LAKSHMIKANTH ESSENTIAL READING LIST - PRELIMS 2018
IMP - The topics outlined in this list must have to be read under all circumstances for the Prelims 2018.
While studying the portions covered so far, keep the following in mind -
1. Refer to the ground rules discussed at the beginning of Lecture 4
2. Study President and Governor Simultaneously
3. Study Parliament and State Legislatures Simultaneously
4. Study Centre State Relations and Emergency thereafter
5. Study Supreme Court and High Court together
Feel free to get in touch in case of any doubts/queries.
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Atish
Chapter Title Headings Sub Headings Tables (If any) Remarks
No.
2 Making of the Enactment of the Constitution
Constitution
Enforcement of the Constitution
Criticism of the Constituent Assembly
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LAKSHMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (AS PER FIFTH EDITION)
3 Salient Features Salient Features of the Constitution 3. Blend of Rigidity and Table 3.3 - Schedules of
of the Flexibility
the Constitution at a
Constitution 4. Federal System with Glance
Unitary Balance
5. Parliamentary Form of Table 3.4 - Sources of the
Government
Constitution at a Glance
6.Synthesis of Parliamentary
Sovereignty and Judicial
Supremacy
7. Integrated and
Independent Judiciary
16. Three Tier Government
Criticism of the Constitution All Sub Headings (1-6)
4 Preamble Text of the Preamble No need to memorise
Key Words in the Preamble 2. Socialist
Remember the words that
3. Secular
were added by 42nd C.A -
4. Democratic
1976 - Socialist, Secular,
5. Republic Integrity
Preamble as Part of the Constitution Only FINAL Status
Amendability of the Preamble
5 Union and its Union of States (Full)
Territory
Parliament’s Power to Reorganise
States (Full)
6 Citizenship Meaning and Significance (Full)
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Citizenship Act, 1955 Acquisition
Recent Amendments -
1. Birth (Current Status - 2016 -
Since 2004)
2. Descent ( (Current Status http://www.prsindia.org/
- Since 2004)
uploads/media/Citizenship/
3. Registration (Only read Bill%20Summary%20Citizen
once)
ship%20%28Amendment%
4. Naturalisation (Only read 29%20Bill,%202016.pdf
once)
2015 -
http://www.prsindia.org/
uploads/media/Citizenship/
Bill%20Summary-
%20Citizenship%20(A)
%202015.pdf
Loss of Citizenship (Full)
Single Citizenship (Full)
7 Fundamental Features (Full) Table 7.1 At a Glance
Rights
Definition of State (Full)
Laws Inconsistent with Fundamental
Rights (Full)
Right to Equality -
1. Equality Before Law and Equal
Protection of Laws
2. Rule of Law
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Right to Freedom
1. Protection of 6 Rights (Full)
https://thewire.in/170988/
2. Protection in Respect of right-to-privacy-supreme-
Conviction for Offences
court-2/
3. Protection of Life and Liberty
4. Right to Education
5. Protection Against Arrest and
Detention (ONLY till first Column
7.12)
Right to Constitutional Remedies (Full)
WRITS (Type and Scope) Full
Criticism of the Fundamental Rights
8 Directive Features
Table 8.1
Principles of
State Policy
Criticism
Utility
Conflict
9 Fundamental List NOT TO BE MEMORISED -
Duties Use Simple Technique - If
you implement it, it is FD, if
State implements it, it is
DPSP.
FDs will ALWAYS have a
personal adjective attached.
Criticism
10 Amendment of Procedure
the Constitution
Types
Criticism
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11 Basic Structure Elements
of the
Constitution
12 Parliamentary FULL CHAPTER Table 12.1
System
13 Federal System FULL CHAPTER Table 13.1
14 Centre - State Legislative 1. Territorial Extent (Full)
Relations 2. Distribution of Legislative
Subjects (Full)
Administrative Relations 1. Distribution of Exec
Powers (Full)
2. Cooperation between
Centre and States
3. All India Services
4. Extra Constitutional
Devices
Financial Powers Allocation of Taxing Power
Sarkaria and Punchi Commission READ ONCE only
15 Inter State Inter State Water Disputes (Full)
Relations
16 Emergency Effects of National Emergency (Full) Table 16.1 - V.IMP
Provisions
Scope of Judicial Review (Full)
Effects of Financial Emergency (Full)
17 President Qualifications, Oath, and Conditions Qualifications Formula not required
Conditions
Term, Impeachment, and Vacancy Impeachment Only refer to grounds and
majority required
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Vacancy
Powers and Functions Executive
Legislative
Financial
Judicial
Veto Power of the President (Full)
Presidential Veto Over State Table 17.2
Legislation (Full)
Ordinance Making Power (Full)
Pardoning Power (Full)
18 Vice President Election
Powers and Functions
Comparison with US V.P.
