Constitutional Bodies

289

Q25. What is the commonly described nature of the Finance Commission under Article 280?

[RPF Constable 2018 paper, held 5 February 2019]

1. Administrative body
2. Quasi-judicial body
3. Judicial body
4. Non-statutory body

Answer: (B) Quasi-judicial body

Explanation: The Finance Commission is a constitutional body often described as quasi-judicial because of its statutory powers to summon witnesses and obtain records. Its central function remains making recommendations about tax sharing, grants and fiscal relations between governments.

Q24. How is the Finance Commission constitutionally classified?

[RPF Constable 2018 paper, held 14 February 2019]

1. Quasi-federal body
2. Quasi-judicial body only
3. Constitutional body
4. Executive body

Answer: (C) Constitutional body

Explanation: Article 280 explicitly provides for a Finance Commission constituted by the President, making it constitutional rather than merely executive. It recommends fiscal transfers and tax devolution between the Union and States to support cooperative fiscal federalism.

Q23. Who chaired the Fourteenth Finance Commission of India?

[RPF Constable 2018 paper, held 19 January 2019 (Shift 3)]

1. Y. V. Reddy
2. C. Rangarajan
3. Vijay Kelkar
4. N. K. Singh

Answer: (A) Y. V. Reddy

Explanation: Y. V. Reddy, a former Reserve Bank Governor, chaired the Fourteenth Finance Commission. Its recommendations concerned the 2015–2020 period, including a substantial increase in the States’ share of divisible Union tax revenue.

Q22. At what regular interval is the Finance Commission constituted?

[BARC UDC/JPA/JSK 2018 paper, held 10 March 2019]

1. Every year
2. Every four years
3. Every two years
4. Every five years

Answer: (D) Every five years

Explanation: Article 280 provides for constitution of the Finance Commission every fifth year or earlier when the President considers it necessary. Each commission recommends tax sharing and grants suitable for its assigned period of fiscal assessment.

Q21. Which office is not appointed by the President of India?

[UP Police Constable, 19 June 2018 (Shift 2)]

1. High Court judge
2. Advocate General of State
3. Governor
4. Attorney General of India

Answer: (B) Advocate General of State

Explanation: The State Advocate General is appointed by the Governor under Article 165. The President appoints High Court judges, State Governors and the Union Attorney General under their respective constitutional provisions.

Q20. Which Article of the Indian Constitution establishes the Finance Commission?

[MP Vyapam AAO, 4 August 2018 (Shift 2)]

1. Article 280
2. Article 282
3. Article 284
4. Article 283

Answer: (A) Article 280

Explanation: Article 280 provides the constitutional basis for the Finance Commission. Article 282 concerns discretionary grants, while Articles 283 and 284 address custody of public funds and deposits; these provisions have different financial purposes.

Q19. Who served as Chairperson of the Fifteenth Finance Commission?

[KVS Trained Graduate Teacher Official Paper 2018]

1. Ramesh Chand
2. N. K. Singh
3. Y. V. Reddy
4. Ashok Lahiri

Answer: (B) N. K. Singh

Explanation: N. K. Singh was appointed chairperson of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, established in 2017. The commission evaluated Union–State financial sharing for a subsequent award period and considered recommendations on taxation, grants and fiscal management.

Q18. Who was chairperson of the Fourteenth Finance Commission?

[RPF Sub-Inspector, 19 December 2018 (Shift 3)]

1. C. Rangarajan
2. N. K. Singh
3. Y. V. Reddy
4. Vijay Kelkar

Answer: (C) Y. V. Reddy

Explanation: Y. V. Reddy headed the Fourteenth Finance Commission, established in January 2013. C. Rangarajan, Vijay Kelkar and N. K. Singh chaired other Finance Commissions, so identifying the ordinal number is essential to this question.

Q17. Election Commission claims: I a five-member body; II Home Ministry fixes election dates; III Commission settles recognized-party split disputes. Which correct?

[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary 2017]

1. I and II only
2. II only
3. II and III only
4. III only

Answer: (D) III only

Explanation: The Election Commission is not constitutionally fixed at five members and decides election schedules independently of the Home Ministry. It also recognizes parties, allots symbols and adjudicates specified party split disputes.

Q16. Who was the incumbent CAG named in the 2017 recruitment paper?

[CIL Management Trainee Electrical, 2017]

1. Mukul Rohatgi
2. Shashikant Sharma
3. Vinod Rai
4. V. N. Kaul

Answer: (B) Shashikant Sharma

Explanation: Shashikant Sharma served as CAG until September 2017, when Rajiv Mehrishi succeeded him. This is a date-dependent historical question; officeholders have changed since the original examination.