CDS Polity · Free notes
Rights, Directive Principles and Local Government: CDS Polity
Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance has 68 past-year questions in CDS General Knowledge, from 2016 (II) to 2026 (II), and 20 of them are HARD. Most of them turn on an Article number: which Article says it, who it protects, and whether a court can enforce it. The options are built from neighbouring Articles and look-alike lists, so a duty sits beside a Directive Principle and Article 243D beside 243K. Learn the Articles in order as lists, and the questions become lookups.
The handout has every subtopic, worked example, formula and trap with answers shown. The formula sheet is the chapter’s formulas and traps alone, on one page.
Subtopic notes
Fundamental Rights
20 PYQsThe rights of Part III, Articles 12 to 30: who holds each one, against whom it can be claimed, and what each Article says.
Writs and Constitutional Remedies
7 PYQsArticle 32, the right to go to the Supreme Court when a Fundamental Right is broken, how it differs from a High Court's power under Article 226, and the five writs the courts issue.
Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties
11 PYQsPart IV (Articles 36 to 51), the goals the State must follow but no court can enforce, and Part IVA (Article 51A), the eleven duties of every citizen.
Elections and Electoral Systems
13 PYQsWho runs elections and keeps the voter lists, how parties are recognised, how constituencies are redrawn, and the two ways of turning votes into seats.
Panchayati Raj and Autonomous Councils
17 PYQsPart IX of the Constitution (Articles 243 to 243O, the 73rd Amendment): the three tiers, the Gram Sabha, reservation, panchayat elections, and the Sixth Schedule councils of the tribal areas where Part IX does not apply.
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 16 reference tables · 39 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 16 reference tables · 39 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Fundamental Rights
Reference tables (4)
Who holds the rights, and against whom5 rows
| Question | Answer | Article |
|---|---|---|
| What is the State? | Union and State governments and legislatures, and all local or other authorities | 12Q CDS 2021 (II) and 2025 (I) both asked this: the answer always includes local authorities. |
| What happens to a law that breaks a right? | It is void to that extent | 13 |
| Which rights are for citizens only? | Non-discrimination, public jobs, the six freedoms, culture, minority schools | 15, 16, 19, 29, 30Q |
| Which rights cover every person? | Equality before law, protection in criminal cases, life and liberty, religion | 14, 20, 21, 22, 23 to 28 |
| Which Articles shield some laws from Articles 14 and 19? | Land reform laws and laws for certain Directive Principles | 31A and 31CQ |
Right to Equality, Articles 14 to 186 rows
| Article | What it says | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Equality before the law and equal protection of the laws | Every personQ |
| 15 | No discrimination on religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth | Citizens |
| 15(5) | Admission quotas in aided and unaided private institutions, not minority ones | SC, ST, backward classesQ |
| 16 | Equality of opportunity in public employment | Citizens |
| 17 | Untouchability abolished; its practice is an offence | EveryoneQ CDS 2016 (II): Article 17, the 1955 Civil Rights Act and the 1989 Atrocities Act all protect the Scheduled Castes. |
| 18 | Titles abolished | Everyone |
Right to Freedom, Articles 19 to 226 rows
| Article | Protects | Holds for |
|---|---|---|
| 19(1) | Six freedoms: speech, assembly without arms, association, movement, residence, profession | CitizensQ CDS 2016 (II): the right to form associations and unions is a freedom for citizens only. |
| 19(2) | Reasonable limits on speech, including defamation, decency and incitement | CitizensQ |
| 20 | No ex post facto punishment, no double jeopardy, no self-incrimination | Every personQ |
| 21 | Life and personal liberty | Every person |
| 21A | Free and compulsory education, ages 6 to 14 (86th Amendment) | Every child |
| 22 | Rights on arrest; preventive detention | Every person |
