Cloze passage on judiciary and democracy: fill the blank in An independent, able and upright judiciary is the hallmark of a free ____ country.

Introduction / Context:
This blank is part of a passage discussing the role of the judiciary in a political system. The sentence reads An independent, able and upright judiciary is the hallmark of a free blank country. We must choose the word that best completes the phrase in a way that matches common political terminology and the idea of judicial independence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The country is described as free, suggesting political freedom and rights.
The sentence links this with an independent, able, and upright judiciary.
Options include different forms of government or political descriptions, such as autocratic and democratic.

Concept / Approach:
In political science and civics, the phrase free and democratic country is a common and standard combination. It refers to a system in which citizens have political rights, elections are held, and the institutions of government, including the judiciary, operate independently and fairly. In contrast, autocratic and authoritarian countries typically do not have truly independent courts. Therefore, democratic is the only choice that harmonises with the phrase hallmark of a free country and the stress on an independent judiciary.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note that the sentence praises an independent, able and upright judiciary as a key feature of a free country. Step 2: Recall that a system with free elections, civil liberties, and rule of law is usually called a democratic country. Step 3: Compare this with the options and see that autocratic and authoritarian stand for systems where power is concentrated in one ruler or small elite, not where judicial independence is a hallmark. Step 4: Recognise that liberal by itself does not complete the phrase as naturally as free democratic country does. Step 5: Select democratic as the word that completes the well known phrase free democratic country.

Verification / Alternative check:
Civics textbooks often describe countries like India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and emphasise that the independence of the judiciary is essential to maintain democracy. The expression free democratic country is very familiar in such discussions. This confirms that democratic is the intended word. Phrases like free autocratic country or free authoritarian country are contradictory because autocratic and authoritarian imply restrictions on freedoms.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A autocratic refers to a system where one ruler has absolute power, which is incompatible with the idea of a robust and independent judiciary protecting citizens rights.
Option C liberal describes a general attitude or set of policies and can be used in different compounds, but the collocation free liberal country is not as standard or precise as free democratic country.
Option D participative suggests involvement, but it is not a common label for a political system in this context and does not appear in the standard phrase.
Option E authoritarian refers to strict obedience to authority and limited freedoms, again clashing with the word free, so it cannot be the correct answer.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be tempted by liberal because it also evokes the idea of freedom. However, exam cloze passages rely heavily on common collocations and textbook phrases. When you see independent judiciary and hallmark of a free country together, democratic is the textbook answer. Remembering common political pairs such as democratic republic, constitutional democracy, and free democratic country helps in solving such questions quickly.

Final Answer:
The sentence should read An independent, able and upright judiciary is the hallmark of a free democratic country.