Polity · topic 11 of 11
Constitutional, Statutory & Executive Bodies
The single most useful habit for this chapter: for every body, know its SOURCE (Article, Act or Cabinet resolution), who APPOINTS it, and who it REPORTS to. Most PYQs test exactly one of these three.
Constitutional bodies
| Body | Article | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Finance Commission | 280 | Every 5 years; Chairman + 4; tax devolution and grants-in-aid; report laid by the President (281). 16th FC (Arvind Panagariya), 2026–31 |
| Election Commission | 324 | See the Elections chapter |
| UPSC | 315–323 | Chairman + members appointed by the President; 6 years or 65; removed by the President (misbehaviour only after a SC inquiry); annual report to the President |
| State PSC | 315–323 | Appointed by the Governor but removed only by the President; 6 years or 62 |
| CAG | 148–151 | Appointed by the President; 6 years or 65; removed like a SC judge; audits Union, States, and bodies funded by them; reports to the President/Governor; “friend, philosopher and guide” of the PAC; not eligible for further government office |
| Attorney General | 76 | See the Union Executive chapter |
| Advocate General | 165 | Appointed by the Governor |
| NCSC | 338 | Reports to the President; also looks into Anglo-Indian matters |
| NCST | 338A | Split from NCSC by the 89th Amendment (2003) |
| NCBC | 338B | Constitutional status by the 102nd Amendment (2018) |
| Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities | 350B | Appointed by the President (7th Amendment, 1956) |
| GST Council | 279A | Union FM chairs; decisions by 3/4 weighted vote (Centre 1/3, States 2/3) |
| Inter-State Council | 263 | Set up in 1990 on the Sarkaria Commission’s advice; PM chairs |
Statutory bodies
| Body | Law | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| NHRC | Protection of Human Rights Act 1993 | Chair: a former CJI or SC judge; recommendations not binding; cannot look into matters over a year old |
| CVC | CVC Act 2003 (set up 1964 by resolution on Santhanam Committee advice) | CVC + up to 2 VCs; 4 years or 65; supervises vigilance in central bodies |
| CBI | Delhi Special Police Establishment Act 1946 (set up 1963 by resolution) | Not statutory by its own Act; needs State consent to act in a State |
| Lokpal | Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 | Chair + up to 8 members (half judicial); PM covered with safeguards; age 45–70; first Lokpal P.C. Ghose (2019) |
| CIC | RTI Act 2005 | CIC + up to 10 ICs; term as the Centre prescribes (3 years since the 2019 amendment) |
| NGT | NGT Act 2010 | Civil cases on environment; appeals to the SC |
| Zonal Councils | States Reorganisation Act 1956 | Five councils; Union Home Minister chairs |
Executive (non-statutory) bodies
- NITI Aayog (1 January 2015, Cabinet resolution): PM chairs; Governing Council of all CMs and UT LGs; a think tank, no power to allot funds.
- Planning Commission (1950, resolution) and National Development Council (1952) — both gone in practice; the NDC was never an organ of the Planning Commission.
- National Security Council (1998, executive order).
- Cabinet Secretariat: prepares Cabinet agenda, secretarial help to Cabinet committees, business rules — it does not allocate financial resources.
Reports the President must lay before Parliament
- Finance Commission (281) · CAG (151) · UPSC (323) · NCSC (338) · NCST (338A) · NCBC (338B) · Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities (350B).
- Not the Public Accounts Committee — it is Parliament’s own committee and reports to the House directly.
Governance and rights laws that PYQs use
| Law / scheme | Point asked |
|---|---|
| RTI Act 2005 | Information within 30 days; 48 hours if life or liberty is involved |
| RPwD Act 2016 | 21 disabilities; 4% jobs, 5% higher education |
| Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (2015) | Built environment, transport, ICT |
| Consumer Protection Act 2019 | Central Consumer Protection Authority; e-filing of complaints |
| PM-SYM (2019) | Unorganised workers aged 18–40; ₹3,000 pension after 60; 50:50 matching contribution |
Traps UPSC sets
| The wrong idea | What is actually true |
|---|---|
| Zonal Councils are constitutional | Statutory (1956 Act). |
| The PAC report is laid by the President | The PAC reports straight to Parliament. |
| Only a (former) CJI can chair the Lokpal | Also a former SC judge or an eminent person. |
| The Lokpal cannot probe the PM | It can, with safeguards. |
| The Finance Commission handles foreign capital or PSU finance | Only tax sharing and grants. |
| The State PSC chairman is removed by the Governor | By the President. |
For Mains
GS 2 lists “statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies” by name. Standard frame: mandate → independence (appointment, tenure, removal, funds) → effectiveness → reforms. Common examples: CAG’s performance audits, CIC vacancies, NHRC’s non-binding orders, Lokpal’s slow start.
Real PYQs on this topic, solved
UPSC 2025 · Newest PYQ · Lokpal
Consider the following statements about Lokpal:
- The power of Lokpal applies to public servants of India, but not to the Indian public servants posted outside India. — ✗
- The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a Member of the Parliament or a Member of the Legislature of any State or Union Territory, and only the Chief Justice of India, whether incumbent or retired, has to be its Chairperson. — ✗
- The Chairperson or a Member shall not be a person of less than forty-five years of age on the date of assuming office as the Chairperson or Member, as the case may be. — ✓
- Lokpal cannot inquire into the allegations of corruption against a sitting Prime Minister of India. — ✗
Answer (a): III only
Remember: Lokpal 2013: covers PM (with safeguards) and officials abroad · age 45–70 · Chair = ex-CJI / ex-SC judge / eminent person · up to 8 members.
UPSC 2022 · Attorney General
Consider the following statements:
- Attorney General of India and Solicitor General of India are the only officers of the Government who are allowed to participate in the meetings of the Parliament of India. — ✗
- According to the Constitution of India, the Attorney General of India submits his resignation when the Government which appointed him resigns. — ✗
Answer (d): Neither 1 nor 2
Remember: AG = Art. 76 · President’s pleasure · Art. 88: Ministers + AG speak in either House, no vote · SG = statutory, no Parliament role.
UPSC 2012 · Reports before Parliament
According to the Constitution of India, it is the duty of the President of India to cause to be laid before the Parliament which of the following?
- The Recommendations of the Union Finance Commission — ✓
- The Report of the Public Accounts Committee — ✗
- The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General — ✓
- The Report of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes — ✓
Answer (c): 1, 3 and 4 only
Remember: Laid by the President: FC · CAG · UPSC · NCSC · NCST · NCBC · Linguistic Minorities officer. Not the PAC (Parliament’s own).
UPSC 2026 · Newest PYQ · Disability rights
Which of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities in India is/are correct?
- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, an Act passed by the Parliament of India in 2018, mandates reservation in education and employment, places a legal duty on Governments to ensure accessibility and non-discrimination. — ✗
- The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan focuses on achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities across three key domains — built infrastructure, transport systems and information and communication technology. — ✓
- The National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) is a public sector organisation set up by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a not-for-profit company to promote entrepreneurship among Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). — ✗
Answer (b): 2 only
Remember: RPwD Act = 2016 · 21 disabilities · 4% jobs, 5% higher education · Sugamya Bharat (2015) = built env + transport + ICT · NDFDC under MoSJE.
UPSC 2011 · Finance Commission
With reference to the Finance Commission of India, which of the following statements is correct?
Answer (d): None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct in this context
Remember: FC = Art. 280 · every 5 years · Chairman + 4 · tax devolution + grants-in-aid · recommendations are advisory, laid before Parliament (Art. 281).