← Polity Short Tricks⚡ SHORT TRICK

Salient Features of the Constitution - Short Trick

Which country gave what, federal and unitary features, Fundamental Rights, amendments, basic structure and emergencies — one sentence each

5 trick sentences0 pairs6 parts
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How to read
  • Guru Ram Each coloured word = one name in the list, shown below in the same colour
  • Panda Two colours in one word = two names
  • ➜ Order the numbered order matters · ⇄ Any order no order
1

Sources — the Big Donors

Features taken from Britain, the USA, Canada, Ireland and Australia — the first word of each sentence names the country.

Trick 1

From Britain (7)

➜ first word = country, the rest in any order

Brinda wrote Lata a single paragraph of rules about two cabbages.

  1. 1Britain (UK)source country
  2. 2Writs
  3. 3Law-making procedure
  4. 4Single citizenship
  5. 5Parliamentary government
  6. 6Rule of law
  7. 7Two-house legislature
  8. 8Cabinet system

The parliamentary form comes from Britain, but India has judicial review and a supreme Constitution — not a supreme Parliament.

Trick 2

From the USA (6)

➜ first word = country, the rest in any order

Uncle Vinod removed Indu’s funny review immediately.

  1. 1USAsource country
  2. 2Vice-President
  3. 3Removal of Supreme Court and High Court judges
  4. 4Independent judiciary
  5. 5Fundamental Rightsfrom the American Bill of Rights
  6. 6Judicial review
  7. 7Impeachment of the President
Trick 3

From Canada (4)

➜ first word = country, the rest in any order

Carol strongly advised the governor to rest.

  1. 1Canadasource country
  2. 2Federation with a strong centre
  3. 3Advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
  4. 4Governors appointed by the Centre
  5. 5Residuary powers with the Centre

“Rest” = what is left over = residuary powers. Under the 1935 Act residuary powers lay with the Governor-General.

Trick 4

From Ireland (3)

➜ first word = country, the rest in any order

Irfan dined with Ella at noon.

  1. 1Irelandsource country
  2. 2Directive Principles of State Policy
  3. 3Method of electing the President
  4. 4Nominating members to the Rajya Sabha
Trick 5

From Australia (4)

➜ first word = country, the rest in any order

Aunty joined the co-op concert by train.

  1. 1Australiasource country
  2. 2Joint sitting of the two Houses
  3. 3Co-operative federalism
  4. 4Concurrent List
  5. 5Freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse
2

Sources — Other Countries and the 1935 Act

Countries that gave one or two features, and the British act the Constitution borrowed from most.

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3

Form of the Document

Written or unwritten, rigid or flexible, why it is so long, and which amendments need half the States.

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4

System of Government — Federal and Unitary

Five federal features and five unitary features — “federal with a unitary bias”.

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5

Rights, Duties and the Big Amendments

The six Fundamental Rights in order of articles, and the four big amendments of this chapter.

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6

Basic Structure and Emergencies

The five big basic-structure cases with their years, and the three emergency articles.

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Read the full chapter for the complete notes — a trick helps you remember the list; understanding comes from the notes.