Page 177 - SST Class 08
P. 177

extended to some other categories, such as Other        makes a law with which the people feel
            Backward Classes (OBC), again due to political          dissatisfied, they can vote
            reasons chiefly.                                        out the government at the
                                                                    next elections. The people
            Many     people    expressed    their   dissent   to
                                                                    of India have used this
            reservation, especially its manner. They argue that
            it is all right to give all types of educational        right time and again to
                                                                    make the political leaders
            facilities to the people of depressed classes, but it
                                                                    aware of their needs and
            is not justified to compromise with merit. For                                       A person voting on an EVM
            example, a student of general category is unable        thinking.
            to get admission to an educational institution even     Enactment and Amendment to Laws
            when he has secured 75 percent marks; on the            With time, many changes take place. These
            contrary, a student of the reserved category is able
                                                                    changes are in social, political and economic
            to secure in that very educational institution          fields. Due to them, the people start to think
            though he has secured far less marks. This              differently. There was a time when the people
            compromises merit. These people argue that a
                                                                    supported the Sati custom, but now they discard it
            doctor or engineer from the reserved category can       as inhuman. Due to this change in the society, the
            only play havoc with the lives of people, because       need for laws also changes.
            his quality will not match to the highest standards.
                                                                    With the development of science and technology,
            In 1991, the students protested against the Mandal
                                                                    the facility of ultrasound was invented. This
            Commission        which                                 facility could determine the sex of the child in the
            gave    reservation    to
                                                                    womb. Now, the people started to use this facility
            OBCs.       But     they
                                                                    to determine the sex of the child before birth, and
            expressed their dissent                                 if it was a girl-child, get it killed. Thus, this facility
            in a destructive manner.
                                                                    resulted in the crime against girl-child. It also
            They put vehicles and                                   resulted in a fewer number of girl-children being
            themselves on fire.
                                     Opposition to Mandal Commission  born. Therefore, a law was passed by which sex
            Protest against the reservation was done in a           determination test was declared unlawful.
            constructive manner in 2006 when the students
                                                                    A law which seemed suitable under a particular
            protested against the reservation of seats in IITs      condition may become unnecessary under the
            (Indian Institutes of Technology), IIMs (Indian         changed circumstances. For example, there was a
            Institutes of Management) and medical colleges.
                                                                    law to have a licence for a radio or television set
            They protested peacefully and filed a case with         in the past, but this law has been cancelled as this
            the Supreme Court. A decision is pending.
                                                                    law had become impractical in view of a large
            Election as a Method of Dissent                         number of radios and televisions with the people.
            A powerful method in the hands of common                For these reasons, the Constitution of India has
            people is the right to vote. When the government        been amended for over 90 times.






            v Rules are necessary for the smooth functioning of a country or organisation.
            v Law is that portion of established rules which are backed by the authority and power of the government.

            v All countries require the law, so does India.
            v Only making laws is not enough, there should be a mechanism to enforce laws.
            v The Constitution is the system of laws and basic principles which govern a country.
                                                                         Need for Laws and Role of the Constitution
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