Centre-State Relations — Set 1

Correct Answer: C. Part XI

• **Part XI** = the specific Part of the Constitution that deals with legislative and administrative relations between the Centre and States. • **Chapter I vs Chapter II** — Chapter I covers legislative relations; Chapter II covers administrative relations under Articles 256–263. • 💡 Option A (Part XIII) relates to trade and commerce within India; Option B (Part XII) covers finance; Option D (Part XIV) deals with services under the Union and States.

Correct Answer: A. Articles 245 to 255

• **Articles 245–255** = the range in Part XI that governs legislative relations between Centre and States. • **Article 245** — defines territorial extent of laws; Article 246 allocates subjects among Union, State, and Concurrent Lists. • 💡 Option B (Articles 256–263) covers administrative relations, not legislative; Option C (Articles 268–293) covers financial relations; Option D (Articles 239–241) relates to Union Territories.

Correct Answer: C. Parliament

• **Residuary Powers (Article 248)** = Parliament alone can legislate on subjects not listed in Union, State, or Concurrent Lists of the Seventh Schedule. • **Article 248** — vests residuary legislative powers exclusively in Parliament, reflecting India's unitary bias. • 💡 Option A (State Legislature) is wrong because state legislatures can only legislate on State List subjects; Option B (President) has no legislative role for residuary subjects; Option D (Supreme Court) is a judicial body with no legislative power.

Correct Answer: D. State List

• **State List (List II)** = the list under which 'Police' and 'Public Order' fall, giving State Legislatures exclusive power over these subjects. • **Entry 1 and 2, State List** — 'Public Order' is Entry 1 and 'Police' is Entry 2 of the State List in the Seventh Schedule. • 💡 Option A (Union List) contains subjects like defence and banking under Parliament's exclusive power; Option B (Residuary List) has no fixed entries — it covers unlisted subjects; Option C (Concurrent List) contains subjects where both Centre and State can legislate.

Correct Answer: C. Australia

• **Concurrent List — Australia** = the concept of a shared legislative list where both Parliament and State Legislatures can make laws was borrowed from the Australian Constitution. • **Repugnancy Rule** — under Article 254, if Centre and State laws on a Concurrent subject conflict, the Central law prevails unless the State law has Presidential assent. • 💡 Option A (UK) contributed the Parliamentary model and Rule of Law; Option B (USA) contributed Judicial Review and Federalism; Option D (Canada) contributed the concept of 'residuary powers with Centre.'

Correct Answer: C. Article 249

• **Article 249** = empowers Rajya Sabha to pass a resolution by 2/3 majority authorizing Parliament to make laws on State List subjects in national interest. • **1-year validity** — the resolution under Article 249 is valid for one year at a time but can be extended by another year each time. • 💡 Option A (Article 252) allows Parliament to legislate for two or more states that pass a request resolution; Option B (Article 250) enables Parliament to legislate on State subjects during National Emergency; Option D (Article 248) vests residuary powers in Parliament.

Correct Answer: A. Chapter II

• **Chapter II of Part XI** = the chapter dealing with Administrative Relations between the Centre and States, covering Articles 256–263. • **Article 256** — obliges States to ensure their executive power is exercised in compliance with laws made by Parliament. • 💡 Option B (Chapter IV) does not exist in Part XI; Option C (Chapter III) does not exist in Part XI; Option D (Chapter I) covers legislative relations, not administrative relations.

Correct Answer: C. Article 312

• **Article 312** = empowers Parliament to create new All India Services (like IAS, IPS) common to the Union and States, provided Rajya Sabha passes a supporting resolution. • **Rajya Sabha resolution** — a resolution declaring such services necessary in national interest must be passed before Parliament can legislate under Article 312. • 💡 Option A (Article 315) establishes Public Service Commissions; Option B (Article 311) provides protection to civil servants against dismissal; Option D (Article 310) states that government servants hold office at the pleasure of the President/Governor.

Correct Answer: C. Article 280

• **Finance Commission — Article 280** = constituted by the President every five years to recommend how tax proceeds should be distributed between Centre and States. • **Quasi-judicial body** — Finance Commission is a quasi-judicial body that. • 💡 Option A (Article 275) deals with statutory grants-in-aid to states, not the Finance Commission itself; Option B (Article 282) relates to discretionary grants; Option D (Article 265) states no tax shall be levied except by authority of law.

Correct Answer: A. Grants-in-aid to States

• **Article 275 — Grants-in-aid** = provides for statutory grants from the Union to States in need of financial assistance, charged on the Consolidated Fund of India. • **Finance Commission role** — grants under Article 275 are given based on Finance Commission recommendations, making them need-based and transparent. • 💡 Option B (GST Council) is a constitutional body under Article 279A dealing with GST rates, not grants; Option C (Taxes levied by States) relates to State List taxation power; Option D (Borrowing by Centre) is covered under Article 292.