Samacheer Kalvi 10th Social Science Chapter 20 Exercise Solutions — State Government | KalviGavani

(a) Chief Minister    (b) Prime Minister    (c) President    (d) Supreme Court

(a) Governor    (b) Chief Minister    (c) High Court    (d) President

(a) 25 years    (b) 30 years    (c) 35 years    (d) 40 years

(a) 200    (b) 234    (c) 250    (d) 300

(a) Municipalities    (b) Panchayati Raj    (c) Legislative Council    (d) Governor's powers

(a) Defence    (b) Banking    (c) Police    (d) Foreign affairs

(a) Legislative Assembly    (b) Legislative Council    (c) Rajya Sabha    (d) Lok Sabha

(a) Governor    (b) Chief Minister    (c) Speaker    (d) Deputy Chief Minister

(a) Panchayati Raj    (b) Municipalities    (c) Legislative Assembly    (d) Chief Minister's powers

(a) Legislative Council    (b) Legislative Assembly    (c) Either house    (d) Rajya Sabha

The Governor must be a citizen of India and at least 35 years of age. The person should not be a member of either house of Parliament or the State Legislature, and should not hold any office of profit. The Governor is appointed by the President on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers.

The Governor holds executive powers (appoints the CM and Council of Ministers), legislative powers (summons and prorogues the Legislature, gives assent to bills), judicial powers (can grant pardons, reprieves, and remit sentences), and discretionary powers (can recommend President's Rule under Article 356). The Governor also appoints the Advocate General and State Election Commissioner.

The Governor appoints the leader of the majority party (or coalition) in the Legislative Assembly as the Chief Minister. If no party has a clear majority, the Governor uses discretion to appoint a CM who can prove majority on the floor of the house within a specified time. The CM must be a member of either house of the State Legislature.

The Speaker presides over the sessions of the Legislative Assembly and maintains order and discipline. The Speaker decides on points of order, certifies money bills, and has casting vote in case of a tie. The Speaker also decides on disqualification of members under the anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule) and protects the rights of opposition members.

The Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) is the lower house whose members are directly elected by the people for a term of 5 years. The Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) is the upper house whose members are indirectly elected; it is a permanent body where one-third of members retire every two years. The Assembly is present in all states, while the Council is optional.

The 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions. It mandated regular elections every 5 years, reservation of one-third seats for women, reservation for SC/ST proportional to population, a State Finance Commission to review finances, and a State Election Commission to conduct elections. It created a three-tier system — Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, and Zilla Parishad.

The Concurrent List (List III of Schedule VII) contains subjects on which both Parliament and state legislatures can make laws. Examples include education, forests, trade unions, and criminal law. In case of conflict between a central law and a state law on a Concurrent List subject, the central law prevails.

The Governor's discretionary powers include: (a) recommending President's Rule under Article 356 when the state government cannot function, (b) reserving bills for the President's consideration, (c) appointing the Chief Minister when no party has a clear majority, and (d) exercising special powers in scheduled areas. The Governor is not bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers in these matters.

The Governor holds four types of powers:

Executive powers: The Governor appoints the Chief Minister and on the CM's advice appoints other Ministers. The Governor appoints the Advocate General, State Election Commissioner, and Vice Chancellors of state universities. All executive actions of the state government are taken in the Governor's name.

Legislative powers: The Governor summons, prorogues, and dissolves the Legislative Assembly. The Governor addresses the Legislature at the beginning of the first session each year. The Governor nominates one-twelfth of the members of the Legislative Council (if it exists) and one Anglo-Indian member to the Assembly. No bill becomes law without the Governor's assent. The Governor can issue ordinances when the Legislature is not in session.

Judicial powers: The Governor can grant pardons, reprieves, respites, and remissions of punishment for offences under state law. The Governor cannot pardon a death sentence (only the President can), but can commute it. The Governor is consulted by the President in the appointment of High Court judges.

Discretionary powers: The Governor can act without ministerial advice in certain situations — recommending President's Rule, reserving bills for the President, and determining the CM when no party has a majority. In these matters, the Governor exercises independent judgement.

The Chief Minister is the real executive head of the state government:

• Appointment of Ministers: The CM is appointed by the Governor. The CM recommends the names of other Ministers to the Governor for appointment. The CM can ask a Minister to resign and can reshuffle the Council of Ministers at any time.

• Head of Council of Ministers: The CM presides over Cabinet meetings and decides the agenda. The CM distributes portfolios among Ministers and can change them. The Council of Ministers works under the leadership of the CM.

