Which of the following are regarded as the main features of the “Rule

Which of the following are regarded as the main features of the “Rule of Law” ?

  • Limitation of powers
  • Equality before law
  • People’s responsibility to the Government
  • Liberty and civil rights

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 and 3 only
2 and 4 only
1, 2 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2018
The correct answer is C.
The Rule of Law is a principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards. Its main features include:
1. **Limitation of powers:** Government power is limited by law, preventing arbitrary rule.
2. **Equality before law:** All individuals, regardless of position, are subject to the same laws and judged by the same courts.
3. **Supremacy of law:** The law is supreme, not the government or any individual.
4. **Protection of fundamental rights (related to liberty and civil rights):** While not always listed as a core feature in classical definitions (like Dicey’s), modern interpretations widely acknowledge that the Rule of Law is essential for and intrinsically linked to the protection of liberty and civil rights.
Point 3, “People’s responsibility to the Government,” describes the duties of citizens, not a core feature defining the limits and operation of law on the government and its relationship with individuals, which is what the Rule of Law primarily concerns.
A.V. Dicey’s classic formulation of the Rule of Law included three principles: (1) the supremacy of regular law as opposed to the influence of arbitrary power; (2) equality before the law; and (3) the constitution being the result of the ordinary law of the land. Modern conceptions often expand on this to include notions of justice, fundamental rights, and procedural fairness. Based on the options, 1, 2, and 4 best represent the features or outcomes of the Rule of Law among the choices provided.
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