Which of the following are the defining features of liberal democracy? 1. Constitutional government based on formal, usually legal, rules 2. Guarantees of civil liberties and individual rights 3. It invests political authority with potentially unlimited power Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Liberal democracy is defined by the integration of democratic governance with liberal principles such as the rule of law and individual rights. A primary feature is a constitutional government where the state's authority is limited by formal legal rules and institutional checks [2]. This ensures that the government cannot act arbitrarily and must respect the rights of citizens [1]. Furthermore, liberal democracies provide explicit guarantees for civil liberties and individual rights, such as freedom of speech and equality before the law, often protected through a constitution. Conversely, investing political authority with potentially unlimited power is a characteristic of authoritarianism or dictatorship, which is the antithesis of constitutional democracy [2]. In a liberal democracy, power is distributed and checked to prevent tyranny and ensure accountability to the people [2].

Sources

1. [1] Democratic Politics-I. Political Science-Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? WHY DEMOCRACY? > for rights for rightsfor rights > p. 8
2. [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 3: Concept of the Constitution > II I Meaning > p. 25