Q30. How many Indian states had Legislative Councils as of January 2021?
[SSC CHSL 2020 cycle (16 Apr 2021, Shift 1)]
A. Five
B. Eight
C. Seven
D. Six
Answer: D. Six
Explanation: Six states had Councils in early 2021: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. The number can change only through the constitutional process. Councils are optional rather than mandatory features of state legislatures.
Q29. After how many years does approximately one-third of a State Legislative Council retire?
[SSC CHSL 2020 cycle (6 Aug 2021, Shift 1)]
A. Three years
B. One year
C. Two years
D. Four years
Answer: C. Two years
Explanation: Under Article 172(2), about one-third of a Council’s members retire every second year. An individual member normally serves six years, allowing staggered terms. The Council itself is continuous and cannot be dissolved like the Legislative Assembly.
Q28. Which of these states has the largest number of Legislative Assembly seats?
[SSC MTS 2020 cycle (13 Oct 2021, Shift 2)]
A. Rajasthan
B. Maharashtra
C. Uttar Pradesh
D. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: C. Uttar Pradesh
Explanation: Uttar Pradesh has 403 elected Assembly seats, exceeding Maharashtra’s 288, Madhya Pradesh’s 230 and Rajasthan’s 200. Seat strength is fixed under the constitutional and statutory delimitation framework. Assembly membership is determined through direct elections.
Q27. Which Article provides for the abolition and creation of Legislative Councils in states?
[UP Junior Aided Teacher (2021)]
A. Article 171
B. Article 168
C. Article 170
D. Article 169
Answer: D. Article 169
Explanation: Article 169 deals with both the creation and abolition of Councils. The state Assembly must support the proposal using a constitutionally prescribed special majority, following which Parliament may pass the necessary law. The Council cannot abolish itself unilaterally.
Q26. Consider the statements about bills in a bicameral state:
(a) Every bill may originate in either House.
(b) Deadlocks are resolved by a joint sitting.
(c) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have reserved seats in both Houses.
Which statements are correct?
[MPSC Subordinate Services Mains PSI (2021)]
A. Only (a)
B. Only (b)
C. (a) and (c)
D. None of the above
Answer: D. None of the above
Explanation: Money Bills cannot originate in the Council, making (a) false. There is no joint sitting between the two state Houses, making (b) false. Constitutional reservation of Assembly seats does not extend in the same manner to Councils.
Q25. Which of the following states did not hold Assembly elections in the March–April 2021 round?
[RRB NTPC CBT-I (24 Jul 2021, Shift 2)]
A. Kerala
B. West Bengal
C. Manipur
D. Assam
Answer: C. Manipur
Explanation: Kerala, West Bengal and Assam held Assembly elections during the 2021 spring electoral cycle. Manipur did not; its next Assembly election occurred in 2022. The question tests the timing of elections to directly elected State Legislative Assemblies.
Q24. A State Legislative Council can have a maximum membership equal to what fraction of the State Assembly?
[Karnataka Police Sub-Inspector (19 Jan 2020)]
A. One-third
B. Two-thirds
C. One-half
D. One-fourth
Answer: A. One-third
Explanation: The constitutional Council ceiling is one-third of the State Assembly strength under Article 171, and the normal minimum is forty members. The upper house consequently remains smaller than the popularly elected chamber and has more limited powers.
Q23. Which statement correctly states the general size of a State Legislative Council?
[Karnataka Civil Police Constable (27 Jan 2019)]
A. Not more than half of Assembly strength
B. Not more than one-third of Assembly strength and not fewer than forty members
C. Not more than one-fourth of Assembly strength and not fewer than forty members
D. None of the above
Answer: B. Not more than one-third of Assembly strength and not fewer than forty members
Explanation: Article 171 sets two simultaneous general conditions: the upper house must not exceed one-third of Assembly strength and must have at least forty members. Parliament determines the precise size by law within those limits, subject to exceptions.
Q22. What happens when the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council disagree over an ordinary bill that originated in the Assembly?
[APPSC Group 1 Prelims 2018 (held in 2019)]
A. The bill is permanently blocked
B. A joint sitting must be called
C. The Council can delay but cannot permanently prevent its passage
D. The Council has the same legislative veto as the Rajya Sabha
Answer: C. The Council can delay but cannot permanently prevent its passage
Explanation: Article 197 provides successive opportunities for the Council to consider an Assembly-originated ordinary bill. The Council’s resistance can delay passage by up to three months and then one month, but the Assembly ultimately has final authority.
Q21. Which statements about the legislative process are correct?
(i) An ordinary bill may originate in either House.
(ii) The Council may delay an Assembly bill for three months at the first stage.
(iii) At the second stage the Council may delay it fifteen days.
(iv) The Council may hold a Money Bill for twenty days.
[Telangana Police Sub-Inspector Mains (2018)]
A. (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
B. (i) and (ii) only
C. (i), (ii) and (iii) only
D. (i), (ii) and (iv) only
Answer: B. (i) and (ii) only
Explanation: An ordinary bill may start in either chamber, and the Council’s first delay on an Assembly bill may reach three months. At the second stage the limit is one month, not fifteen days; the Money Bill limit is fourteen days.
