UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The Governor who forgot his job
Q1. Which constitutional functionary administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who was sworn in on 10 May 2026?
- A. The Governor of Tamil Nadu
- B. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court
- C. The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
- D. The President of India through the Chief Secretary
Q2. The constitutional mandate that 'the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor' — the provision invoked during the May 2026 Tamil Nadu government formation — is found in which one of the following?
- A. Article 163(1)
- B. Article 164(1)
- C. Article 164(2)
- D. Article 167
Q3. With reference to the constitutional conventions governing the Governor's invitation to form a government in a State, consider the following statements:
1. The Sarkaria Commission (1988) recommended that, in the absence of a single-party majority, the Governor should first invite the leader of a pre-poll alliance commanding a majority before turning to the single largest party.
2. The Punchhi Commission (2010) reversed the Sarkaria sequence and recommended that the leader of the single largest party be invited first, irrespective of any pre-poll alliance.
3. The Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) held that the majority enjoyed by a government must be tested on the floor of the House and not in the Raj Bhavan.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Sarkaria Commission (1988) recommended that, in the absence of a single-party majority, the Governor should first invite the leader of a pre-poll alliance commanding a majority before turning to the single largest party.
- The Punchhi Commission (2010) reversed the Sarkaria sequence and recommended that the leader of the single largest party be invited first, irrespective of any pre-poll alliance.
- The Supreme Court in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) held that the majority enjoyed by a government must be tested on the floor of the House and not in the Raj Bhavan.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. With reference to the formation of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led Government of Tamil Nadu in May 2026, which of the following are correctly identified as parties that extended support — either as coalition partners or through outside support — enabling TVK to reach the 120-MLA tally presented to the Governor?
1. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)
2. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)
3. Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]
4. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)
- Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]
- All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. How many MLAs-elect did the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by C. Joseph Vijay claim the support of, in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, when staking its final claim to form the Government before the Governor in May 2026?