UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Seizures of inducements in Bengal surpassed ₹510 crore: EC

Q1. The Model Code of Conduct issued by the Election Commission of India is organised into how many parts/provisions covering conduct of parties and candidates?

  • A. Five
  • B. Seven
  • C. Eight
  • D. Ten

Q2. The Model Code of Conduct, being non-statutory, is issued and enforced by which one of the following?

  • A. The Election Commission of India under its Article 324 powers
  • B. The Ministry of Law and Justice under the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • C. The Ministry of Home Affairs through the Chief Electoral Officers
  • D. The Union Cabinet Secretariat during the notified poll period

Q3. Under Article 324, the Election Commission of India is vested with the superintendence, direction and control of which of the following elections? 1. Elections to both Houses of Parliament 2. Elections to the State Legislative Assemblies and Legislative Councils 3. Election to the office of the President and Vice-President of India 4. Elections to municipalities and panchayats Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Elections to both Houses of Parliament
  2. Elections to the State Legislative Assemblies and Legislative Councils
  3. Election to the office of the President and Vice-President of India
  4. Elections to municipalities and panchayats
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. Consider the following pairings of constitutional articles relating to elections: 1. Article 325 — no person to be ineligible for inclusion in the electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex 2. Article 326 — elections to the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of adult suffrage 3. Article 328 — power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to the legislatures 4. Article 329 — bar to interference by courts in electoral matters Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified?

  1. Article 325 — no person to be ineligible for inclusion in the electoral roll on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex
  2. Article 326 — elections to the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies on the basis of adult suffrage
  3. Article 328 — power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to the legislatures
  4. Article 329 — bar to interference by courts in electoral matters
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 1 and 3

Q5. Which one of the following is the primary statutory provision that makes it mandatory for every candidate to maintain a separate and correct account of his election expenditure?

  • A. Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • B. Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961
  • C. Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
  • D. Article 324 of the Constitution

Q6. The maximum limit of election expenses for candidates under Rule 90 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 is prescribed and revised by which one of the following?

  • A. The Ministry of Law and Justice, in consultation with the Election Commission
  • B. The Election Commission of India by its own notification
  • C. The Ministry of Home Affairs on the advice of Chief Electoral Officers
  • D. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs through a Cabinet resolution

Q7. With reference to the Election Commission's field enforcement machinery for curbing money power, consider the following statements: 1. Flying Squads are mobile teams that respond to complaints of bribery/inducement and can register cases against both the giver and the taker. 2. Static Surveillance Teams man fixed check-posts ('naka') to check the movement of cash, liquor and other items. 3. Static Surveillance Teams are the mobile units that pursue vehicles on complaints, while Flying Squads man the fixed checkpoints. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Flying Squads are mobile teams that respond to complaints of bribery/inducement and can register cases against both the giver and the taker.
  2. Static Surveillance Teams man fixed check-posts ('naka') to check the movement of cash, liquor and other items.
  3. Static Surveillance Teams are the mobile units that pursue vehicles on complaints, while Flying Squads man the fixed checkpoints.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q8. How many Flying Squads did the Election Commission deploy for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election?

  • A. Over 1,137
  • B. Over 2,728
  • C. Over 3,142
  • D. Over 1,012

Q9. Ahead of the final phase of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election, the value of illicit inducements seized by the Election Commission in the State crossed which of the following figures?

  • A. ₹339 crore
  • B. ₹274 crore
  • C. ₹510 crore
  • D. ₹44.33 crore

Q10. The Election Seizure Management System (ESMS), which brings all enforcement agencies onto a single platform for real-time monitoring of election-time seizures, is an initiative of which one of the following?

  • A. The Election Commission of India
  • B. The Enforcement Directorate
  • C. The Central Board of Direct Taxes
  • D. The Ministry of Home Affairs

Q11. With reference to Law Commission recommendations on curbing money power in Indian elections, consider the following: 1. A Law Commission report concluded that total state funding of elections is 'desirable' only if political parties are prohibited from taking funds from any other source. 2. The Law Commission recommended a restriction on government-sponsored advertisements for up to six months prior to the expiry of the House/Assembly. 3. The Law Commission recommended a complete constitutional ban on all private and corporate donations to political parties. 4. The Law Commission's 255th Report (2015) dealt with Electoral Reforms. Which of the above is/are correctly identified as Law Commission positions/recommendations?

  1. A Law Commission report concluded that total state funding of elections is 'desirable' only if political parties are prohibited from taking funds from any other source.
  2. The Law Commission recommended a restriction on government-sponsored advertisements for up to six months prior to the expiry of the House/Assembly.
  3. The Law Commission recommended a complete constitutional ban on all private and corporate donations to political parties.
  4. The Law Commission's 255th Report (2015) dealt with Electoral Reforms.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 4
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 3 and 4

Q12. With reference to the Election Commission's cVIGIL app, consider the following statements: 1. Citizens can report Model Code of Conduct violations by uploading a geo-tagged photo or an up to two-minute video. 2. Unlike an ordinary complaint app, cVIGIL does not permit uploading of pre-recorded images or videos stored in the phone's gallery. 3. cVIGIL can be used only during the 48-hour campaign-silence period immediately before polling. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Citizens can report Model Code of Conduct violations by uploading a geo-tagged photo or an up to two-minute video.
  2. Unlike an ordinary complaint app, cVIGIL does not permit uploading of pre-recorded images or videos stored in the phone's gallery.
  3. cVIGIL can be used only during the 48-hour campaign-silence period immediately before polling.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3