KSLU Constitutional Law II Past Questions & Exam Topics
KSLU Constitutional Law II Past Questions & Exam Topics
To crack the KSLU exam for Constitutional Law II, analyzing past trends is crucial. Below is a unit-wise breakdown of theory and problem questions compiled from KSLU semester papers.
How to read the map:
- ⭐⭐⭐ : Asked 5+ times — Must Cover
- ⭐⭐ : Asked 3–4 times — High Priority
- ⭐ : Asked 1–2 times
[16M]/[10M]: Essay marks[6M]/[SN]: Short notes / brief topics[Prob]: Solved problem fact patterns
📅 Unit 1 — Federal System, Centre–State Relations, Trade & Commerce, Official Language & Local Self-Government
Topic-wise Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Federal System & Organisation of the State | [16M] “The Indian Constitution is federal in form but unitary in spirit — discuss”; [16M] is the Constitution federal? scheme of distribution of legislative powers (Centre/State) ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 1.2 | Centre–State Relations — legislative, administrative & financial | [16M] explain legislative, administrative and financial relations between Centre and States; [SN] doctrine of pith and substance; doctrine of repugnancy ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 1.3 | Freedom of Trade, Commerce & Intercourse (Arts. 301–307) | [16M] constitutional provisions on freedom of inter-State trade, commerce and intercourse ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 1.4 | Co-operative Federalism | [SN] co-operative federalism ⭐⭐ |
| 1.5 | Official Language | [SN] official language ⭐ |
| 1.6 | Local Self-Government (73rd & 74th Amendments) | [16M] salient features of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (Panchayati Raj & Municipalities) ⭐⭐ |
| 1.7 | J&K (Art. 370) & Special Provisions (Arts. 371-A to 371-J) | [SN] Article 370; special provisions for specific States ⭐ |
Application Problems (all papers)
| Year(s) (paper) | Problem summary (neutral labels, with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| recurring | A State levies a lower sales tax on goods manufactured within the State than on like goods imported from other States; trader challenges it. (decoy: a tax that merely burdens trade is not automatically void — discriminatory taxation under Art. 304(a) is the test) | Freedom of inter-State trade & commerce (Arts. 301–304) |
| recurring | A municipality levies octroi on entry of goods into its limits; trader challenges it as violating Art. 301. (decoy: compensatory/regulatory levies fall outside the Art. 301 bar) | Compensatory tax vs restriction on trade (Art. 301) |
| recurring | The Union levies an import duty on goods imported by a State for governmental use; the State pleads immunity from Central taxation. (decoy: Art. 289 immunity does not extend to Union customs/import duties) | Inter-governmental tax immunity (Arts. 285, 289) |
| Dec 2018, June 2025 | A State reserves the office of Chairman of Municipalities for SC/ST elected women and 50% of local-body seats for women; challenged under Art. 14. (decoy: Art. 243-D/243-T expressly permit such reservation — not hit by Art. 14) | Reservation in local bodies (73rd/74th Amendments) |
| Jun 2019 | A Presidential order requires administrative-training to be conducted only in Hindi; a writ challenges it. (decoy: official-language provisions do not authorise displacing safeguards for non-Hindi speakers) | Official language (Arts. 343–351) |
| occasional | A State reserves 10% of professional-college seats for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region; “X” challenges the reservation. (decoy: Art. 371-J special provision validates region-based reservation) | Special provisions for specific areas (Art. 371-J) |
📅 Unit 2 — The Executive (President & Governor), Parliament & State Legislature, Council of Ministers
Topic-wise Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | The President — powers & functions; real or nominal executive | [16M] powers and functions of the President; is he a real or nominal executive? ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2.2 | The Governor — constitutional position, powers & functions | [16M] position, powers and functions of the Governor of a State ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2.3 | Parliament — composition, powers & bicameralism | [16M] composition, powers and functions of Parliament; discuss bicameralism ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2.4 | Ordinance-making power (Arts. 123 & 213) | [SN] ordinance-making power ⭐⭐ |
