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Bucket 22 — Laws, Rules & Official Actions

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Best for: Constitutional Law, Governance & Public Policy. 7 words.

1. ANNUL (v.)

  • Urdu: منسوخ کرنا، کالعدم قرار دینا
  • Meaning: declare invalid (an official agreement, decision or result)
  • Syn: nullify, invalidate, void, cancel · Ant: validate, ratify, confirm, enact
  • ✍️ Use: The court annulled the election result in three constituencies over rigging.
  • 🧠 Hook: an + null → make it null.

2. RESCIND (v.)

  • Urdu: واپس لینا، منسوخ کرنا
  • Meaning: revoke, cancel or repeal (a law, order or agreement)
  • Syn: revoke, repeal, withdraw, retract · Ant: enact, impose, uphold, validate
  • ✍️ Use: Public outcry forced the government to rescind the petrol price hike.
  • 🧠 Hook: re + scindere (cut, as in scissors) → cut back the order.

3. SANCTION (n./v.)

  • Urdu: منظوری دینا یا پابندی لگانا (دونوں معنی)
  • Meaning: official permission; OR a penalty for disobeying a rule
  • Syn: approval, authorisation / penalty, embargo · Ant: prohibition / reward, incentive
  • ✍️ Use: Western sanctions pushed Russia towards deeper trade with China.
  • 🧠 Hook: a contronym (has two opposite meanings). Read the context: "sanctioned the project" = approved; "imposed sanctions" = penalties.

4. INVESTITURE (n.)

  • Urdu: تاج پوشی، اعزاز یا عہدہ عطا کرنے کی رسم
  • Meaning: the formal ceremony of giving someone an office, rank or honour
  • Syn: inauguration, induction, installation, swearing-in · Ant: removal, dismissal, deposition
  • ✍️ Use: The President held an investiture ceremony for civil awards on 23 March.
  • 🧠 Hook: to vest (clothe) someone in the robes of office.

5. LEVY (v./n.)

  • Urdu: ٹیکس لگانا، محصول، فوج میں بھرتی کرنا
  • Meaning: impose or collect a tax; a tax; to conscript troops
  • Syn: impose, charge, collect, duty · Ant: exempt, remit, waive
  • ✍️ Use: The government levied a petroleum development levy to meet IMF targets.
  • 🧠 Hook: levare (raise, as in elevate) → raise taxes.

6. PROSCRIBE (v.)

  • Urdu: ممنوع قرار دینا، کالعدم کرنا
  • Meaning: forbid, especially by law; outlaw
  • Syn: ban, prohibit, outlaw, forbid · Ant: allow, permit, legalise, sanction
  • ✍️ Use: The interior ministry proscribed the militant outfit under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
  • 🧠 Hook: the opposite of prescribe: a doctor prescribes medicine but proscribes smoking. (Pakistan's "proscribed organisations" list.)

7. SUBPOENA (n./v.)

  • Urdu: عدالت میں حاضری کا سمن
  • Meaning: a legal order requiring someone to attend court
  • Syn: summons, writ, court order · Ant: release, discharge
  • ✍️ Use: The commission subpoenaed senior officials to explain the delays.
  • 🧠 Hook: sub poena = "under penalty" if you fail to appear.