Union Executive: President, PM & Council of Ministers: previous-year questions

Answer: (A) Part V

Part V of the Constitution, 'The Union' (Articles 52 to 151), opens with Chapter I, The Executive (Articles 52 to 78): the President, Vice-President, Council of Ministers and Attorney-General. Its later chapters cover Parliament (79 to 122), the President's ordinance power (123), the Supreme Court (124 to 147) and the CAG (148 to 151). Part III (Articles 12 to 35) contains the Fundamental Rights; Part VI (152 to 237) deals with the States, including the State Executive, which makes it the closest distractor; and Part XI (245 to 263) covers Union-State relations. Others worth knowing: Part IV, Directive Principles; Part IVA, Fundamental Duties; Part XVIII, Emergency provisions; Part XX, Amendment.

Answer: (C) 6 months and 6 weeks

An ordinance under Article 123 lapses six weeks after Parliament reassembles, and the gap between two sessions cannot exceed six months, so its maximum life is six months and six weeks. The other durations have no basis in the Constitution.

Answer: (C) in either House of Parliament

Under Article 61 the charge for impeaching the President may be preferred by either House of Parliament, after 14 days' notice signed by one-fourth of its members; the other House then investigates. It is not restricted to one House, and the Supreme Court has no role in initiating it.

Answer: (B) Chief Justice of India

Under the President (Discharge of Functions) Act, 1969, the Chief Justice of India (or, failing him, the senior-most Supreme Court judge) acts as President when both offices are vacant. The Speaker, a Governor or the CAG have no such role.

Answer: (B) Prime Minister's duty regarding keeping the President informed about the government's decisions and policies.

Article 78 lays down the duties of the Prime Minister to communicate to the President all decisions of the Council of Ministers and to furnish information he calls for. It is framed as the Prime Minister's duty, not as a power of the President; emergency powers are in Articles 352–360, and messages to Parliament are under Article 86.

Answer: (D) The President of India chooses the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected by the members of the Lok Sabha from among themselves (Article 93); the President plays no part in choosing the Speaker. The other three statements are correct: the President is Supreme Commander of the armed forces, can appoint commissions on the condition of SCs/STs, and declares Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule.

Answer: (D) Any number of times

Article 57 makes a person who holds or has held the office of President eligible for re-election, with no limit on the number of terms. The limits of once, twice or three times are not in the Constitution (unlike the US two-term limit).

Answer: (C) 6 months

Under Article 62(2) an election to fill a vacancy caused by death, resignation or removal must be held within six months, so the Vice-President can act as President for at most six months. The other periods do not appear in the Constitution.

Answer: (A) Chief Justice

Under Article 60 the oath of office of the President is administered by the Chief Justice of India, or in his absence the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court. The Speaker, Vice-President and Prime Minister have no role in it. Repeat of Q77.

Answer: (A) Chief Justice

Under Article 60 the oath of office of the President is administered by the Chief Justice of India, or in his absence the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court. The Speaker, Vice-President and Prime Minister have no role in it. Repeat of Q73.

Answer: (A) Rajya Sabha.

Under Article 64 the Vice-President is ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). The Lok Sabha is presided over by the Speaker, and the Planning Commission and NDC were chaired by the Prime Minister.

Answer: (B) Ministry of Defence

The supreme command of the Armed Forces vests in the President, but their administrative and operational control is exercised by the Ministry of Defence and its service headquarters. The President's role is formal, and the three Chiefs act under the Ministry rather than exercising this control independently.

Answer: (D) Both the Houses of Parliament along with the Members of the State Assemblies.

Under Article 54 the President is elected indirectly by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the states, including Delhi and Puducherry (added by the 70th Amendment, 1992). Nominated members and members of Legislative Councils do not vote. The election (Article 55) uses proportional representation by the single transferable vote and secret ballot, with the value of an MLA's vote based on the 1971 census population. Disputes are decided by the Supreme Court (Article 71).

Answer: (A) either House of the Parliament

Under Article 61, impeachment proceedings against the President for "violation of the Constitution" may be initiated in either House of Parliament, provided the resolution is moved after 14 days' notice and supported by at least a quarter of that House's total membership.

Answer: (B) President and Governor of a State

Both the President (Article 72) and state Governors (Article 161) possess pardoning powers, though the President's power is wider — it alone extends to sentences given by court-martial and to all death sentences, regardless of which law the offence falls under.