| 2.5 | Pardoning power (Arts. 72 & 161) | [SN] pardoning power of the President / Governor ⭐⭐ |
| 2.6 | Money Bill (Art. 110) & legislative procedure | [SN] money bill; the legislative procedure ⭐⭐ |
| 2.7 | Council of Ministers — collective responsibility; position of PM & CM | [16M] collective responsibility and the position of the Prime Minister / Chief Minister; [SN] Council of Ministers ⭐⭐ |
Application Problems (all papers)
| Year(s) (paper) | Problem summary (neutral labels, with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| recurring | The President dissolves the Lok Sabha, but the Prime Minister continues in office with the Ministry; a citizen challenges the continuance on the ground that the PM has ceased to be a member of Parliament. (decoy: a Minister may sit for six months without a seat — Art. 75(5); a caretaker PM after dissolution is valid) | Council of Ministers & continuance after dissolution (Arts. 75, 85) |
| recurring | The Governor grants a pardon to a person convicted of an offence; the validity of the pardon is challenged. (decoy: the pardoning power is real but is exercised on ministerial advice and is judicially reviewable on limited grounds) | Pardoning power of the Governor (Art. 161) |
📅 Unit 3 — The Speaker, Anti-Defection Law & The Judiciary
Topic-wise Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | The Speaker — powers, functions & privileges | [16M] powers and functions of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha / Legislative Assembly; [SN] privileges of the Speaker; Speaker as Money-Bill certifier ⭐⭐ |
| 3.2 | Anti-Defection Law (Tenth Schedule) | [16M] explain the Anti-Defection Law under the Tenth Schedule; role of the Speaker; [SN] grounds of disqualification on defection ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3.3 | The Judiciary — appointment, powers, jurisdiction & transfer of judges | [16M] independence of the judiciary; appointment and transfer of judges; [16M] composition and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (original, appellate, advisory); [SN] independence of the judiciary; the collegium system ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3.4 | Writs (incl. Prohibition) | [SN] writ of prohibition ⭐⭐ |
Application Problems (all papers)
| Year(s) (paper) | Problem summary (neutral labels, with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| recurring | A person is arrested under a warrant issued by the Speaker for an alleged breach of privilege, but the privilege breached is not specified; the spouse files habeas corpus. (decoy: legislative privilege is wide, but a warrant that is “general” / unspecified is examinable by the court) | Legislative privileges vs habeas corpus (Arts. 105/194, 226) |
| recurring | A High Court judge whose judgments displease the Government is transferred to a distant High Court, apparently as punishment; the transfer is challenged. (decoy: transfer is permissible in “public interest” but a punitive transfer offends judicial independence — limited judicial review) | Transfer of judges & judicial independence (Art. 222) |
| Nov 2022, June 2025 | The President appoints Supreme Court judges without consulting the Chief Justice of India; does this violate the Constitution? (decoy: post-Second/Third Judges cases, “consultation” with the CJI/collegium is binding — non-consultation is unconstitutional) | Appointment of judges / collegium (Arts. 124, 217) |
📅 Unit 4 — Subordinate Judiciary, Administrative Tribunals, Services (Art. 311), Election Commission & State Liability
Topic-wise Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Subordinate Judiciary | [16M] constitutional provisions on the subordinate judiciary and independence of the district judiciary ⭐⭐ |
| 4.2 | Administrative Tribunals (Arts. 323-A & 323-B) | [16M]/[SN] administrative tribunals under Arts. 323-A and 323-B ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.3 | Services & Art. 311 — constitutional safeguards for civil servants | [16M] constitutional protections to civil servants under Art. 311; available to temporary servants?; [SN] doctrine of pleasure ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.4 | Public Service Commission (Union & State) | [16M] composition and functions of the Union/State PSC; [SN] Public Service Commission ⭐⭐ |
