Chief Minister & State Council of Ministers: Complete Indian Polity Notes for UPSC, State PCS, SSC, and Railway Exams

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1 / 71

In whom is the real executive power of the state vested?

2 / 71

Who appoints the Chief Minister?

3 / 71

Consider the following statements:

1. The Governor is free to appoint any person as Chief Minister.

2. In a parliamentary system, the Governor appoints only the leader of the majority party in the State Legislative Assembly as Chief Minister.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

 

 

4 / 71

In which Article of the Constitution is it mentioned that the Governor shall appoint the Chief Minister?

5 / 71

The tenure of the Chief Minister is:

6 / 71

Who determines the salary and allowances of the Chief Minister?

7 / 71

Who is the Chairman of the State Planning Board?

8 / 71

Which Article of the Constitution mentions the Chief Minister's duty to provide information to the Governor?

9 / 71

The Governor appoints the Ministers:

10 / 71

Which Article of the Constitution mentions the provisions related to the State Council of Ministers?

11 / 71

To whom is the State Council of Ministers collectively responsible?

12 / 71

To whom are the State Ministers individually responsible?

13 / 71

In which Article of the Constitution is it mentioned that all executive actions of the State shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the Governor?

14 / 71

In which part of the Constitution are the organization, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges, and powers of the State Legislature mentioned?

15 / 71

How many houses are there in the State Legislature?

16 / 71

The Upper House of the State Legislature is called:

17 / 71

The Lower House of the State Legislature is called:

18 / 71

The components (parts) of the State Legislature are:

19 / 71

Currently, how many states in India have a bicameral legislature?

20 / 71

In which of the following states is there no bicameral legislature?

21 / 71

In which of the following states is there no bicameral legislature?

22 / 71

Which one of the following houses can the Parliament completely abolish by law?

23 / 71

Who has the power to establish a Legislative Council?

24 / 71

The maximum number of members in the Legislative Council can be:

25 / 71

The minimum number of members in the Legislative Council can be:

26 / 71

What is the provision for members to be elected from local bodies in the Legislative Council?

27 / 71

The number of members elected from graduate constituencies in the Legislative Council is:

28 / 71

How many members are elected to the Legislative Council from the teachers' constituency?

29 / 71

Who can vote in the Legislative Council graduate constituency elections?

30 / 71

How many members of the Legislative Council are elected by the members of the Legislative Assembly?

31 / 71

Who cannot vote in the teacher constituency election of the Legislative Council?

32 / 71

How many members of the Legislative Council are nominated by the Governor?

33 / 71

The term (tenure) of the Legislative Assembly is:

34 / 71

Which authority can dissolve the Legislative Assembly at any time before its term expires?

35 / 71

The term of the members of the Legislative Council is:

36 / 71

How many members of the Legislative Council retire every second year?

37 / 71

What is the minimum age prescribed to be elected as a member of the Legislative Council?

38 / 71

What is the minimum age prescribed to be elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly?

39 / 71

Consider the following statements:
3. A person to be elected to the Legislative Council must be qualified to be an elector for the Legislative Assembly.
4. It is not necessary for a person becoming a member of the Legislative Assembly to be a voter of the concerned state.
Which of the above statements is/are FALSE?

40 / 71

According to the Constitution, a person shall be disqualified from being chosen as, and for being, a member of the State Legislative Council or Assembly if:

41 / 71

To whom can a member of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council submit their resignation in writing?

42 / 71

The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is elected:

43 / 71

To whom does the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly address his resignation?

44 / 71

The Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is selected/elected:

45 / 71

How many days in advance must notice be given for a resolution to remove the Speaker/Deputy Speaker?

46 / 71

In the case of a tie on any bill or resolution in the Legislative Assembly, who has the casting vote?

47 / 71

Who elects the members of the Legislative Council?

48 / 71

Who summons the session of the State Legislature?

49 / 71

The authority to adjourn the Legislative Assembly session lies with:

50 / 71

In whom is the power to prorogue the Legislative Assembly session vested?

51 / 71

The prescribed quorum for the Legislative Assembly/Legislative Council is:

52 / 71

Through how many stages does an ordinary bill pass in the initial house?

53 / 71

For what maximum period can the Legislative Council delay an ordinary bill?

54 / 71

In an Assembly/Bicameral system, after a bill is passed by the houses and sent to the Governor, which of the following options does the Governor have?

55 / 71

A Money Bill can be introduced in:

56 / 71

Consider the following statements:
1. There is no provision in the Constitution for a joint sitting of both houses of the state legislature on a draft bill.
2. A money bill can be introduced in the state assembly only with the prior permission of the Governor.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

57 / 71

Who decides whether a bill introduced in the Legislative Assembly is a Money Bill or not?

