Constitutional Bodies

280

Q85. Who was Chairperson of the GST Council as of 31 January 2024?

[DSSSB Jail Warder, 19 June 2024 (Shift 2)]

1. Rajnath Singh
2. Nirmala Sitharaman
3. K. Sundarajan
4. Arvind Panagariya

Answer: (B) Nirmala Sitharaman

Explanation: Nirmala Sitharaman, then Union Finance Minister, chaired the GST Council. Article 279A makes the Union Finance Minister the ex-officio Chairperson, so the office follows the ministerial position rather than a separate appointment.

Q84. Who presides over the GST Council?

[DSSSB Jail Warder, 14 June 2024 (Shift 2)]

1. Prime Minister
2. President
3. Chief Minister
4. Union Finance Minister

Answer: (D) Union Finance Minister

Explanation: The Union Finance Minister chairs the GST Council under Article 279A. The Council is a platform for cooperative federalism, recommending tax slabs, exemptions, model laws and related GST administrative decisions.

Q83. Who appoints India’s Comptroller and Auditor General?

[DSSSB Jail Warder, 11 June 2024 (Shift 1)]

1. Prime Minister
2. Parliament
3. President
4. Chief Justice of India

Answer: (C) President

Explanation: The President appoints the Comptroller and Auditor General under Article 148 by warrant under hand and seal. Despite presidential appointment, the CAG has protected service conditions and an enhanced removal procedure to secure impartial auditing.

Q82. Under the Supreme Court’s March 2023 interim order, which committee was to recommend Election Commissioner appointments?

[SSC CHSL Tier I, 10 July 2024 (Shift 1)]

1. PM, CJI and Lok Sabha Speaker
2. PM, Opposition Leader and Lok Sabha Speaker
3. PM, Opposition Leader and CJI
4. PM, Opposition Leader and Rajya Sabha Chair

Answer: (C) PM, Opposition Leader and CJI

Explanation: The March 2023 Supreme Court interim arrangement included the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. Parliament subsequently enacted a different statutory appointment framework in December 2023.

Q81. Which constitutional Article directly concerns the Election Commission of India?

[SSC GD Constable, 30 March 2024 (Shift 1)]

1. Article 322
2. Article 324
3. Article 321
4. Article 323

Answer: (B) Article 324

Explanation: Article 324 vests election supervision, direction and control in the Election Commission. Articles 321 to 323 instead relate to Public Service Commissions, so they do not establish the Election Commission.

Q80. Which among these is a constitutional body?

[SSC GD Constable, 22 February 2024 (Shift 3)]

1. National Human Rights Commission
2. Food Corporation of India
3. Law Commission of India
4. Election Commission of India

Answer: (D) Election Commission of India

Explanation: The Election Commission is established directly under Article 324. The NHRC and Food Corporation arise from statutes, whereas the Law Commission is constituted through executive action and is not itself a constitutional institution.

Q79. Evaluate Finance Commission statements:
I. Sixteenth Commission chaired by Arvind Panagariya;
II. Commission constituted under Article 263.

Which is correct?

[NDA General Ability Test, 21 April 2024]

1. I only
2. II only
3. Both
4. Neither

Answer: (A) I only

Explanation: The Sixteenth Finance Commission was constituted under Arvind Panagariya. The applicable constitutional provision is Article 280, not Article 263, which addresses the Inter-State Council.

Q78. Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities:
I. one such officer for each State;
II. Article 350B inserted by Ninth Amendment.

Which correct?

[UPPSC PCS Preliminary GS-I 2024]

1. Neither I nor II
2. I only
3. II only
4. Both

Answer: (A) Neither I nor II

Explanation: Article 350B creates a centrally appointed Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities, not a separate officer for every State. The Seventh Amendment of 1956, rather than the Ninth, inserted that Article.

Q77. Within how many days was the President required to constitute the GST Council after commencement of the 101st Amendment?

[UP Police Assistant Operator, 4 February 2024 (Shift 1)]

1. 600 days
2. 6 days
3. 6000 days
4. 60 days

Answer: (D) 60 days

Explanation: Article 279A required constitution of the GST Council within sixty days after the relevant 101st Amendment provision commenced. This ensured the intergovernmental institutional mechanism existed before the nationwide GST system became operational.

Q76. Which Article provides for India’s Comptroller and Auditor General?

[IB ACIO Grade II, 18 January 2024 (Shift 3)]

1. Article 165
2. Article 125
3. Article 368
4. Article 148

Answer: (D) Article 148

Explanation: Article 148 creates the CAG, while Article 149 addresses duties and powers prescribed by Parliament. The institution examines public accounts and reports on expenditure, helping legislatures hold the executive accountable.