Exploitation, religion and minorities, Articles 23 to 307 rows
| Article | Protects | Group |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | No trafficking, begar or forced labour | Against exploitation |
| 24 | No child below 14 in factories, mines or hazardous work | Against exploitation |
| 25 | Conscience; profess, practise and propagate religion | Freedom of religion |
| 26 | Denominations manage their religious affairs, within limits | Freedom of religion |
| 29 | Language, script and culture of any section of citizens | Cultural and educational |
| 30 | Minorities by religion or language run their own schools | Cultural and educational |
| 43A | Workers' participation in management of industries | Directive Principle, not a rightQ CDS 2019 (II): this was the item that is not a Fundamental Right. |
Watch out for (12)
- Equality before law is for everyone→ Who holds the rights, and against whom
- The State is more than the government→ Who holds the rights, and against whom
- 31B is wider than 31A and 31C→ Who holds the rights, and against whom
- Five grounds, not three→ Right to Equality, Articles 14 to 18
- Wells and bathing ghats are Article 15→ Right to Equality, Articles 14 to 18
- 15(5) stops at minority institutions→ Right to Equality, Articles 14 to 18
- Property left Article 19 in 1978→ Right to Freedom, Articles 19 to 22
- A free confession is not barred→ Right to Freedom, Articles 19 to 22
- 21A came with the 86th, not the 85th→ Right to Freedom, Articles 19 to 22
- Assembly must be peaceful and unarmed→ Right to Freedom, Articles 19 to 22
- Religious freedom has limits→ Exploitation, religion and minorities, Articles 23 to 30
- Only two kinds of minority in Article 30→ Exploitation, religion and minorities, Articles 23 to 30
Writs and Constitutional Remedies
Reference tables (2)
Article 32 and Article 2263 rows
| Point | Article 32 | Article 226 |
|---|---|---|
| Court | Supreme Court | High Court |
| Place in the Constitution | Part III, so it is itself a Fundamental Right | Part VI, a power of the High Courts |
| Can be used for | Fundamental Rights only | Fundamental Rights and any other legal rightQ CDS 2021 (II): 'the writ jurisdiction of High Courts is wider than the Supreme Court's' was a correct statement. |
The five writs5 rows
| Writ | Meaning | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Habeas corpus | You may have the body | Produce a detained person so the court can test the detentionQ Asked twice: CDS 2022 (I) and CDS 2026 (II). |
| Mandamus | We command | Make a public official do a public duty |
| Prohibition | To forbid | Stop a lower court from going on with a pending case |
| Certiorari | To be certified | Quash an order a lower court has already passed |
| Quo warranto | By what authority | Remove a person from a public office he holds against the lawQ CDS 2020 (II): the office must be substantive, so 'must not be substantive' is not a condition. |
Watch out for (4)
- The High Court's writ power is the wider one→ Article 32 and Article 226
- Heart and soul is Article 32→ Article 32 and Article 226
- Prohibition stops, certiorari undoes→ The five writs
- Quo warranto needs a substantive public office→ The five writs
Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties
Reference tables (2)
Directive Principles of State Policy, Part IV10 rows
| Article | Directive |
|---|---|
| 39A | Equal justice and free legal aidQ CDS 2024 (I): legal aid is a Directive Principle. |
| 40 | Organise village panchayats |
| 41 | Right to work, to education and to public assistanceQ CDS 2025 (I): the right to work is a Directive Principle only. |
| 43 | A living wage; cottage industries in rural areas |
| 43A | Workers' participation in the management of industries |
| 44 | A uniform civil code for citizens throughout India |
| 45 | Early childhood care and education below age six |
| 48A | Protect the environment, forests and wildlife |
| 50 | Separate the judiciary from the executive |
| 51 | International peace and security; just and honourable relations between nations; respect for international law; settling disputes by arbitrationQ CDS 2023 (I): UN peacekeeping forces are not mentioned in Article 51. |
Part III rights can be taken to court; Part IV directives cannot (Article 37).
