How did PKP's legal framework evolve to protect civil rights after independence?

• A. It restricted civil liberties to preserve order.
• B. It relied solely on customary law with no formal guarantees.
• C. It introduced a strong executive decree system to govern rights.
• D. Adoption of constitutional guarantees, independent judiciary, and civil rights legislation.

Answer: (D)

After independence, protecting civil rights usually rests on creating durable legal guarantees that can be enforced. A constitution that enshrines fundamental rights sets clear limits on state power and protects basic liberties. An independent judiciary is essential to interpret those rights impartially, resolve disputes, and provide due process, ensuring the government cannot override rights without checks. Civil rights legislation then translates those constitutional protections into concrete rules and remedies—discrimination bans, protections for assembly and expression, guarantees in education and employment, and accessible enforcement mechanisms.

Choosing this combination signals a move from informal or provisional protections to a formal, enforceable rights framework. Restricting civil liberties to preserve order would weaken protections. Relying solely on customary law misses formal guarantees and universal enforcement. A strong executive decree system concentrates power and can erode rights rather than safeguard them. Therefore adopting constitutional guarantees, an independent judiciary, and civil rights legislation best describes how the legal framework evolved to protect civil rights after independence.