Daily Current Affairs Quiz: August 18, 2025

Statement 1 is correct: Article 14 of the Indian Constitution guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.

Statement 2 is correct: Article 19 of the Indian Constitution includes freedom of speech and expression, assembly, association or union, movement, residence, and profession.

Statement 3 is correct: Article 23 and 24 of the Indian Constitution prohibit human trafficking, forced labor, and children working under hazardous conditions.

Statement 4 is correct: Article 32 of the Indian Constitution allows individuals to move the court to enforce the Fundamental Rights against entities.

Statement 5 is incorrect: Right to Education is a part of the Right to Life under Article 21A, not Right to Freedom, and ensures free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14.

a is Incorrect: The CAG is appointed by the President, but the process for removal is not like that of judges of the Supreme Court. The CAG can only be removed on the grounds of proven misbehavior or incapacity, and this requires an address by both Houses of Parliament, supported by a special majority.

b is Correct: The CAG’s salary and service conditions are determined by Parliament and cannot be varied to the CAG’s disadvantage after the appointment, ensuring the office’s independence and protecting the holder from any interference.

c is Incorrect: The CAG’s audit reports are indeed submitted to the President (for Union accounts) or Governor (for State accounts), who then lays them before the respective House of Parliament or State Legislature. However, this statement is less about the CAG’s independence and more about the procedural aspect.

d is Incorrect: While it is true that the administrative expenses of the CAG’s office, including salaries, allowances, and pensions, are charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India and not subject to the vote of Parliament, this is more related to the financial autonomy of the office, not the independence of the CAG itself. The main emphasis here is on financial control, not on the protection of the CAG’s functions from political or executive influence.

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee Report in 1957 recommended the establishment of the scheme of ‘Democratic Decentralisation’, which finally led to the establishment of Panchayati Raj. The system was given constitutional status with the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992, not the 42nd Amendment.

The NHRC has a wide range of functions including inquiring into complaints, intervening in court proceedings, undertaking research and recommending measures for the protection of human rights, and engaging in human rights education and awareness campaigns. However, it does not have the power to directly prosecute violators of human rights. Its recommendations are advisory in nature, and it relies on other agencies, primarily the courts and the government, for enforcement and redressal.

Statement 1 is correct: Article 49 explicitly states the State’s duty to protect monuments and places declared to be of national importance by Parliament.

Statement 2 is incorrect: While Article 49 emphasizes protection, it focuses on those declared to be of national importance, not every monument or place of artistic or historic interest.  Other laws and regulations may cover broader heritage protection.

Statement 3 is correct: Article 49 indeed lists these actions as those the State must prevent concerning monuments and places of national importance.

Statement 4 is incorrect: Article 49 focuses on tangible heritage. Intangible cultural heritage, while important, is not explicitly covered under this article. Article 51A(f), a Fundamental Duty, addresses the broader preservation of cultural heritage.