Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements with reference to Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities:
In the Constitution, there is a provision for the post of Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities for every State.
A new Article 350 B was added for this by the 9th Constitution Amendment Act.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Only 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Only 1
Both 1 and 2
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is incorrect. Article 350B of the Constitution does not provide for a separate Special Officer for every State. It provides for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities to be appointed by the President.
The principal duty of this Special Officer is to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the Constitution and report to the President at such intervals as the President may direct. The President causes these reports to be laid before each House of Parliament and sent to the Governments of the States concerned.
Thus, the constitutional jurisdiction of the office relates to linguistic minorities throughout India; the Constitution does not provide a separate Special Officer for each State.
Statement 2 is also incorrect. Article 350B was not inserted by the Ninth Constitutional Amendment; it was inserted by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956. The same amendment inserted Articles 350A and 350B, which came into effect on 1 November 1956.
The office of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities was subsequently established in July 1957. The arrangement developed after State Reorganisation to oversee constitutional safeguards available to linguistic minorities.
For examination purposes, the distinction between Articles 350A and 350B is important—Article 350A concerns adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage for children belonging to linguistic minority groups, whereas Article 350B concerns the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities.