The question asks for the year when the B.N. Rau Committee submitted a draft code, specifically related to the first draft of the Constitution of India. This requires knowledge of the historical timeline of the Indian Constitution's drafting process.
Correct Option: A) 1944. The B.N. Rau Committee submitted its draft code for Hindu Law in 1944. This committee was instrumental in the efforts to codify Hindu personal laws, a significant legal reform initiative.
The question asks to identify the first Law Minister of independent India. This requires knowledge of the composition of the first Union Cabinet formed after India gained independence in 1947.
Correct Option: C) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the first Law Minister of independent India. He is also widely regarded as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
The question asks about the provisions of a bill submitted by a committee chaired by B.R. Ambedkar, the law minister after independence. This refers to the Hindu Code Bill, which aimed to reform Hindu personal law. We need to evaluate each option to see if it was part of the bill's provisions.
D) All the above — The Hindu Code Bill, championed by B.R. Ambedkar, was a comprehensive reform of Hindu personal law. It included provisions for raising the age of consent and marriage, granting women property rights (including treating certain gifts/dowry as their absolute property), and introducing the right to divorce for women. Therefore, all the statements are correct regarding the bill's objectives and provisions.
The question asks to identify the Congress President whose hesitation, along with strong opposition from conservative sections, led to the postponement of a bill. This refers to a significant historical event in post-independence India, specifically concerning the Hindu Code Bill.
B) Rajendra Prasad. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, as the President of India at the time, expressed significant reservations about the Hindu Code Bill, which contributed to its initial postponement. His stance was rooted in his conservative views and concerns about the government's role in religious matters.
The question asks to identify the divorced Muslim woman who was granted maintenance by the Supreme Court in 1985, about forty years after Hindu law was reformed. This refers to a landmark case in Indian legal history concerning maintenance rights for Muslim women.
A) Shah Bano – The Shah Bano Begum case (Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum, 1985 SCR (3) 844) was a landmark judgment by the Supreme Court of India in 1985. The court granted maintenance to Shah Bano, a divorced Muslim woman, under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which applies to all citizens irrespective of religion. This decision was highly controversial and led to significant political and legal debate regarding personal laws in India.