UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The issues surrounding Governors’ address

Q1. The annual address delivered by the Governor at the commencement of the first session of a State Legislature each year is conventionally drafted and approved by which one of the following before it is read out?

  • A. The State Council of Ministers
  • B. The Secretariat of the Governor (Raj Bhavan)
  • C. The Department of Parliamentary Affairs of the Union Government
  • D. The Secretariat of the State Legislative Assembly

Q2. In the context of State Legislatures in India, the expression 'Special Address' by the Governor refers to which one of the following?

  • A. An address by the Governor at the commencement of the first session after each general election and at the commencement of the first session of every year
  • B. A discretionary address delivered by the Governor whenever a Money Bill is pending in the Legislative Assembly
  • C. An address delivered by the Governor to a joint sitting summoned to resolve a deadlock between the two Houses of the State Legislature
  • D. An address delivered by the Governor after the State Budget is passed to outline implementation priorities for the coming financial year

Q3. With reference to the Governor's address to the State Legislature, consider the following statements: 1. Article 176 makes it mandatory for the Governor to address the Legislative Assembly at the commencement of the first session after each general election and at the commencement of the first session of every year. 2. Article 175 empowers the Governor to address either House of the State Legislature or both Houses assembled together at any time. 3. The Governor's Special Address is the direct analogue, for the States, of the President's power under Article 86 to send messages to Parliament. 4. By convention traceable to the commencement of provincial autonomy in 1937, the address is prepared in consultation with the Council of Ministers. Which of the statements given above are correctly identified?

  1. Article 176 makes it mandatory for the Governor to address the Legislative Assembly at the commencement of the first session after each general election and at the commencement of the first session of every year.
  2. Article 175 empowers the Governor to address either House of the State Legislature or both Houses assembled together at any time.
  3. The Governor's Special Address is the direct analogue, for the States, of the President's power under Article 86 to send messages to Parliament.
  4. By convention traceable to the commencement of provincial autonomy in 1937, the address is prepared in consultation with the Council of Ministers.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q4. Which one of the following constitutional articles is the principal provision under which the Governor's mandatory annual address to the State Legislature is delivered?

  • A. Article 174
  • B. Article 175
  • C. Article 176
  • D. Article 163

Q5. The convention that the Governor's speech to the provincial legislature shall be prepared in consultation with the Council of Ministers was first established with the commencement of provincial autonomy under which one of the following?

  • A. The Indian Councils Act, 1909
  • B. The Government of India Act, 1919 (Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms)
  • C. The Government of India Act, 1935 (provincial autonomy operationalised in April 1937)
  • D. The Indian Independence Act, 1947