58 / 71

Which of the following houses is called a "White Elephant" by critics?

59 / 71

Choose the correct statement:
1. A member of the legislature cannot be arrested 40 days before and 40 days after the session.
2. This exemption is only in civil cases.
Codes:

60 / 71

What can be the minimum number of members in the Legislative Assembly?

61 / 71

Which state in India has the highest number of Legislative Assembly seats?

62 / 71

Match the following (State vs. Legislative Assembly Seats):
(A) Arunachal Pradesh  (B) Himachal Pradesh (C) Uttarakhand (D) Jharkhand (E) Haryana

63 / 71

In which of the following states is the number of Legislative Assembly seats 40?

64 / 71

Match the following (State vs. Legislative Assembly Seats):
(A) Madhya Pradesh (B) Maharashtra (C) Tamil Nadu (D) Odisha (E) Punjab

65 / 71

Match the following (State vs. Legislative Assembly Seats):
(A) Bihar (B) Gujarat (C) Rajasthan (D) Telangana (E) West Bengal

66 / 71

Match the following (Provisions vs. Article):
(A) Composition of Legislative Assemblies (B) Special Address by Governor (C) Composition of Legislative Councils (D) Sessions of State Legislature

67 / 71

In which article of the Constitution is the Governor's power to issue ordinances inherent?

68 / 71

In which of the following Union Territories does a Legislative Assembly exist?

69 / 71

Article 168 of the Indian Constitution is related to:

70 / 71

Which article of the Constitution is related to the Budget in the States?

71 / 71

In which of the following states is the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly not 60?

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Welcome, future officers! In Indian Polity, the State Executive is a very high-yielding topic for competitive exams like SSC CGL, Railway NTPC, State PCS, and UPSC. At the heart of the State Executive is the Chief Minister (CM) and the State Council of Ministers (CoM).

If you are a student preparing for these exams, you must know exactly what articles apply to the Chief Minister, their powers, and the exact rules for the Council of Ministers. Let’s break this topic down into very simple and easy-to-understand language.

1. Introduction: Who is the Chief Minister?

In our parliamentary system of government, the state level mirrors the central level.

  • The Governor is the Nominal Executive head (De jure executive).
  • The Chief Minister is the Real Executive head (De facto executive).

Just like the Prime Minister is the head of the government at the Centre, the Chief Minister is the head of the government at the State level.

2. Appointment, Oath, and Term of the Chief Minister

Appointment (Article 164)

  • The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor.
  • Does the Governor appoint anyone? No. The Governor must invite the leader of the majority party in the State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) to become the Chief Minister.
  • If no party has a clear majority, the Governor uses their discretionary power to appoint the leader of the largest coalition or party, asking them to prove their majority within a specific time (usually 1 month).

Qualifications

  • Must be a citizen of India.
  • Must be a member of the State Legislature (either Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council).
  • Important Exception: A person who is not a member of the state legislature can be appointed as Chief Minister, but they must get elected to either house within 6 months, otherwise, they lose the post.

Oath and Resignation

  • Oath: Administered by the Governor.
  • Resignation: Handed over to the Governor.

Term of Office

  • The term of the CM is not fixed.
  • Constitutionally, they hold office during the “pleasure of the Governor”.
  • Exam Trap: The Governor cannot dismiss the CM at any time. The CM can stay in power as long as they enjoy the majority support in the Legislative Assembly.

3. The State Council of Ministers (Article 163 & 164)

The Chief Minister does not work alone; they have a team called the Council of Ministers to run the state departments.

Composition

The State Council of Ministers consists of three categories of ministers:

  1. Cabinet Ministers: Head important departments (Home, Finance, Education).
  2. Ministers of State: Can hold independent charge of a department or assist Cabinet Ministers.
  3. Deputy Ministers: Assist Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State.

The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 (Most Repeated in Exams)

This is a very famous question in State PCS and SSC exams. It put a strict limit on the size of the Council of Ministers:

  • Maximum Size: The total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, cannot exceed 15% of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly of that state.
  • Minimum Size: The total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, shall not be less than 12.

Collective Responsibility (Article 164)

The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). If a No-Confidence Motion is passed in the Assembly, all the ministers, including the CM, must resign.

