President & VP — Set 4

Correct Answer: B. ₹15,000

• **Security deposit = ₹15,000** = candidates for the Presidential election must deposit ₹15,000 with the Reserve Bank of India at the time of filing nomination. • **Forfeiture condition** — the deposit is forfeited if the candidate fails to secure 1/6th of the total valid votes polled; this discourages frivolous candidatures. • 💡 Option A (₹50,000) — no constitutional or statutory election deposit is set at ₹50,000 for the Presidential election. Option C (₹10,000) is the security deposit for state assembly elections, not the Presidential election. Option D (₹25,000) is the deposit for Lok Sabha candidates — not Presidential candidates.

Correct Answer: A. No limit specified

• **No time limit for Presidential assent** = unlike the UK (no veto), the Indian Constitution does not prescribe any deadline for the President to act on an ordinary bill — enabling the Pocket Veto. • **Pocket Veto only for ordinary bills** — for Money Bills, the President must give assent or withhold (cannot return); for Constitutional Amendment Bills, assent is compulsory after the 24th Amendment. • 💡 Option B (6 weeks) is the time limit for Parliament to approve a Presidential Ordinance after reassembly — not for Presidential assent to a bill. Option C (6 months) is not a constitutional time limit for Presidential assent to any bill. Option D (14 days) is the advance notice required before introducing a Presidential impeachment resolution — not a bill-assent deadline.

Correct Answer: C. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

• **Neelam Sanjiva Reddy** = 6th President (1977–82), the only former Lok Sabha Speaker to become President; he served as Speaker in 1967 and again in 1977. • **Only Speaker-turned-President** — he resigned from his party (Congress) to maintain Speaker's neutrality and later contested the Presidential election as an independent. • 💡 Option A (G.V. Mavalankar) was the first Speaker of Lok Sabha (1952–56) but never became President. Option B (Somnath Chatterjee) was Speaker (2004–09) but was expelled from CPI(M) and never became President. Option D (P.A. Sangma) was Speaker (1996–98) and a Presidential candidate in 2012 but did not win — he lost to Pranab Mukherjee.

Correct Answer: B. S. Radhakrishnan

• **Dr. S. Radhakrishnan** = first Vice-President of India (1952–1962); served two consecutive VP terms and then became the 2nd President (1962–67). • **Only VP to directly become President** — Radhakrishnan is the only person to transition directly from VP to President, making him uniquely the highest holder of both offices in succession. • 💡 Option A (V.V. Giri) was the 3rd VP (1967–69) and later 4th President — not the first VP. Option C (B.D. Jatti) was the 4th VP (1974–79) and acted as President briefly in 1977 — not the first VP. Option D (Zakir Hussain) was the 2nd VP (1962–67) and later 3rd President — not the first VP.

Correct Answer: D. Chairman of Rajya Sabha

• **No VP salary** = the Constitution assigns no separate salary to the office of Vice-President; the VP's salary is paid in the capacity of Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. • **Second Schedule** — details the emoluments of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha (which the VP receives) along with those of the President, Governors, SC/HC judges, and CAG. • 💡 Option A (Member of Parliament) — the VP is not a member of either House of Parliament; MPs draw a separate parliamentary salary. Option B (Vice-President of India) — this is the office, but the Constitution provides no salary specifically for that title. Option C (Deputy President) — 'Deputy President' is not a recognised constitutional designation in India.

Correct Answer: B. Article 143

• **Article 143** = grants the Supreme Court 'Advisory Jurisdiction' — the President may refer questions of law or of public importance to the SC for its opinion. • **Opinion not binding** — the SC's advisory opinion under Art. 143 is not binding on the President; it is different from a judgment (which is binding under Art. 141). • 💡 Option A (Article 131) is the SC's original jurisdiction over disputes between states — not advisory jurisdiction. Option C (Article 136) is the Special Leave Petition (SLP) — the SC's appellate jurisdiction — not Presidential advisory reference. Option D (Article 141) states that the law declared by the SC is binding on all courts — a different provision entirely.

Correct Answer: B. Article 356

• **Article 356** = empowers the President to impose President's Rule in a state if he is satisfied that the constitutional machinery has failed; the state is directly governed by the Centre. • **Parliamentary approval needed** — the proclamation must be approved by Parliament within 2 months; thereafter it must be renewed every 6 months; maximum duration is 3 years. • 💡 Option A (Article 352) deals with National Emergency (war/external aggression/armed rebellion) — not President's Rule in a state. Option C (Article 358) suspends Article 19 during National Emergency — not President's Rule. Option D (Article 360) deals with Financial Emergency — not President's Rule in a state.

Correct Answer: A. President

• **Article 263** = empowers the President (not Parliament) to establish an Inter-State Council to enquire into and advise on disputes between states, and to investigate subjects of common interest. • **Non-permanent body** — the Inter-State Council is a constitutional body but not a permanent one; the President establishes it when considered necessary; it was set up in 1990. • 💡 Option B (Prime Minister) chairs the Inter-State Council but does not have the constitutional power to establish it — that authority rests with the President under Art. 263. Option C (Parliament) can pass laws on inter-state matters but cannot establish the Inter-State Council — that is the President's prerogative. Option D (Supreme Court) adjudicates inter-state disputes under Art. 131 but has no power to establish such a council.

Correct Answer: A. President

• **Contingency Fund of India** = established under Article 267; held at the disposal of the President to enable advances for unforeseen expenditure not otherwise authorised. • **Parliamentary ratification required** — any amount drawn from the Contingency Fund must be recouped through a Supplementary Demand for Grants passed by Parliament as soon as possible. • 💡 Option B (Prime Minister) heads the government but does not hold the Contingency Fund — it is constitutionally placed with the President. Option C (Finance Minister) manages the overall budget and Consolidated Fund matters but does not hold the Contingency Fund. Option D (RBI Governor) manages monetary policy and the currency but has no constitutional role in the Contingency Fund.

Correct Answer: C. President

• **President dissolves Lok Sabha** = under Article 85(2)(b), the President may dissolve the Lok Sabha before its 5-year term expires, acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers. • **Fresh elections mandatory** — upon dissolution, the Election Commission must hold general elections; the maximum gap between dissolution and election is regulated to ensure continuity. • 💡 Option A (Speaker) presides over Lok Sabha and adjourns sessions but has no power to dissolve the House — dissolution is an executive act by the President. Option B (Chief Justice) is head of the judiciary and has no executive role in dissolving Parliament. Option D (Election Commission) conducts elections after dissolution but has no power to dissolve Lok Sabha itself.