Fill in the blank:
During World War I the Defence of India Act 1915 empowered the executive to _______.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. approve preventive detention.
The Defence of India Act 1915 was an emergency measure enacted during World War I to curtail revolutionary activities. Its primary feature was granting the colonial government sweeping powers for preventive detention, allowing them to detain individuals without a formal trial to maintain public safety. This act bypassed ordinary legal procedures and was later used as a blueprint for the infamous Rowlatt Act of 1919, which further suppressed civil liberties and sparked widespread national protests.