19 Prime Minister Relationship with the President
20 Central Council Responsibility of Ministers Table 20.1 (Imp)
of Ministers
21 Cabinet Functions of Cabinet Committees
Committees
22 Parliament Organisation - Full
Composition - Full
System of Elections to LS Territorial Constituencies
Reservation of Seats for SCs
and OBCs
Duration of the Two Houses - Full
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Membership Qualifications
Presiding Officers - Full
Leaders in Parliament - Full
Sessions - (except voting in the Table 22.1
house)
Rights of Ministers and Attorney
Generals - Full
Devices Question Hour
Zero Hour
Adjournment Motion
Privilege Motion
No Confidence Table 22.2
Censure
Motion of Thanks
Legislative Procedure Table 22.3 No need to memorise stages
Money Bills - Full Table 22.4 - V.IMP
Financial Bills Just read it once
Joint Sitting - Full
Budget in Parliament - Full
Funds - Full Consolidated Fund of India
Public Account of India
Contingency Fund of India
Parliamentary Privileges - Full
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23 Parliamentary Public Accounts
Committees
Estimates
Departmental Standing
Privileges
Public Undertaking
24 Parliamentary Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Forums
25 Parliamentary Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Group
26 Supreme Court FULL CHAPTER
27-29 CAN BE FULLY IGNORED
30 Governor Conditions of Governors Office Tables 30.1, 30.2, 30.3 -
V.IMP
Executive Powers
Legislative Powers
Judicial
Constitutional Position - Imp
31 Chief Minister Can be avoided as a whole chapter
32 State Council of Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Ministers
33 State Composition - Full
Legislatures
Qualifications, Oath, and Conditions
Comparative Review Table 33.1 ONLY
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34 High Court Organisation of High Court Judges - Appointment
Qualifications
Tenure
Removal Just the Majority required
Jurisdiction and Powers of High Court Writ Jurisdiction
Court of Record
35 Subordinate Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Courts
36 J&K Special Present Relationship Just read it once
Status
Features Just read it once
37 Special Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Provisions for
Some States
38 Panchayati Raj 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 Significance
Salient Features (Till Finance
Commission)
Compulsory and Voluntary Provisions All Sub Headings A and B
PESA Act of 1996 All Sub Headings
39 Municipalities 74th Amendment Act, 1992 Salient Features (Till Finance
Commission)
Types of Urban Governments Municipal Corporation
Municipality
40 Union Territories Can be avoided as a whole chapter
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41 Scheduled and Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Tribal Areas
42 Election FULL CHAPTER
Commission
43 UPSC FULL CHAPTER
44 SPSC Can be avoided as a whole chapter
45 Finance FULL CHAPTER
Commission
46 National FULL CHAPTER
Commission for
SCs
47 National FULL CHAPTER
Commission for
STs
48 Special Officer FULL CHAPTER
for Linguistic
Minorities
49 CAG FULL CHAPTER
50 Attorney General FULL CHAPTER
51 Advocate FULL CHAPTER
General
52 Niti Aayog Composition - Full
Specialised Wings
53 NHRC Composition - Full
Functions
Working of the Commission
54 SHRC Can be avoided as a whole chapter
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55 CIC FULL CHAPTER
56 SIC Can be avoided as a whole chapter
57 CVC Composition - Full
Functions
58 CBI Can be avoided as a whole chapter
59 Lokpal and Features
Lokayukts
Lokayukts Appointment
Qualifications
Tenure
60 Cooperative Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Societies
61 Official Language of the Union Last Para
Language
Language of the Judiciary Full
62 Public Services Can be avoided as a whole chapter
63 Tribunals Can be avoided as a whole chapter
64 Rights and Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Liabilities of the
Government
65 Authoritative Text Can be avoided as a whole chapter
of the
Constitution in
Hindi Language
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LAKSHMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (AS PER FIFTH EDITION)
66 Special Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Provisions
relating to
Certain Classes
67-75 CAN BE FULLY IGNORED
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