NCERT Class 8 Political Science Chapter 4: Understanding Laws YouTube Lecture Handouts
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NCERT Class 8 Political Science Chapter 4: Understanding Laws
Applicability
Laws on age of marriage, voting rights, buying and selling property
Do Laws Apply to All?
- Hiding a criminal case (violation of law - punishment)
- There should be no arbitrary exercise of power in independent India
- All people are equal before law
- Law cannot discriminate based on gender, caste, religion
- No one can be above the law β no govt. official, no wealthy person and not even president
- Ancient India β Overlapping local laws β punishment varied based on caste (low caste were penalized)
- Colonial period β scenario changed & British introduced rule of law β colonial laws were arbitrary and Indians played a key role in legal sphere
Example of Arbitrary British Law
- Sedition Act of 1870: Any person protesting or criticizing the British government could be arrested without due trial
- Rowlatt Act, 1919: Allowed the British government to imprison people without due trial - Dr Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew were arrested β To protest it meeting at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar β General Dyer firing
- Indian nationalist protested and criticized β fought for equality
- End of 19th century β Indian legal professions in courts & Indian judges were seen
- After Constitution β new laws are passed and existing ones are revised (new laws on pollution and employment)
- Hindu Succession Amendment Act 2005: Sons, daughters and their mothers can get an equal share of family property
How New Laws Are Formed?
- Parliament makes the laws
- Parliament is sensitive to the problems faced by the people
- Domestic violence - injury or harm or threat of injury or harm caused by an adult male, usually the husband, against his wife β can be physical or emotional
- Abuse β social, economic or sexual
- Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005: Extends βdomesticβ to include all women who βlive or have lived together in a shared householdβ with the male member who is perpetrating the violence β includes monetary relief to meet expense and medical cost
- Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill drafted in 1999 & introduced in 2002, new bill reintroduced in 2005 and named Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act which came into effect in 2006
- From need of law to being passed β voice of citizen is important β conveyed by TV, editorials, newspapers, broadcast and local meetings
Unpopular and Controversial Laws
- Sometimes law is passed, constitutionally valid and legal but becomes unpopular
- People criticize it, hold meetings and demonstrations, write about and express their unwillingness about it β if the mass movement gathers there is pressure on Parliament to change it
- For example, municipal laws on use of space within municipal limits should be illegal for hawking and street vending β open space is good for public but hawkers bring in cheap services to market β people who want to modify or cancel it can move to court
- Role of citizens β elect representatives, use media, involvement and enthusiasm of people help the Parliament to function properly.
β Mayank