LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

LAXMIKANTH ESSENTIAL READING LIST - PRELIMS 2020

The list has been curated on the basis of the NEW edition (6th Edition). If you are using an older edition, there is
absolutely nothing to worry about, you do not have to purchase the new edition as the new edition does not have any
substantial upgrade as such. You may match the chapters and study correspondingly from the older edition itself. If
you are not using Laxmikant, then also you can match the topics from which source you are reading Polity from.

IMP - The topics outlined in this list must have to be read under all circumstances for the Prelims 2020.

While studying the portions covered so far, keep the following in mind -

1. Refer to the ground rules of Polity discussed at the start of the lecture on Local Self Government.

2. Study President followed by Governor

3. Study Parliament followed by State Legislatures

4. Study Centre State Relations followed by Emergency thereafter

5. Study Supreme Court followed by High Courts

Feel free to get in touch in case of any doubts/queries.

Given the volume of emails, I’ve created a Telegram Channel (just click on this link - t.me/csepaper2atish) for Updates/
Doubts/Must Read Articles/Quizzes/Discussions/General UPSC Queries.

Good Luck,

Atish

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Chapter Title Headings Sub Headings Tables (If any) Remarks

No.

2 Making of the Committees of the Constituent Drafting Committee Names of all members of the
Constitution Assembly Drafting Committee

Enactment of the Constitution

Enforcement of the Constitution Article numbers do not have

to be memorised

Criticism of the Constituent Assembly

Important Facts Only the first four points

3 Salient Features Salient Features of the Constitution 2, Drawn from various Table 3.3 - Schedules of Specific contents of the
of the sources
the Constitution at a Schedules do not need to be
Constitution 3. Blend of Rigidity and Glance
memorised, knowing what
Flexibility
the schedules are broadly for
4. Federal System with Table 3.4 - Sources of the is enough.
Unitary Balance
Constitution at a Glance
5. Parliamentary Form of
Government

6.Synthesis of Parliamentary
Sovereignty and Judicial
Supremacy

7. Integrated and
Independent Judiciary

12. Universal Adult Franchise

16. Three Tier Government

4 Preamble Text of the Preamble No need to memorise, just a

few readings is enough

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Key Words in the Preamble 2. Socialist

Remember the words that
3. Secular
were added by 42nd C.A -
4. Democratic
1976 - Socialist, Secular,
5. Republic 
 Integrity
6. Justice

8. Equality

9. Fraternity

Preamble as Part of the Constitution Keshavanda Bharti’s opinion

must be known.
Amendability of the Preamble

5 Union and its Union of States (Full)

None of the committees
Territory mentioned in this chapter
needs to be done.
Parliament’s Power to Reorganise
States (Full)

6 Citizenship Meaning and Significance (Full) Table 6.1: Comparing CAA: https://prsindia.org/
NRI,PIO, and OCI (Only node/843781/chapters-at-a-
the following headings glance

under this table -

1. Who? 7. What NPR: https://

benefits? 8. Visa www.thehindu.com/news/
Requirement? 10. national/what-connects-the-
What activities can be npr-nric-and-census/
undertaken? article30368465.ece

NRC: https://
www.indiatoday.in/india/
story/what-is-nrc-all-you-
need-to-know-about-
national-register-of-
citizens-1629195-2019-12-1
8

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Citizenship Act, 1955 Acquisition

CAA + NRC: https://
1. Birth (Current Status - indianexpress.com/article/
Since 2004)
explained/explained-
2. Descent ( (Current Status citizenship-amendment-act-
- Since 2004)
nrc-caa-means-6180033/

3. Registration (Only read

once)
CAA + NRC + NPR: https://
4. Naturalisation (Only read www.indiatoday.in/news-
once) analysis/story/caa-npr-nrc-
confusion-connection-
explained-
india-1631534-2019-12-26

Loss of Citizenship (Full)

Single Citizenship (Full)

7 Fundamental Features (Full) Table 7.1 and 7.2 at a

Rights Glance

Definition of State (Full)

Laws Inconsistent with Fundamental

Rights (Full)

Right to Equality -

1. Equality Before Law and Equal

Protection of Laws

2. Rule of Law

Right to Freedom

1. Protection of 6 Rights (Full)

https://thewire.in/170988/
2. Protection in Respect of right-to-privacy-supreme-
Conviction for Offences
court-2/
3. Protection of Life and Liberty

4. Right to Education

5. Protection Against Arrest and

Detention (ONLY till first Column
7.12)

Right to Constitutional Remedies (Full)

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

WRITS (Type and Scope) Full

8 Directive Features
Table 8.1
Principles of
State Policy

New Directive Principles

Criticism

Utility

Conflict

9 Fundamental List NOT TO BE MEMORISED -

Duties Use Simple Technique - If
you implement it, it is FD, if
State implements it, it is
DPSP.

FDs will ALWAYS have a

personal adjective attached.