| 4.5 | Election Commission | [16M] composition, powers and functions of the Election Commission; [SN] independence of the Election Commission ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.6 | State Liability in Tort (Art. 300) | [16M] tortious liability of the State with reference to decided cases ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.7 | State Liability in Contract (Art. 299) | [16M] contractual liability of the State under Art. 299 ⭐⭐ |
Application Problems (all papers)
| Year(s) (paper) | Problem summary (neutral labels, with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| recurring | A person’s property — gold seized by police on suspicion of theft — is lost in police custody; the claim for damages against the State is rejected; what remedy lies? (decoy: the old sovereign-function immunity of Kasturilal — distinguish later expansion of State liability) | Tortious liability of the State (Art. 300) |
| recurring | A government servant appointed to officiate in a higher post is reverted / dismissed without an inquiry; he challenges it under Art. 311. (decoy: reversion of an officiating servant is ordinarily not a “reduction in rank” — but punitive reversion attracts Art. 311(2)) | Safeguards under Art. 311(2) |
| recurring | A State servant is compulsorily retired and contends it amounts to removal from service attracting Art. 311. (decoy: compulsory retirement on attaining age / in public interest is not “removal” and does not attract Art. 311) | Compulsory retirement vs removal (Art. 311) |
| Aug 2024 | A temporary employee of the Central Railway is wrongly terminated and approaches the Central Administrative Tribunal; does CAT have jurisdiction? (decoy: CAT jurisdiction covers service matters of railway employees — termination disputes are within it) | Jurisdiction of administrative tribunals (Art. 323-A) |
📅 Unit 5 — Emergency Provisions, Constitutional Interpretation, Amendment & Basic Structure, Schedules
Topic-wise Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Emergency Provisions — kinds & effects | [16M] kinds of Emergency and their effect on the federal structure and fundamental rights; [16M] effect of a National Emergency on Fundamental Rights (Arts. 358 & 359) ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5.2 | President’s Rule (Art. 356) & judicial control | [16M] “failure of constitutional machinery”; President’s Rule under Art. 356 and its judicial control ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5.3 | Financial Emergency (Art. 360) | [SN] financial emergency ⭐ |
| 5.4 | Constitutional Interpretation — doctrines | [16M] rules / doctrines of constitutional interpretation; [SN] pith and substance; harmonious construction; severability ⭐⭐ |
| 5.5 | Amendment of the Constitution (Art. 368) & Basic Structure | [16M] power of Parliament to amend under Art. 368; Basic Structure doctrine with decided cases; [16M] “Parliament cannot amend the basic structure — discuss”; [SN] doctrine of basic structure ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5.6 | The Schedules | [SN] the Schedules to the Constitution ⭐ |
| 5.7 | Review of the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) | [SN]/[16M] the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution ⭐⭐ |
Application Problems (all papers)
| Year(s) (paper) | Problem summary (neutral labels, with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| recurring | On the Governor’s recommendation, President’s Rule is imposed and the Ministry dismissed without giving the Chief Minister an opportunity to prove majority on the floor; the CM challenges it. (decoy: post-Bommai, majority must be tested on the floor of the House, not at the Governor’s subjective satisfaction; the proclamation is justiciable) | President’s Rule & judicial review (Art. 356) |
| recurring | The President proclaims an emergency under Art. 352 to operate only in a single border State; its validity is questioned. (decoy: after the 42nd/44th Amendments a National Emergency may be confined to a part of the territory — limited operation is valid) | National Emergency — territorial extent (Art. 352) |
| Jun 2019 | Due to communal riots, the Council of Ministers advises the Governor to dissolve the Assembly and hold fresh elections, but the Election Commission refuses to hold elections and recommends President’s Rule. (decoy: the EC’s satisfaction on conditions for free elections is its own constitutional domain; the advice does not bind it) | Interplay of Art. 356 and the Election Commission’s powers |
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