UPSC Previous Year Question | Prelims GS | 2023

Consider the following statements: 1. According to the Constitution of India, the Central Government has a duty to protect States from internal disturbances. 2. The Constitution of India exempts the States from providing legal counsel to a person being held for preventive detention. 3. 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?

  1. Only one
  2. Only two
  3. All three
  4. None

Answer

Correct Answer

Only two

Explanation

Article 355 obligates the Union to protect States against external aggression and internal disturbance (statement 1 true), and the Constitution (Article 22) exempts States from providing legal counsel in cases of preventive detention (statement 2 true). However, under POTA, 2002, a confession made before a police officer of a certain rank could be used as evidence (unlike under normal Indian Evidence Act rules), so statement 3 is incorrect.

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