• Advisor to Governor: The CM advises the Governor on the appointment of the Advocate General, State Election Commissioner, and other important officials. The Governor appoints these functionaries on the CM's advice.

• Link between Governor and Legislature: The CM communicates all decisions of the Council of Ministers to the Governor. The CM advises the Governor on summoning, proroguing, and dissolving the Legislative Assembly.

• Leader of the Legislature: The CM is the leader of the majority party in the Legislative Assembly. The CM pilots important bills and policies through the house. The CM answers questions and participates in debates.

• Role in planning and development: The CM chairs the State Planning Board and guides the state's development priorities, budget, and five-year plans. The CM represents the state at the NITI Aayog and other national forums.

The State Legislature consists of the Governor and one or two houses:

Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha): This is the lower house and the more powerful of the two. It has a maximum of 500 members and a minimum of 60 members (smaller states may have fewer). Members are directly elected by the people from single-member constituencies for a term of 5 years. The Governor may nominate one Anglo-Indian member. The Assembly elects a Speaker and Deputy Speaker from among its members. The Assembly discusses and passes bills, controls the state budget, and can pass a no-confidence motion to dismiss the government.

Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad): This is the upper house and is optional. Its maximum strength is one-third of the Assembly's strength, with a minimum of 40. Members are elected by different constituencies — teachers, graduates, local bodies, and MLAs. One-sixth are nominated by the Governor for expertise in literature, science, art, and social service. It is a permanent body; one-third of members retire every two years, serving 6-year terms. The Council can discuss and suggest amendments to bills but cannot reject money bills or amend them.

Law-making process: A bill may be introduced in either house (except a money bill, which must originate in the Assembly). After being passed by the house where it was introduced, it goes to the other house. If both houses pass it, it goes to the Governor for assent. The Governor may give assent, withhold assent, return it for reconsideration, or reserve it for the President. Once assented, it becomes an Act.

The 73rd and 74th Amendments, passed in 1992, transformed local self-government in India:

73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj): This amendment gave constitutional status to rural local bodies. It created a three-tier system — Gram Panchayat at the village level, Panchayat Samiti at the block level, and Zilla Parishad at the district level. It mandated regular elections every 5 years under the supervision of the State Election Commission. It reserved one-third of all seats and chairperson positions for women, and reserved seats for SC/ST proportional to their population. It established the State Finance Commission to review the financial position of panchayats and recommend revenue distribution. It added Schedule XI listing 29 subjects for panchayat administration, including agriculture, health, education, and roads.

74th Amendment (Municipalities): This amendment gave constitutional status to urban local bodies — Nagar Panchayats (transitional areas), Municipal Councils (smaller urban areas), and Municipal Corporations (larger urban areas). It mandated regular elections every 5 years and reservation of one-third seats for women and seats for SC/ST. It established the State Finance Commission and District Planning Committees. It added Schedule XII listing 18 subjects for municipalities, including water supply, public health, and urban planning.

Significance: Before these amendments, local bodies existed only as creations of state laws and were often dissolved without elections for long periods. By giving them constitutional status, the amendments ensured democratic decentralisation, regular elections, representation for marginalised groups, and financial accountability. These amendments strengthened grassroots democracy and brought governance closer to the people.

The law-making process at the state level follows these steps:

Introduction: A bill may be introduced by a Minister (government bill) or by a private member (private member's bill). A money bill can only be introduced by a Minister in the Legislative Assembly with the Governor's prior recommendation. The bill is published in the gazette before introduction.

First Reading: The bill is introduced in the house. The title and objectives are read aloud. No debate takes place. The bill is published and circulated to members.

Second Reading: This is the most important stage. It has three sub-stages — (a) general discussion on the principles of the bill, (b) clause-by-clause consideration where members can move amendments, and (c) the bill as amended is put to vote. If passed, it goes to the other house.

Third Reading: The bill as passed is debated briefly. Members can speak for or against the bill as a whole but not move amendments. The bill is put to vote.

In the other house: The bill goes through all three readings in the other house. If both houses pass the bill, it is sent to the Governor. In case of disagreement, a joint sitting is not held (unlike Parliament); the Assembly's view prevails in money bills.

Governor's assent: The Governor has four options — give assent (bill becomes law), withhold assent (bill is rejected), return the bill for reconsideration (if the Assembly passes it again, the Governor must give assent), or reserve the bill for the President's consideration. Once the Governor gives assent, the bill becomes an Act and is published as a state law.