Constitutional Bodies — Set 7

Correct Answer: C. Election Commission

• **Article 324 = Election Commission of India** = Article 324 relates to the Election Commission of India; it vests the powers of superintendence, direction and control of elections in the ECI. • **Scope — Parliament, Assemblies, President, VP** — Art.324 covers elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President; local body polls are covered by SEC (Art.243K/243ZA). • 💡 Option A (CAG) is Art.148; Option B () is Art.315; Option D (Finance Commission) is Art.280 — only ECI is Art.324.

Correct Answer: C. 6 years

• **CAG term = 6 years or age 65, whichever is earlier** = The term of office of the Comptroller and Auditor General is 6 years from the date he assumes office or until he attains 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. • **Fixed by 1971 Act** — The tenure is fixed by the CAG (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971; he may resign earlier by writing to the President. • 💡 Option A (5 years) is the Finance Commission cycle; Option B (4 years) is not a CAG term; Option D (3 years) is not correct — only 6 years is the CAG term.

Correct Answer: B. 102nd Amendment

• **102nd Amendment (2018) gave NCBC constitutional status** = The 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018 conferred constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Classes. • **Article 338B inserted** — The amendment added Article 338B, bringing NCBC on par with NCSC (338) and NCST (338A); prior to this, NCBC was only a statutory body under the 1993 Act. • 💡 Option A (103rd) is EWS; Option C (100th) is India-Bangladesh land boundary; Option D (101st) is GST — only 102nd covers NCBC.

Correct Answer: D. Article 76

• **Article 76 = Attorney General of India** = Article 76 of the Constitution deals with the office of the Attorney General of India, the highest law officer of the Union. • **Appointment and qualification** — He is appointed by the President and must be qualified to be a Judge of the Supreme Court; he holds office at the President's pleasure. • 💡 Option A (Article 148) deals with CAG; Option B (Article 280) deals with Finance Commission; Option C (Article 324) deals with ECI — only Article 76 is the AG.

Correct Answer: D. Finance Commission

• **Article 280 = Finance Commission** = Article 280 provides for the constitution of the Finance Commission by the President every five years to recommend tax-sharing between Centre and States. • **Quasi-judicial** — It is a quasi-judicial body; composition is a Chairman and four other members whose qualifications Parliament prescribes. • 💡 Option A (Planning Commission) was executive resolution, not Article 280; Option B (GST Council) = Art.279A; Option C (Election Commission) = Art.324 — only Finance Commission is Art.280.

Correct Answer: A. President

• **President appoints the Chief Election Commissioner** = The Chief Election Commissioner of India is appointed by the President under Article 324(2). • **Other ECs too** — Other Election Commissioners are also appointed by the President; tenure is 6 years or up to age 65, whichever is earlier. • 💡 Option B (Chief Justice) has no appointment power for CEC; Option C (Prime Minister) advises but does not formally appoint; Option D (Parliament) only makes laws — only the President appoints.

Correct Answer: A. Services under the Union and the States

• **Part XIV = Services under the Union and the States** = Part XIV of the Indian Constitution deals with Services under the Union and the States, including All-India Services and Public Service Commissions. • **Articles 308-323** — Part XIV contains Articles 308 to 323; it covers recruitment, conditions of service, SPSCs, and tenure/removal rules. • 💡 Option B (Finance) is Part XII; Option C (Elections) is Part XV; Option D (Tribunals) is Part XIVA — only Part XIV covers services.

Correct Answer: A. Scheduled Castes

• **Article 338 = National Commission for Scheduled Castes** = Article 338 deals with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), investigating safeguards and welfare of SCs. • **89th Amendment, 2003 — bifurcation** — Originally Art.338 covered both SCs and STs; the 89th Amendment bifurcated it, retaining 338 for SCs and inserting 338A for STs. • 💡 Option B (Scheduled Tribes) is Art.338A; Option C (Women) has no Article 338 coverage — NCW is statutory (1990 Act); Option D (Backward Classes) is Art.338B — only SCs for Art.338.

Correct Answer: B. Scheduled Tribes

• **Article 338A = National Commission for Scheduled Tribes** = Article 338A deals with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), focused on protecting ST rights and safeguards. • **89th Amendment Act, 2003** — Article 338A was inserted by the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003; the separate NCST became operational in 2004. • 💡 Option A (Scheduled Castes) = Art.338; Option C (Minorities) has no dedicated constitutional article (NCM is statutory, 1992); Option D (Backward Classes) = Art.338B — only STs for 338A.

Correct Answer: D. Comptroller and Auditor General

• **CAG = 'Guardian of the Public Purse'** = The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is known as the 'Guardian of the Public Purse'; he safeguards the Consolidated Funds of Union and States. • **Audit scope — Union + States + PSUs** — The CAG audits all receipts and expenditure of the Union and State governments, plus accounts of government companies and corporations. • 💡 Option A (Prime Minister) heads the executive but does not audit; Option B (RBI Governor) handles monetary policy; Option C (Finance Minister) presents the budget — only the CAG audits the public purse.