legislature' test, determining if valid and invalid parts are so inextricably bound that they cannot be separated. Statement 2 is correct because the doctrine of severability remains a judicial tool under Article 13 to preserve the constitutionality of statutes, and no amendment has stripped courts of this power to excise unconstitutional portions of penal laws. Statement 3 is incorrect because the Kesavananda Bharati (1973) judgment established the 'Basic Structure Doctrine' to protect the Constitution from amendments, and it explicitly prohibits the excision or abrogation of fundamental rights that form the core of this structure, rather than allowing their partial removal.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as the Doctrine of Severability (Article 13) allows courts to strike down only the unconstitutional portion of a law while preserving the rest, provided the valid parts are independent and functional. Statement 2 is incorrect because the power of judicial review over constitutional amendments is derived from the basic structure doctrine established in Kesavananda Bharati (1973), not the 42nd Amendment, which actually sought to curtail judicial power. Statement 3 is incorrect because the doctrine was formally established by the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950), not through the 1935 Act or the 1948 Bombay Prohibition Act case.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 1 is correct as Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights are void only to the extent of their inconsistency, preserving the remainder. Statement 3 is correct because the 1957 (not 1954) RMDC v. Union of India case established the principles for severability, determining whether a statute's valid and invalid parts can be separated. Statement 2 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a principle of statutory interpretation derived from Article 13, not a component of the Basic Structure doctrine, which was established to limit the Parliament's amending power under Article 368.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Supreme Court in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) applied the doctrine of severability to strike down Section 14 of the Preventive Detention Act while upholding the rest of the statute. Statement 2 is correct because Article 13(1) mandates that pre-constitutional laws are void only to the extent of their inconsistency with Fundamental Rights, rather than declaring the entire statute void ab initio. Statement 3 is correct as it accurately defines the 'test of severability,' which requires courts to determine if the valid and invalid parts are so intertwined that the legislature would not have enacted the law without the offending provision.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a judicial principle derived from Article 13 itself, not the 42nd Amendment, which actually sought to curtail judicial review. Statement 2 is correct as it accurately defines the doctrine, which ensures that only the unconstitutional parts of a law are struck down, provided they are separable from the valid parts. Statement 3 is correct because the Supreme Court in R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla (1957) clarified that the principle of severability applies to both pre-constitutional and post-constitutional laws to ensure the survival of the valid portions of a statute.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the Doctrine of Severability (Article 13) dictates that only the unconstitutional portion of a statute is struck down, not the entire act, and it is not derived from Marbury v. Madison. Statement 2 is correct as the Privy Council in Prafulla Kumar Mukherjee v. Bank of Commerce Ltd (1947) established that if a law in 'pith and substance' falls within the competence of the legislature, it is valid even if it incidentally encroaches on matters in another list. Statement 3 is correct because this doctrine is a judicial tool used to determine the true nature of legislation when there is an overlap or conflict between the legislative lists in the Seventh Schedule.
Explanation: Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability was first applied in the A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950) case, not Shankari Prasad, and it is a judicial principle derived from Article 13 rather than a codification under the 1st Amendment. Statement 2 is correct as the 'pith and substance' doctrine helps courts determine if the legislature would have enacted the valid portion of a law even without the invalid part, which is central to severability. Statement 3 is correct because in R.M.D. Chamarbaugwalla v. Union of India (1957), Justice S.R. Das established that the primary test for severability is whether the legislature would have passed the act had it known the invalid portion would be struck down.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability applies to ordinary laws, whereas constitutional amendments are governed by the 'Basic Structure' doctrine established in Kesavananda Bharati (1973), which can invalidate an entire amendment if it violates the Constitution's core identity. Statement 2 is incorrect as the test of severability, famously articulated in A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras (1950), focuses on whether the valid portion of a statute remains enforceable and meaningful without the invalid part, rather than relying on the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the 1951 Act. Statement 3 is incorrect because Article 13(2) acts as a limitation on the legislature, not the executive, and the doctrine of severability is a judicial tool for post-enactment review, not a mechanism for the President to selectively veto portions of a bill under Article 111.
Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Statement 2 is incorrect. Statement 3 is incorrect. Statement 1 is incorrect because the doctrine of severability is a judicial principle derived from Article 13, not a creation of the First Amendment, and courts routinely declare statutes partially invalid to preserve the remainder. Statement 2 is incorrect as the doctrine of pith and substance is used to resolve legislative conflicts under the Seventh Schedule, whereas the doctrine of severability determines whether the valid parts of a law can survive the invalid ones. Statement 3 is incorrect because, while Deep Chand v. State of Uttar Pradesh (1959) established that post-constitutional laws are void ab initio, the Supreme Court held that the doctrine of eclipse does not apply to them, unlike pre-constitutional laws, though severability remains applicable to both.
Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is correct. Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is correct as the Doctrine of Severability applies equally to delegated legislation and primary statutes to ensure constitutional compliance. Statement 2 is correct because the Supreme Court in AK Gopalan (1950, not 1963) established that if the valid portion of a law is functionally independent and the legislative intent remains intact, it can be saved from being struck down in its entirety. Statement 3 is correct as the 'test of severability' focuses on whether the legislature would have enacted the remaining valid provisions had they known the invalid parts were unconstitutional, a principle consistently upheld in Indian jurisprudence.