Constitutional & Statutory Bodies

The North Eastern Council (NEC) was established under the *North Eastern Council Act, 1971* to ensure the balanced and coordinated development of the North Eastern Region. After the North Eastern Council (Amendment) Act, 2002, the structure and composition of the Council were modified. As per Section 3(1) of the *NEC Act, 1971 (as amended)*, the Council shall consist of the following members: 1. The Chief Ministers of the Constituent States
2. The Governors of the Constituent States
3. Three Members to be nominated by the President of India These are the only members of the Council as defined by the Act. Further, Section 3(2) specifies that:
“The Union Home Minister shall be the ex officio Chairman of the Council, and the Minister of the Central Government in charge of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) shall be the ex officio Vice-Chairman of the Council.” Thus, while the Union Home Minister serves as the ex officio Chairman, he does not form part of the Council as a member under Section 3(1). Similarly, the Minister of DoNER is the ex officio Vice-Chairman, but not a member of the Council.

* Delimitation commissions have been set up four times in the past — 1953, 1962, 1972 and 2002 — under Delimitation Commission Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.   * The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India. The Delimitation Commission in India is a high-power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called into question before any court.  * The Commission’s orders are laid before the Lok Sabha and the legislative assemblies concerned, but they cannot effect any modifications in the orders. * Composition: Retired Supreme Court Judge, Chief Election Commissioner and respective state election commissioners.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The President of India, not the Governor of a State, has the power to specify a community as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) for a particular state or Union Territory. This is done through a notification in the Official Gazette, after consultation with the concerned State government. Statement 2 is correct: The specification of Scheduled Tribes is not uniform across the country. A community recognized as an ST in one State may not be recognized as such in another State. This is because the criteria for scheduling are based on social, educational, and economic backwardness, which can vary across regions.

Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was elected as the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly on December 9, 1946. This was a temporary position. He served as the Chairman for two days, after which Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President of the Constituent Assembly on December 11, 1946. Here's why the other options are incorrect: * C. Rajagopalachari: He was the last Governor-General of India and played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. * Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: He was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. *  T.T. Krishnamachari: He was a prominent member of the Constituent Assembly and later served as the Finance Minister of India.

Based on principles of need, equity and performance, overall devolution formula is as given in the chart:

* Statement 1 is incorrect: The elected members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament that is the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha as well as the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and Union Territories (Delhi, Puducherry and J&K) comprise the electoral college for the Presidential Election in India.  * Statement 2 is incorrect: The value of the vote of each MLA depends on the ratio of the States population and the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly. By dividing the States population by the number of MLAs in its legislative Assembly, and then further dividing the quotient achieved by 1000, one may calculate the value of each MLAs vote. Based on a calculation that takes into account each States population about the number of members in its legislative Assembly, each MLAs vote value varies from State to State. According to the Constitution (Eighty-fourth Amendment) Act of 2001, the population of the States is currently calculated using data from the 1971 Census.  * Statement 3 is incorrect: The vote value of each MLA of Madhya Pradesh is less than that of the vote value of each MLA of Kerala as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Kerala is greater relative to that in Madhya Pradesh.  * Statement 4 is correct: The vote value of each MLA of Puducherry is higher than that of Arunachal Pradesh as the ratio of total population to total elective seats in Puducherry is greater relative to that in Arunachal Pradesh. In the 2022 Presidential election, the vote value of each MLA from Puducherry was 16 whereas the vote value of each MLA from Arunachal Pradesh came out to be 8.

Statement 1 is correct: While a Finance Bill (Category I under Art 117) is introduced only in the Lok Sabha (similar to a Money Bill), it is passed according to the ordinary legislative procedure. Therefore, the Rajya Sabha has the power to reject or amend it. Statement 2 is correct: A Money Bill (Article 110) cannot be rejected or amended by the Rajya Sabha. It can only make recommendations which the Lok Sabha may accept or reject. Statement 3 is incorrect: While a Joint Sitting is not provided for Money Bills, it is available for Finance Bills. However, it is not "necessary" (mandatory) to hold one. Under Article 108, the President "may" summon a Joint Sitting to resolve the deadlock, but is not obliged to do so; the bill could simply be allowed to lapse.

* The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC): This body is a constitutional body. It was given constitutional status by the 102nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2018, which inserted Article 338B into the Indian Constitution. * The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): This body is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. * The National Law Commission: This body is not a constitutional body. It is an executive body established by an executive order of the Government of India. * The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC): This body is not a constitutional body. It is a statutory body set up under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 (replaced by the Consumer Protection Act 2019).

* Statement 1 is correct: As per Article 244(1) of the Constitution's Fifth Schedule, Scheduled Areas are areas that the President may declare to be such by order after consultation with the Governor of that State.  * Statement 2 is correct: District is considered as the largest administrative unit which forms the Scheduled Area while the lowest administrative unit is the cluster of villages in the Block.  * Statement 3 is incorrect: The Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India states in para 3 that the Governor of each State having Scheduled Areas therein shall annually, or whenever so required by the President, make a report to the President regarding the administration of the Scheduled Areas in that State and the executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the State as to the Administration of the said areas.

* Statement 1 is incorrect: Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards Act and Rules of the States/Union Territories (not the central Government). They are recruited from all classes of people and walks of life, who give their spare time to the organisation for the betterment of the community. * Statement 2 is correct: The role of Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the Police in the maintenance of internal security situations, help the community in any kind of emergency such as an air raid, fire, cyclone, earthquake, epidemic, etc., help in the maintenance of essential services, promote communal harmony and assist the administration in protecting weaker sections, participate in socio-economic and welfare activities and perform Civil Defence duties. * Statement 3 is correct: Fifteen Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG) Battalions have been raised in the border States viz. Punjab (6 Bns.), Rajasthan ( 4 Bns.), Gujarat (2 Bns.), and one each Battalion for Meghalaya, Tripura, and West Bengal to serve as an auxiliary to Border Security Force for preventing infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, guarding of VA/VPs and lines of communication in the vulnerable area at the time of external aggression. Therefore, only two statements are correct.