"State Executive & State Legislature" — Practice

Question 1

The Governor of a state is:
(a) appointed by the President (b) elected by the state's Electoral College (c) elected directly by the people of the state (d) appointed by the Chief Minister

Accepted Answer

(a) appointed by the President.

Unlike the President's own election through an Electoral College, the Governor is a Union appointee under Article 155, with no state-level electoral process involved.

Question 2

The Governor of a state holds office:
(a) during the pleasure of the President (b) for a fixed 5-year term, removable only by impeachment (c) for life unless resigned (d) at the pleasure of the state legislature

Accepted Answer

(a) during the pleasure of the President.

Article 156 means the Governor has no fixed security of tenure and can be removed by the President at any time — a sharp contrast with the President's own impeachment-only removal process.

Question 3

Which of the following is a discretionary power of the Governor, exercised independent of ministerial advice?
(a) recommending President's Rule under Article 356 (b) presenting the state Budget (c) summoning the state legislature's ordinary sessions (d) appointing ordinary state government secretaries

Accepted Answer

(a) recommending President's Rule under Article 356.

This is a classic discretionary function — the Governor forms an independent judgement about whether the state government can be carried on in accordance with the Constitution, without being bound by the state Council of Ministers' advice.

Question 4

Which of the following options is available to a Governor regarding a Bill passed by the state legislature, but has NO equivalent in the President's own Bill-assent powers?
(a) reserving the Bill for the President's consideration (b) giving assent (c) withholding assent (d) returning the Bill once for reconsideration

Accepted Answer

(a) reserving the Bill for the President's consideration.

Article 200 gives the Governor this unique fourth option; the President's Article 111 powers over Bills passed by Parliament include only assent, withholding, and a single return for reconsideration — no equivalent 'reserve for someone else' option.

Question 5

A Governor's pardoning power under Article 161 differs from the President's under Article 72 in that a Governor CANNOT:
(a) pardon a death sentence or a court-martial sentence (b) pardon any sentence at all (c) grant remission of any sentence (d) suspend any sentence

Accepted Answer

(a) pardon a death sentence or a court-martial sentence.

These two categories remain exclusively within the President's pardoning power, even though the Governor otherwise holds broadly similar powers for offences against state laws.

Question 6

As per the 91st Constitutional Amendment (2003), the minimum size of a state's Council of Ministers is:
(a) 12 members (or the Assembly's total strength if smaller) (b) 5 members (c) 20 members (d) there is no minimum, only a maximum

Accepted Answer

(a) 12 members (or the Assembly's total strength if smaller).

The same amendment that capped ministry size at 15% of the Legislative Assembly's strength also set this floor to prevent excessively small ministries.

Question 7

Which of the following states currently has a bicameral state legislature with a Legislative Council?
(a) Karnataka (b) Punjab (c) Rajasthan (d) Gujarat

Accepted Answer

(a) Karnataka.

Only six states currently have a Legislative Council: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat are unicameral.

Question 8

A state's Legislative Council can be created or abolished by:
(a) Parliament, by a simple majority law, based on a special-majority resolution of the state's Legislative Assembly (b) a constitutional amendment requiring ratification by all states (c) the Governor's discretion alone (d) a state referendum

Accepted Answer

(a) Parliament, by a simple majority law, based on a special-majority resolution of the state's Legislative Assembly.

This is one of the few instances where Parliament legislates on a matter conditional on the concerned state's own request, per Article 169.

Question 9

The strength of a state's Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) cannot exceed:
(a) 1/3rd of the strength of the Legislative Assembly (b) 1/2 of the strength of the Legislative Assembly (c) a fixed number of 100 (d) the strength of the Rajya Sabha

Accepted Answer

(a) 1/3rd of the strength of the Legislative Assembly.

The Vidhan Parishad's maximum size is capped at one-third of the Vidhan Sabha's strength, with a minimum of 40 members.

Question 10

A Proclamation of President's Rule under Article 356 must be approved by both Houses of Parliament within:
(a) 2 months (b) 6 months (c) 14 days (d) 1 month

Accepted Answer

(a) 2 months.

Once approved, the Proclamation lasts 6 months and can be renewed by further parliamentary approval, subject to a maximum total duration of 3 years, with additional conditions applying after the first year.

Question 11

The S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) judgment held that:
(a) the imposition of President's Rule is subject to judicial review and majority must be tested on the floor of the House (b) President's Rule can never be challenged in court (c) the Governor's opinion on majority is final and unquestionable (d) President's Rule can be imposed without any parliamentary approval

Accepted Answer

(a) the imposition of President's Rule is subject to judicial review and majority must be tested on the floor of the House.

This landmark judgment significantly curbed earlier politically-motivated or arbitrary use of Article 356 by establishing that a ministry's majority (or lack of it) must be demonstrated on the Assembly floor, not assessed solely through the Governor's subjective report.

Question 12

At the state level, a Money Bill can be introduced only in the:
(a) Vidhan Sabha (b) Vidhan Parishad (c) either House equally (d) it requires the Governor's prior introduction

Accepted Answer

(a) Vidhan Sabha.

Just as Money Bills originate only in the Lok Sabha at the Union level, they originate only in the Vidhan Sabha at the state level; the Vidhan Parishad (where it exists) can only delay by recommending changes within 14 days.

Question 13

The Chief Minister of a state is appointed by:
(a) the Governor (b) the President (c) the Vidhan Sabha through a formal vote (d) the state's Chief Secretary

Accepted Answer

(a) the Governor.

Conventionally, the Governor appoints the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Vidhan Sabha as Chief Minister, mirroring how the President appoints the Prime Minister at the Union level.

Question 14

In a state's Legislative Council, roughly what fraction of members is elected by members of local bodies such as municipalities and district boards?
(a) 1/3rd (b) 1/2 (c) 1/12th (d) 2/3rds

Accepted Answer

(a) 1/3rd.

The Vidhan Parishad's composition is a mix: roughly 1/3rd elected by local body members, 1/12th by graduates, 1/12th by teachers, 1/3rd by MLAs from among non-members, and the remainder nominated by the Governor.

Question 15

The provision allowing one Governor to be appointed for two or more states was introduced by which amendment?
(a) 7th Amendment, 1956 (b) 42nd Amendment, 1976 (c) 73rd Amendment, 1992 (d) 1st Amendment, 1951

Accepted Answer

(a) 7th Amendment, 1956.

This amendment modified Article 153 to permit a single Governor to serve two or more states simultaneously, a provision used in several instances since.

Practice — "State Executive & State Legislature"

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