4. Crucial Articles at a Glance (Quick Revision Table)

Article No.Subject Matter / Description
Article 163There shall be a Council of Ministers with the CM at the head to aid and advise the Governor.
Article 164Provisions for Appointment, term, oath, qualifications, and salaries of Ministers. States the collective responsibility to the Assembly.
Article 166Conduct of business of the Government of a State. All executive actions are taken in the name of the Governor.
Article 167Duties of the Chief Minister regarding furnishing information to the Governor.

5. Important Facts for Quick Revision (Bullet Points)

  • Part of Constitution: The State Executive is dealt with in Part VI of the Constitution (Articles 153 to 167).
  • First Woman CM: Sucheta Kriplani (Uttar Pradesh).
  • Longest Serving CM: Pawan Kumar Chamling (Sikkim) followed closely by Naveen Patnaik (Odisha).
  • Link between Governor and Cabinet: The Chief Minister acts as the sole communication channel between the Governor and the Council of Ministers (Article 167).
  • Advocate General: The CM advises the Governor on the appointment of important officials like the Advocate General, Chairman/Members of State Public Service Commission, and State Election Commissioner.

6. Common Exam Traps & Confusing Points 🚨

  1. Trap: “The Chief Minister holds office during the pleasure of the President.”
    • Reality: False. The CM holds office during the pleasure of the Governor (Article 164).
  2. Trap: “The minimum number of ministers in a state cannot be less than 15%.”
    • Reality: Read carefully! 15% is the Maximum limit. The Minimum number is strictly 12 ministers (not 12 percent).
  3. Trap: “Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Governor.”
    • Reality: False. They are collectively responsible to the State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). They are individually responsible to the Governor.
  4. Trap: “Chief Minister’s salary is fixed by Parliament.”
    • Reality: False. Salaries and allowances of the CM and ministers are determined by the State Legislature.

7. Previous Year Exam Relevance

  • SSC CGL/CHSL: Frequently asks about the minimum age to be a CM (25 years if MLA, 30 if MLC) and the 91st Amendment Act.
  • Railway NTPC: Focuses on current CMs, first CMs, and basic articles (like Article 163).
  • State PCS (UPPSC, BPSC, MPPSC): Asks in-depth assertion-reasoning questions on “pleasure of the governor” and collective vs. individual responsibility.
  • UPSC Prelims: Conceptual questions on the discretionary power of the Governor in appointing the CM and the exact phrasing of Article 164 regarding collective responsibility.

8. Exam Practice: 5 MCQs with Explanations

Q1. Under which Constitutional Amendment Act was the size of the State Council of Ministers restricted?

A) 86th Amendment Act, 2002

B) 89th Amendment Act, 2003

C) 91st Amendment Act, 2003

D) 97th Amendment Act, 2011

Answer: C

Explanation: The 91st CAA of 2003 restricted the size of the CoM to 15% of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly to prevent jumbo-sized cabinets.

Q2. The State Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to whom?

A) The Governor

B) The Chief Minister

C) The State Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad)

D) The State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha)

Answer: D

Explanation: Under Article 164, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the directly elected house, which is the Legislative Assembly.

Q3. According to the Constitution of India, what is the minimum number of Ministers (including the Chief Minister) in a State?

A) 10

B) 12

C) 15

D) 15% of the Assembly

Answer: B

Explanation: The 91st Amendment clearly states that the total number of ministers including the CM in a state shall not be less than 12. Smaller states like Goa or Sikkim often utilize this rule.

Q4. If a person who is not a member of the State Legislature is appointed as Chief Minister, within what period must they become a member?

A) 3 months

B) 6 months

C) 1 year

D) They cannot be appointed at all

Answer: B

Explanation: A non-member can become a CM or Minister, but they must get elected (or nominated) to the state legislature within 6 months, else they cease to be a minister.

Q5. Which Article states that it is the duty of the Chief Minister to communicate all decisions of the Council of Ministers to the Governor?

A) Article 163

B) Article 164

C) Article 166

D) Article 167

Answer: D

Explanation: Article 167 deals specifically with the duties of the Chief Minister regarding furnishing information to the Governor.

9. Quick Revision Summary

  • CM is Real Head, appointed by Governor.
  • Term is Pleasure of Governor (subject to Assembly majority).
  • Article 163: Council of Ministers to advise Governor.
  • Article 164: Appointment of CM, collective responsibility to Vidhan Sabha.
  • Article 167: Duty of CM to inform Governor.
  • 91st Amendment: Max Ministers = 15% of Assembly size; Min Ministers = 12.
  • Salary decided by: State Legislature.

Would you like me to cover the “Governor” or “State Legislature (Vidhan Sabha & Vidhan Parishad)” next to complete your State Executive notes?

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