The judiciary’s status as an independent branch of the national government rests on judicial review, which grants the judiciary the authority to:
a. decide which laws apply to a particular case.
b. ignore public opinion when making decisions.
c. strike down certain sections of the Constitution.
d.invalidate the actions of other institutions when judges believe they have acted unconstitutionally.
The correct answer is (d) invalidate the actions of other institutions when judges believe they have acted unconstitutionally.
Explanation:
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the concept of judicial review. Judicial review is the power of the judiciary to review and decide on the constitutionality of laws and actions taken by the executive and legislative branches of government.
Option (a) is incorrect because deciding which laws apply to a particular case is a responsibility of the judiciary, but it doesn't directly relate to the concept of judicial review.
Option (b) is incorrect because while the judiciary should be immune to public opinion in order to uphold impartiality, it is not directly linked to the concept of judicial review.
Option (c) is incorrect because the judiciary does not have the authority to strike down sections of the Constitution. The Constitution can only be amended through a formal process outlined in its own provisions.
Option (d) is correct because it accurately describes the authority of the judiciary in the context of judicial review. When judges believe that actions taken by other branches of government are unconstitutional, they can invalidate or nullify those actions to safeguard the principles and provisions of the Constitution.
Therefore, the correct answer is (d): invalidate the actions of other institutions when judges believe they have acted unconstitutionally.