Daily Static Quiz Prelims Practice 2027
- The Election Commission of India is a single-member body consisting only of the Chief Election Commissioner.
- The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office by the President on the recommendation of the Supreme Court.
- The Election Commissioners, once appointed, enjoy the same security of tenure as the Chief Election Commissioner.
- The Election Commission has jurisdiction over elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President of India.
Only Statement 4 is correct. Under Article 324, the ECI superintends, directs, and controls elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President. Statement 1 is incorrect — since the Election Commissioner Amendment Act, 1989, the ECI has been a multi-member body (CEC plus two Election Commissioners), not single-member. Statement 2 is incorrect — the CEC is removed by the President on an address by Parliament with special majority, the same procedure as a Supreme Court judge; the Supreme Court plays no role. Statement 3 is incorrect — Election Commissioners can be removed by the President on the CEC's recommendation and do not enjoy the CEC's higher parliamentary-removal protection.
Option (b) is correct — under Article 148, the CAG is appointed by the President and removed only on a special-majority parliamentary address on grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity, the same procedure as a Supreme Court judge, ensuring audit independence. Option (a) is wrong — the CAG audits both Union and State accounts under Article 149 and the CAG Act, 1971, with no separate High Court-based mechanism. Option (c) is wrong — reports go to the President (Union) or Governor (States), who lay them before the legislature. Option (d) is wrong — the CAG is not a PAC member or chair; the PAC examines CAG reports with the CAG's assistance.
- The Finance Commission is constituted by the President under Article 280 of the Constitution every five years or earlier if deemed necessary.
- The Finance Commission recommends the distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States and among the States inter se.
- The Finance Commission's recommendations are binding on both the Union and State governments and cannot be overridden by Parliament.
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission was chaired by N. K. Singh and covered the award period 2021–2026.
Statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct. Article 280 mandates the President to constitute the Finance Commission within two years of the Constitution's commencement and thereafter every five years or earlier as needed. Article 280(3) tasks it with recommending distribution of the divisible tax pool between Union and States and among States. The 15th Finance Commission, chaired by N. K. Singh, covered 2021–2026, including an interim 2020–21 report. Statement 3 is incorrect — Finance Commission recommendations are advisory, not binding; the Union is not constitutionally compelled to implement them, though it usually does in practice.
- 1. Union Public Service Commission — Article 315
- 2. National Commission for Scheduled Castes — Article 338
- 3. Attorney General of India — Article 76
- 4. National Commission for Backward Classes — Article 338B
All four pairs are correctly matched. Article 315 establishes Public Service Commissions for the Union and States. Article 338 establishes the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Article 76 provides for the Attorney General of India, the Union's highest law officer. The 102nd Amendment (2018) inserted Article 338B, constitutionally establishing the National Commission for Backward Classes, elevating it from a statutory to a constitutional body.
Reason (R): The Attorney General holds office during the pleasure of the President and does not possess security of tenure equivalent to that of a judge of the Supreme Court.
Both A and R are correct, but R does not explain A. The Attorney General, not a full-time government servant, may engage in private practice and appear for private clients, though barred from holding briefs against the Government of India itself. Separately, the AG holds office during the President's pleasure, without the parliamentary-address protection Supreme Court judges enjoy. These are both true but independent constitutional features — the tenure distinction in R does not explain why the AG can appear in private cases in A.
