UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 83
Consider the following statements :
- According to the Constitution of India, the Central Government has a duty to protect States from internal disturbances.
- The Constitution of India exempts the States from providing legal counsel to a person being held for preventive detention.
- According to the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002, confession of the accused before the police cannot be used as evidence.
How many of the above statements are correct?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B (Only two)
Explanation: Article 355 requires the Union to protect States against internal disturbance; Article 22(3) limits ordinary counsel rights for preventive detainees; POTA admitted some police confessions.
Statement / Pair / Item-wise Analysis:
1. Correct/True - Article 355 obliges the Union to protect States against external aggression and internal disturbance.
2. Correct/True - The Article 22(1) right to consult legal counsel is expressly excluded for preventive detention by Article 22(3).
3. Incorrect/False - POTA 2002 permitted a voluntary confession before a sufficiently senior police officer as evidence subject to safeguards.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Incorrect-it counts 1, but items 1, 2 qualify, giving 2.
B. Correct-exactly 2 of the 3 listed items satisfy the condition.
C. Incorrect-it counts 3, but only 2 qualify; item(s) 3 do not.
D. Incorrect-it counts 0, but items 1, 2 qualify, giving 2.