Criticism

10 Amendment of Procedure
the Constitution

Types

11 Basic Structure Elements Table 11.1: just a glance No need to memorise

of the is needed specific cases mentioned in
Constitution Table 11.1

12 Parliamentary FULL CHAPTER Table 12.1

System

13 Federal System FULL CHAPTER Table 13.1

14 Centre - State Legislative 1. Territorial Extent (Full)

Relations 2. Distribution of Legislative

Subjects (Full)

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Administrative Relations 1. Distribution of Exec

Powers (Full)

2. Cooperation between
Centre and States

3. All India Services

4. Extra Constitutional
Devices

Financial Powers Allocation of Taxing Power

GST Council

Sarkaria and Punchi Commission READ ONCE only

15 Inter State Inter State Water Disputes (Full)

Relations

Inter State Councils Composition and Core

Functions only
Zonal Councils

16 Emergency Effects of National Emergency (Full) Table 16.1 - V.IMP

Provisions

Scope of Judicial Review (Full)

Effects of Financial Emergency (Full)

17 President Qualifications, Oath, and Conditions Qualifications Formula not required

Conditions

Term, Impeachment, and Vacancy Impeachment Only refer to grounds and

majority required

Vacancy

Powers and Functions Executive

Legislative

Financial

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Judicial

Veto Power of the President (Full)

Presidential Veto Over State Table 17.2

Legislation (Full)

Ordinance Making Power (Full)

Pardoning Power (Full)

18 Vice President Election

Powers and Functions

Comparison with US V.P.

19 Prime Minister Relationship with the President

20 Central Council Responsibility of Ministers Table 20.1 (Imp)

of Ministers

21 Cabinet Functions of Cabinet Committees

Committees

22 Parliament Organisation - Full

Composition - Full

System of Elections to LS Territorial Constituencies

Reservation of Seats for SCs

and OBCs

Duration of the Two Houses - Full

Membership Qualifications

Presiding Officers - Full

Leaders in Parliament - Full

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Sessions - (except voting in the Table 22.1

house)

Rights of Ministers and Attorney

Generals - Full
Devices Question Hour

Zero Hour

Adjournment Motion

Privilege Motion

No Confidence Table 22.2

Censure

Motion of Thanks

Legislative Procedure Table 22.3 No need to memorise stages

Money Bills - Full Table 22.4 - V.IMP

Financial Bills Just read it once

Joint Sitting - Full

Budget in Parliament - Full

Funds - Full Consolidated Fund of India

Public Account of India

Contingency Fund of India

Parliamentary Privileges - Full

23 Parliamentary Public Accounts

Committees

Estimates

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Departmental Standing

Privileges

Public Undertaking

24 Parliamentary Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Forums

25 Parliamentary Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Group

26 Supreme Court FULL CHAPTER (technical details of civil and

criminal jurisdiction can be
left out)

27 Judicial Review Meaning

Constitutional Provisions

28 Judicial Activism Can be avoided as a whole chapter

29 PIL Meaning

30 Governor Conditions of Governors Office Tables 30.1, 30.2, 30.3 -

V.IMP

Executive Powers

Legislative Powers

Judicial

Constitutional Position - Imp

31 Chief Minister Can be avoided as a whole chapter

32 State Council of Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Ministers
33 State Composition - Full
Legislatures

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

Qualifications, Oath, and Conditions

Comparative Review Table 33.1 ONLY

34 High Court Organisation of High Court Judges - Appointment

Qualifications

Tenure

Removal Just the Majority required

Jurisdiction and Powers of High Court Writ Jurisdiction

Court of Record

35 Tribunals Can be avoided as a whole chapter

36 Subordinate NALSA, Lok Adalat, Gram Nyalayaya Core Functions only

Courts

Features Just read it once

37 Special Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Provisions for
Some States
38 Panchayati Raj 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 Significance

Salient Features (Till Finance

Commission)

Compulsory and Voluntary Provisions All Sub Headings A and B

PESA Act of 1996 All Sub Headings

39 Municipalities 74th Amendment Act, 1992 Salient Features (Till Finance

Commission)

Types of Urban Governments Municipal Corporation

Municipality

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

40 Union Territories Can be avoided as a whole chapter Art 370: https://

indianexpress.com/article/
explained/explained-
article-370-has-not-been-
scrapped-but-kashmirs-
special-status-has-
gone-5880390/
41 Scheduled and Can be avoided as a whole chapter
Tribal Areas
42 Election FULL CHAPTER
Commission

43 UPSC FULL CHAPTER

44 SPSC Can be avoided as a whole chapter

45 Finance FULL CHAPTER

Commission

46 GST Council FULL CHAPTER If you are using an older

edition:

http://
www.gstcouncil.gov.in/gst-
council

47 National FULL CHAPTER

Commission for
SCs

48 National FULL CHAPTER

Commission for
STs

49 National FULL CHAPTER

Commission for
BCs

50 Special Officer Can be avoided as a whole chapter

for Linguistic
Minorities

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)

51 CAG FULL CHAPTER

52 Attorney General FULL CHAPTER

53 Advocate FULL CHAPTER

General

54 Niti Aayog Composition - Full

Specialised Wings

55 NHRC Composition - Full

Functions

Working of the Commission

56 SHRC Can be avoided as a whole chapter

57 CIC FULL CHAPTER

58 SIC Can be avoided as a whole chapter

59 CVC Composition - Full

Functions

60 CBI Can be avoided as a whole chapter

61 Lokpal and Features

Lokayukts

Lokayukts Appointment

Qualifications

Tenure

62 NIA Can be avoided as a whole chapter

63 NDMA Can be avoided as a whole chapter

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 LAXMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (Prelims 2020) (As per 6th Edition)
LAKSHMIKANTH - COMPULSORY READING LIST (AS PER FIFTH EDITION)

64 Cooperative Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Societies
65 Official Language of the Union Last Para
Language
Language of the Judiciary Full

66 Public Services Can be avoided as a whole chapter

67 Rights and Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Liabilities of the
Government

68 Special Can be avoided as a whole chapter

Provisions
relating to
Certain Classes

69-75 CAN BE FULLY IGNORED

76 Anti-Defection FULL CHAPTER If you are using an older

Law edition, go through the
document uploaded on the
Telegram Channel on Anti
Defection.

77-80 CAN BE FULLY IGNORED

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