Read the passage about the function of the army, the police, and the control of law and order in a State. Then answer the question. What does the last sentence of the passage imply about who holds the supreme control of law and order?

Introduction / Context:
The passage contrasts the roles of the army and the police and then explains how law and order are controlled at the State level. The final line states that the supreme control of law and order is in the hands of a minister who is responsible to the State Assembly and acts through the Inspector General of Police. The question asks what this last sentence implies. We must interpret the political and administrative relationship described, not only repeat the words.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• In abnormal times, the army maintains law and order.
• In normal times, a force under the civilian government enforces laws and protects citizens.
• The passage names a minister as having supreme control of law and order.
• This minister is responsible to the State Assembly.
• The minister exercises control through the Inspector General of Police.

Concept / Approach:
The key phrase is supreme control of law and order. We must identify who holds this and what the chain of accountability is. The structure is minister → Inspector General of Police → police force. At the same time, the minister is responsible to the State Assembly. Therefore, the supreme authority is political and civilian, not purely police based and not military. Any option that either transfers this authority directly to the Inspector General or directly to the Assembly, without the minister, does not capture the precise meaning of the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the last sentence carefully. It says that the supreme control is in the hands of a minister and that this minister is responsible to the State Assembly. Step 2: Examine option A. It claims that the Inspector General of Police is the sole authority. This contradicts the passage, which clearly places supreme control with the minister, not with the Inspector General alone. Step 3: Examine option C. It says the State Assembly directly manages law and order. However, the passage describes the Assembly as the body to which the minister is responsible. It does not say that the Assembly itself directly controls law and order. Step 4: Examine option D. This says the Inspector General is responsible to the State Assembly. The passage actually says the minister is responsible to the Assembly and acts through the Inspector General. So option D misstates the chain of accountability. Step 5: Examine option B. It states that in every State, the overall responsibility for public peace lies with a minister who is accountable to the State Assembly. This matches the sense of supreme control being in ministerial hands, with democratic accountability. Step 6: Option E incorrectly gives control to the army in all times, which is not supported by the passage.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can paraphrase the last sentence: a civilian minister, answerable to the elected State Assembly, holds the highest authority for law and order and carries out this role through the police chief. Any option that removes or changes this dual relationship (to the Assembly and through the Inspector General) is inaccurate. Option B preserves both the notion of overall responsibility and the accountability to the State Assembly, so it best reflects the implied meaning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A is wrong because it overlooks the minister and falsely elevates the Inspector General to supreme authority. Option C is wrong because it suggests direct rule by the Assembly, which is not what the passage states. Option D is wrong because it assigns responsibility to the Inspector General instead of the minister. Option E is wrong because it contradicts the distinction made between the role of the army in abnormal times and the civilian structure in normal times.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent error is to focus only on the phrase acts through the Inspector General of Police and mistakenly assume that the Inspector General must therefore be the supreme authority. Another pitfall is to ignore the phrase responsible to the State Assembly and to miss the political and democratic context. In reading comprehension, it is important to recognise structures of authority and follow how responsibility flows from one level to another.

Final Answer:
The passage implies that in each State the overall responsibility for maintaining public peace and law and order lies with a minister who is accountable to the State Assembly.