Fundamental Duties, Part IVA11 rows
| Clause of 51A | Duty |
|---|---|
| (a) | Abide by the Constitution; respect its ideals, the National Flag and the National Anthem |
| (b) | Cherish the noble ideals of the freedom struggle |
| (c) | Uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India |
| (d) | Defend the country and render national service when called upon |
| (e) | Promote harmony and brotherhood; renounce practices against the dignity of women |
| (f) | Value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite cultureQ CDS 2022 (I): 'a unitary national culture' was the item that is not a duty. |
| (g) | Protect and improve the natural environment; have compassion for living creatures |
| (h) | Develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform |
| (i) | Safeguard public property and abjure violence |
| (j) | Strive towards excellence in individual and collective activity |
| (k) | Parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to a child of 6 to 14 (86th Amendment)Q |
Watch out for (6)
- The right to work is not a Fundamental Right→ Directive Principles of State Policy, Part IV
- The 86th Amendment put education among the rights→ Directive Principles of State Policy, Part IV
- Secularism is not universal→ Directive Principles of State Policy, Part IV
- Composite culture, not unitary culture→ Fundamental Duties, Part IVA
- 51 is a directive, 51A is a duty→ Fundamental Duties, Part IVA
- The education duty came last→ Fundamental Duties, Part IVA
Elections and Electoral Systems
Reference tables (4)
The Election Commission, voters and electoral rolls8 rows
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Article 324 | Election Commission controls electoral rolls and the conduct of elections |
| Article 325 | One general electoral roll per constituency, no exclusion by religion, race, caste or sex |
| Article 326 | Adult suffrage at 18 |
| Article 329 | An election can be challenged only by an election petition |
| cVIGIL | App to report breaches of the Model Code of ConductQ |
| EPIC | Photo identity cards for voters, from 1993Q |
| VVPAT | Voter Verifiable Paper Audit TrailQ |
| Overseas elector | Indian citizen, on the roll at the passport address, votes in personQ |
Recognition of political parties4 rows
| Category | How a party gets there |
|---|---|
| National party | State party in 4 States, or 6% votes in 4 States and 4 Lok Sabha seats, or 2% of Lok Sabha seats from 3 States |
| State party | Meets the vote or seat test in one State |
| Registered unrecognised party | Registered with the Commission but not yet recognised |
| Regional party | Not a category at allQ CDS 2020 (II): 'Regional Parties' was the item that is not a classified category. |
Delimitation of constituencies5 rows
| Exercise | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|
| First Delimitation Commission | 1952 | Under the Delimitation Commission Act of 1952 |
| Second | 1963 | After the 1961 census |
| Third | 1973 | After the 1971 census |
| Fourth | 2002 | Based on the 2001 census |
| Assam | 2023 | On the 2001 census; ST Assembly seats raised from 16 to 19Q CDS 2026 (II): the ST seats did go up, so only the 2001 census statement was correct. |
First past the post and proportional representation4 rows
| Point | First past the post | Proportional representation |
|---|---|---|
| Members per constituency | One | Can be more than one |
| Seats and votes | A party may win more or fewer seats than its vote share | Seats follow the vote share |
| Voter chooses | A candidate | Often a party list |
| Used in India for | Lok Sabha, State Assemblies | President, Vice-President, Rajya Sabha, Legislative CouncilsQ CDS 2022 (II): the President is elected by proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. |
Watch out for (6)
- The Model Code starts at the announcement→ The Election Commission, voters and electoral rolls
- Overseas voters must be present→ The Election Commission, voters and electoral rolls
- Regional is not a legal status→ Recognition of political parties
- The Election Commission does not make delimitation law→ Delimitation of constituencies
- The President is not elected by first past the post→ First past the post and proportional representation
- India uses both systems→ First past the post and proportional representation
