MCQs Based On Political Science- (42)

Correct Option: 2. The President can pardon a death sentence, but the Governor cannot
Explanation: The President has the exclusive power to pardon a death sentence. In contrast, the Governor can only suspend, remit, or commute a death sentence but does not have the authority to grant a pardon for a death sentence.

Correct Option: 4. The Governor exercises executive power only on the advice of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers
Explanation: Under Article 154, the executive power of the state is vested in the Governor but exercised by him/her only on the advice of the Council of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister. The Governor’s actions, in most cases, are bound by the advice of the state government.

Correct Option: 2. Appointment of the Chief Minister when no party has a clear majority
Explanation: When the results of the state legislative assembly elections lead to a situation where no single party has a clear majority (a hung assembly), the Governor is required to exercise discretionary powers. This is because the normal procedure of appointing the Chief Minister becomes uncertain. In this case, the Governor is not bound to follow the advice of the Council of Ministers.
Instead, the Governor decides whom to invite to form the government. This might include:
(1) Inviting the leader of the largest party to form the government if they can demonstrate majority support in the assembly.
(2) Inviting other parties or coalitions to form a government if they can prove their majority.
This discretion is significant because it allows the Governor to ensure stability and governance in the state when there is no outright majority party.
In all other cases mentioned in the options (dissolution, removal, and prorogation), the Governor’s actions are generally carried out based on the advice of the Council of Ministers (except in rare cases where a constitutional crisis occurs).

Correct Option: 3. The Governor can dissolve the assembly if the Chief Minister loses the majority
Explanation: When the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers lose the confidence of the legislative assembly (i.e., they fail to prove majority support), it usually leads to the collapse of the government. The Governor’s role in this situation is to dissolve the legislative assembly and call for fresh elections, thus ensuring the continuation of democratic processes and governance.
This power is exercised by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers in a parliamentary system. The Governor must ensure that the state can form a new government or hold elections to restore governance. The Governor cannot dissolve the assembly if the Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers have majority support, meaning the assembly is functioning well.
A vote of no-confidence isn’t a mandatory requirement for the Governor to dissolve the assembly. While it is a key reason why the Governor might dissolve the assembly (if the government loses the vote of confidence), the Governor’s power to dissolve the assembly arises in situations where the Chief Minister cannot prove majority support. This might happen without an actual no-confidence vote being passed if the CM voluntarily steps down or the assembly is unable to function. Therefore, the Governor has discretion to dissolve the assembly when the government loses the majority or fails to govern effectively.

Correct Option: 3. Article 154
Explanation: Article 154 of the Indian Constitution states that the executive power of the state shall be vested in the Governor, and it shall be exercised by the Governor either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution.