All the punishable offences under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 are
- (a)Cognizable and Triable Summarily
- (b)Cognizable and Non-compoundable
- (c)Non-Cognizable and Bailable
- (d)Non-Cognizable and Compoundable
This is a grace question — the commission's key accepts A or B (both credited). The subject is the nature of offences under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955. Section 15 of the Act declares that every offence punishable under it is cognizable (the police may register and investigate without a prior warrant or court order) and, where the prescribed punishment allows, triable summarily; the Act's offences are also non-compoundable (they cannot be privately settled or withdrawn). So both A — 'Cognizable and Triable Summarily' — and B — 'Cognizable and Non-compoundable' — state true attributes of these offences, and marks were given for either. The common, decisive point is that the offences are cognizable, which is why the two 'Non-Cognizable' options are wrong.
- (c)Non-Cognizable and Bailable — Wrong on the first count — the offences are cognizable (the police can act on their own), not non-cognizable.
- (d)Non-Cognizable and Compoundable — Wrong on both counts — the offences are cognizable (not non-cognizable) and non-compoundable (they cannot be compounded).
The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 (originally the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955, renamed in 1976) enforces Article 17 of the Constitution, which abolishes untouchability. To make enforcement effective, Section 15 makes every offence under the Act cognizable and — where the punishment permits — triable summarily, and non-compoundable, so the police can act on their own initiative and the matter cannot be quietly compromised.
Both accepted options pair 'Cognizable' with a second true attribute (summary trial in A, non-compoundable in B), while the wrong options both begin with 'Non-Cognizable'. Fix the anchor 'cognizable + triable summarily + non-compoundable' and you eliminate C and D at once.
- The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 enforces Article 17 (abolition of untouchability)
- Section 15: every offence under the Act is cognizable
- The offences are triable summarily (where the punishment permits) and non-compoundable
- The Act was formerly the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955 (renamed in 1976)
- Picking a 'Non-Cognizable' option — the offences under the Act are cognizable
- Assuming untouchability offences can be compounded — they are non-compoundable
Asked as 'offences under the PCR Act are __'. Anchor the trio: cognizable + triable summarily + non-compoundable.
Which one of the following categories of Fundamental Rights incorporates protection against untouchability as a form of discrimination?
- (a) Right against Exploitation
- (b) Right to Freedom
- (c) Right to Constitutional Remedies
- (d) Right to Equality
Answer(d) Right to Equality
The constitutional root of this Act — untouchability is abolished by Article 17 within the Right to Equality, and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 is the penal law that enforces it.
Which Article of the Indian Constitution abolishes untouchability?
- (a) Article 14
- (b) Article 15
- (c) Article 17
- (d) Article 19
Answer(c) Article 17
The same theme — Article 17 abolishes untouchability, and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 is the statute that punishes its practice.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 gives effect to which Article of the Constitution?
- (a)Article 14
- (b)Article 15
- (c)Article 17
- (d)Article 21
Answer(c) Article 17 — the abolition of untouchability.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Offences under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 are:
- (a)non-cognizable and compoundable
- (b)cognizable and non-compoundable
- (c)bailable and compoundable
- (d)non-cognizable and bailable
Answer(b) cognizable and non-compoundable.