Panchayati Raj and Autonomous Councils
Reference tables (4)
Part IX: tiers, Gram Sabha and powers11 rows
| Article | Provision |
|---|---|
| 243A | Gram Sabha |
| 243B | Constitution of panchayats: three tiers |
| 243C | Composition of panchayats |
| 243D | Reservation of seats |
| 243E | Duration of panchayats |
| 243F | Disqualifications for membership |
| 243G | Powers and responsibilities; Eleventh ScheduleQ |
| 243H | Power to impose taxes |
| 243I | State Finance Commission |
| 243K | Elections to the panchayats; State Election CommissionQ CDS 2026 (I): '243D: Election to the Panchayats' was the wrong pair. 243D is reservation; elections are 243K. |
| 243M | Areas where Part IX does not apply |
Reservation in panchayats, Article 243D4 rows
| Group | Rule |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes | Seats in proportion to their population in the panchayat area |
| Women | Not less than one-third of all seatsQ CDS 2021 (II): women's reservation is Article 243D, not 243B, 243C or 243E. |
| Backward classes | Optional: the State may provide it |
| Reserved seats | Rotate among constituencies |
Panchayat elections and the State Election Commission7 rows
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who runs the polls and the rolls | The State Election Commission (Article 243K)Q CDS 2026 (II): he is appointed by the Governor, not on the advice of the Chief Election Commissioner. |
| Who appoints the State Election Commissioner | The Governor |
| Who makes the election law | The State LegislatureQ |
| Term | Five years from the date fixed for the first meeting |
| After early dissolution | Election within six months; the new body serves the rest of the term |
| Minimum age | 21 years |
| School qualification for candidates | Rajasthan and Haryana, 2015Q |
Watch out for (11)
- Three tiers are not compulsory everywhere→ Part IX: tiers, Gram Sabha and powers
- Panchayats can tax→ Part IX: tiers, Gram Sabha and powers
- The Eleventh Schedule is State to panchayat→ Part IX: tiers, Gram Sabha and powers
- SC and ST seats follow population→ Reservation in panchayats, Article 243D
- One-third is the minimum→ Reservation in panchayats, Article 243D
- The State Election Commission is not the ECI→ Panchayat elections and the State Election Commission
- 21, not 25→ Panchayat elections and the State Election Commission
- Parliament does not make panchayat election law→ Panchayat elections and the State Election Commission
- Council audit is by the CAG→ Where Part IX does not apply: the Sixth Schedule councils
- The Governor, not the President, controls council acts→ Where Part IX does not apply: the Sixth Schedule councils
- Assam and Tripura are not exempt→ Where Part IX does not apply: the Sixth Schedule councils
PYQ weightage by concept
16 concepts · 68 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
PYQ weightage by concept
16 concepts · 68 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
Fundamental Rights20 PYQs · 29%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds the rights, and against whom | 7 | 10% |
| Right to Freedom, Articles 19 to 22 | 6 | 9% |
| Right to Equality, Articles 14 to 18 | 5 | 7% |
| Exploitation, religion and minorities, Articles 23 to 30 | 2 | 3% |
Writs and Constitutional Remedies7 PYQs · 10%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The five writs | 4 | 6% |
| Article 32 and Article 226 | 3 | 4% |
Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties11 PYQs · 16%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Directive Principles of State Policy, Part IV | 6 | 9% |
| Fundamental Duties, Part IVA | 5 | 7% |
Elections and Electoral Systems13 PYQs · 19%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The Election Commission, voters and electoral rolls | 6 | 9% |
| First past the post and proportional representation | 3 | 4% |
| Recognition of political parties | 2 | 3% |
| Delimitation of constituencies | 2 | 3% |
Panchayati Raj and Autonomous Councils17 PYQs · 25%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Part IX: tiers, Gram Sabha and powers | 5 | 7% |
| Panchayat elections and the State Election Commission | 5 | 7% |
| Where Part IX does not apply: the Sixth Schedule councils | 4 | 6% |
| Reservation in panchayats, Article 243D | 3 | 4% |
Test yourself on Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.