The Rajasthan High Court LDC exam places a higher weight on Constitution and polity questions than RSMSSB LDC — this makes sense for a court recruitment. Writs, Fundamental Rights, key articles, Parliament structure, and emergency provisions appear in every HCRAJ LDC paper. The facts below are the ones examiners draw from most consistently.
The Constitution — Basic Facts
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Drafting Committee Chairman | Dr. B.R. Ambedkar |
| Constituent Assembly President | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Adopted | 26 November 1949 (Constitution Day) |
| Came into force | 26 January 1950 (Republic Day) |
| Original Articles | 395 |
| Current Articles | 448 (approx., after amendments) |
| Original Schedules | 8 |
| Current Schedules | 12 |
| Original Parts | 22 |
| Longest written constitution | Yes — in the world |
Preamble keywords: Sovereign, Socialist (added 1976), Secular (added 1976), Democratic, Republic — JUSTICE (Social, Economic, Political), LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY.
"Socialist" and "Secular" were added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.
The Five Writs (Articles 32 & 226)
Writs are the most important topic for HCRAJ LDC — being a court exam, questions on writs appear in every paper. There are five constitutional writs:
| Writ | Literal meaning | Purpose | Issued against |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habeas Corpus | "to have the body" | Produce a detained/arrested person before court; challenges illegal detention | Any authority detaining a person |
| Mandamus | "we command" | Order a public official, body, or court to perform a mandatory duty | Public officials, lower courts, government bodies |
| Prohibition | (prohibit) | Superior court stops a subordinate court from exceeding its jurisdiction | Subordinate courts and tribunals only |
| Certiorari | "to be certified" | Superior court calls up records of a subordinate court and quashes a wrongful order | Inferior courts and quasi-judicial bodies |
| Quo Warranto | "by what authority" | Challenges a person's right to hold a public office | Person claiming a public office |
Key distinction:
- Article 32 (Supreme Court): Issuing writs is itself a Fundamental Right — SC must issue if FR is violated. Dr. Ambedkar called Article 32 the "heart and soul of the Constitution."
- Article 226 (High Courts): High Courts have wider writ jurisdiction — they can issue writs for both Fundamental Rights violations AND any other legal right. SC writ jurisdiction is limited to FR violations.
Certiorari vs Prohibition: Prohibition is preventive (stops a court from acting); Certiorari is curative (quashes an order already made).
Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12–35)
Six Fundamental Rights:
| Right | Articles | Key provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Right to Equality | 14–18 | Equality before law (14); no discrimination on religion/race/caste/sex/place of birth (15); equal opportunity in public employment (16); abolition of untouchability (17); abolition of titles (18) |
| Right to Freedom | 19–22 | Six freedoms (19); protection from retroactive criminal laws (20); right to life and personal liberty (21); right to education (21A); protection against arbitrary arrest (22) |
| Right against Exploitation | 23–24 | No trafficking or begar (23); no child labour in hazardous work (24) |
| Right to Freedom of Religion | 25–28 | Freedom of conscience and religion |
| Cultural and Educational Rights | 29–30 | Protection of minority languages and right to establish educational institutions |
| Right to Constitutional Remedies | 32 | Right to approach Supreme Court for enforcement of FRs |
Article 19 — Six freedoms (frequently tested):
- Speech and expression
- Peaceful assembly without arms
- Form associations and unions
- Move freely throughout India
- Reside and settle anywhere in India
- Practise any profession or trade
Note: The original Article 19(1)(f) — right to property — was removed by the 44th Amendment, 1978. Property is now only a legal right under Article 300A.
Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties
Directive Principles (Part IV, Articles 36–51):
- Not justiciable — courts cannot enforce them
- But fundamental in governance
- Key articles: 39A (free legal aid), 40 (gram panchayats), 44 (Uniform Civil Code), 45 (early childhood care), 48 (cow protection), 51 (international peace)
Fundamental Duties (Part IVA, Article 51A):
- Added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976 (based on Swaran Singh Committee)
- Originally 10 duties; an 11th added by the 86th Amendment, 2002 (parents to provide education to their children)
Parliament Structure
| Chamber | Max members | Term | Presiding officer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lok Sabha | 552 (530 states + 20 UTs + 2 Anglo-Indian — now abolished) | 5 years | Speaker |
| Rajya Sabha | 250 (238 elected + 12 nominated by President) | Permanent body; members serve 6 years | Vice-President (ex-officio Chairman) |
Money Bill (Article 110): Can be introduced only in Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha can only recommend changes (within 14 days); Lok Sabha may accept or reject those recommendations.
Joint Sitting (Article 108): Convened by President; presided over by the Speaker of Lok Sabha; called when one House rejects a bill passed by the other.
Emergency Provisions
| Type | Article | Grounds | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Emergency | 352 | War, external aggression, armed rebellion | Parliament (2/3 majority + majority of total members) |
| President's Rule | 356 | Constitutional breakdown in a state | Parliament (simple majority) |
| Financial Emergency | 360 | Financial stability or credit of India threatened | Parliament (simple majority) |
National Emergency has been declared 3 times: 1962 (China war), 1971 (Pakistan war), 1975 (internal disturbance — the only controversial one).
Key Articles — Quick Reference
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| 1 | India = Bharat, Union of States |
| 14 | Equality before law and equal protection |
| 17 | Abolition of untouchability |
| 19 | Six freedoms |
| 21 | Right to life and personal liberty |
| 21A | Right to education (86th Amendment) |
| 32 | Right to constitutional remedies (SC writs) |
| 44 | Uniform Civil Code |
| 51A | Fundamental Duties |
| 72 | President's pardon power |
| 76 | Attorney General of India |
| 108 | Joint sitting of Parliament |
| 110 | Money Bill |
| 123 | President's ordinance power |
| 124 | Supreme Court of India |
| 148 | Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) |
| 161 | Governor's pardon power |
| 214 | High Courts in states |
| 226 | High Court writ jurisdiction |
| 243 | Panchayats (73rd Amendment) |
| 280 | Finance Commission |
| 324 | Election Commission of India |
| 352 | National Emergency |
| 356 | President's Rule |
| 360 | Financial Emergency |
| 368 | Constitutional amendment procedure |
Important Amendments
| Amendment | Year | Key change |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1951 | Added 9th Schedule; first 4 Articles amended |
| 42nd | 1976 | Added "Socialist" and "Secular" to Preamble; added Fundamental Duties; 10th Schedule (anti-defection) added later |
| 44th | 1978 | Right to Property removed as FR (Article 300A); restored some rights curtailed in 1976 |
| 52nd | 1985 | Anti-defection law (10th Schedule) |
| 73rd | 1992 | Panchayati Raj (Part IX, Article 243) |
| 74th | 1992 | Urban Local Bodies (Part IX-A, Article 243Q) |
| 86th | 2002 | Right to Education as FR (Article 21A); 11th Fundamental Duty |
| 101st | 2016 | Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 103rd | 2019 | 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) |
Practise Constitution and polity GK for Rajasthan High Court LDC.
→ Start HCRAJ LDC Practice on MedhaV.in