Constitutional Bodies — Set 4

Correct Answer: B. Article 280

• **Article 280 = Finance Commission** = Article 280 provides for the Finance Commission of India; it is a quasi-judicial body constituted by the President every five years. • **Tax-devolution role** — The FC recommends distribution of net tax proceeds between Centre and States (vertical devolution) and among States (horizontal devolution), plus grants-in-aid from Consolidated Fund. • 💡 Option A (Article 360) relates to financial emergency; Option C (Article 265) says no tax without authority of law; Option D (Article 275) deals with grants-in-aid from Centre — only 280 is the Finance Commission.

Correct Answer: D. Article 243I

• **Article 243I = State Finance Commission** = Article 243I provides for a State Finance Commission (SFC) to review the financial position of Panchayats; every State must constitute one every five years. • **73rd Amendment, 1992** — Article 243I was inserted by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992; the Governor constitutes the SFC and places its report before the State Legislature. • 💡 Option A (Article 280) is the central Finance Commission; Option B (Article 243K) deals with State Election Commission; Option C (Article 243D) deals with reservations in panchayats — only 243I is SFC.

Correct Answer: B. The Commission itself

• **NCSC regulates its own procedure** = The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has the power to regulate its own procedure under Article 338(8), giving it operational autonomy. • **Civil-court powers** — While investigating any matter, NCSC has all powers of a civil court — summoning. • 💡 Option A (President) only appoints members, not procedure; Option C (Parliament) can legislate generally but does not set NCSC's internal procedure; Option D (Supreme Court) has no role — only the Commission itself regulates.

Correct Answer: A. President

• **President appoints NCSC Chairperson and members** = The President of India appoints the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and other members of the NCSC by warrant under his hand and seal, as per Article 338. • **5-member composition** — NCSC has a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and three members; conditions of service and tenure are also fixed by the President. • 💡 Option B (Parliament) has no appointment power; Option C (Chief Justice) plays no role; Option D (Prime Minister) recommends informally but the formal appointment is the President's — only President appoints.

Correct Answer: D. NCBC

• **102nd Amendment = NCBC constitutional status** = The 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018 granted constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) by inserting Article 338B. • **Statutory → constitutional upgrade** — Before 2018, NCBC was a statutory body under the NCBC Act, 1993; the 102nd Amendment elevated it to constitutional rank on par with NCSC and NCST. • 💡 Option A () gained constitutional status in 1950 itself; Option B (NCSC) is covered by Art.338, pre-existing; Option C (NCST) got status via 89th Amendment — only NCBC was upgraded by the 102nd.

Correct Answer: C. Union Finance Minister

• **Union Finance Minister = GST Council Chairperson** = The Union Finance Minister chairs the Goods and Services Tax Council as per Article 279A(2); he convenes and presides over all meetings. • **Composition** — Members include the Union Minister of State for Finance (Revenue) and one nominated minister from each State/UT government; decisions require 3/4th weighted majority. • 💡 Option A (RBI Governor) handles monetary policy, not GST; Option B (Prime Minister) does not chair GST Council; Option D (CAG) audits accounts but has no GST Council role — only Union FM chairs.

Correct Answer: B. President

• **President appoints Regional Commissioners — Article 324(4)** = Under Article 324(4), the President appoints Regional Commissioners after consultation with the Election Commission, to assist the ECI during general elections. • **Ad-hoc support role** — Regional Commissioners are appointed as required (not permanent); they relieve the ECI's workload in large states during Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. • 💡 Option A (Governor) has no appointment power over ECI's Regional Commissioners; Option C (Parliament) only makes election laws; Option D (CEC) is consulted but the formal appointment is the President's — only President appoints.

Correct Answer: D. Election Commission of India

• **ECI enforces Model Code of Conduct (MCC)** = The Election Commission of India enforces the Model Code of Conduct during elections, issuing advisories, notices and censures for violations. • **Activation — from schedule announcement** — The MCC comes into force the moment the ECI announces the election schedule and remains until results are declared; it has no statutory backing but ECI powers flow from Art.324. • 💡 Option A (Parliament) enacts law but does not enforce MCC; Option B (Supreme Court) adjudicates disputes only; Option C (President) has no enforcement role — only the ECI enforces MCC.

Correct Answer: C. Consolidated Fund of India

• **CAG office expenses — charged on Consolidated Fund of India** = The salaries, allowances, pensions, and administrative expenses of the CAG's office are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India under Article 148(6). • **Non-votable = independence** — Being 'charged' expenditure, these are not subject to the vote of Parliament; this secures the CAG's financial independence from the executive. • 💡 Option A (Contingency Fund) is for unforeseen expenses; Option B (Public Account) handles money held by government as trustee; Option D (Estimates Committee) is a parliamentary committee with no fund — only CFI is correct.

Correct Answer: B. Attorney General of India

• **Attorney General = highest law officer of India** = The Attorney General of India is the highest law officer in the country, appointed by the President under Article 76; he advises the Government of India on legal matters. • **Right of audience everywhere** — The AG has the right of audience in all courts in India and the right to speak in Parliament (but no vote) under Article 88. • 💡 Option A (Law Minister) is a political post, not a law officer; Option C (CJI) heads judiciary, not the law-officer system; Option D (Solicitor General) is second-highest — only AG is the highest.