Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

In a democracy, checks and balances refers to a system where power is distributed among different organs of government — the legislature, executive, and judiciary — so that no single organ becomes too powerful. Each organ can limit and oversee the functioning of the others, preventing misuse of authority.

Example from India: If the executive (government) passes a law that violates citizens' fundamental rights, the judiciary can strike it down as unconstitutional, thus checking the power of the legislature and executive.

Source: Democratic Politics, Chapter 1 (Power Sharing)

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• The examiner expects: definition of checks and balances + how the three organs limit each other + one concrete Indian example.
• The phrase "no organ becomes too powerful" is key — use it.
• Good examples: judiciary striking down a law, Parliament questioning the executive, President returning a bill. Any one suffices.
• Don't confuse this with federalism (vertical power-sharing); checks and balances is horizontal power-sharing among legislature, executive, judiciary.