UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A.P. HC strikes down 34% BC quota in local body elections

Q1. With reference to the reservation of seats in Panchayats under Part IX of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Seats reserved for Scheduled Castes in a Panchayat may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies within that Panchayat.
  2. The number of seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes in a Panchayat is fixed according to the Scheduled Tribe share of the population of the State as a whole.
  3. The proportion of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes in a Panchayat is calculated against the seats to be filled by direct election in that Panchayat.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q2. With reference to backward class reservation in public employment under Article 16(4) and in local bodies under Articles 243D(6) and 243T(6), consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Article 16(4) links reservation to the backward class being, in the opinion of the State, inadequately represented in the services under the State.
  2. Articles 243D(6) and 243T(6) extend to offices of Chairpersons as well as to seats in local bodies.
  3. Because these provisions use an identical yardstick of backwardness, a State's list prepared for public employment can by itself determine local-body seat quotas.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 2 and 3 only

Q3. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. As the Constitution stands today, a State may prepare and maintain, for its own purposes, a list of socially and educationally backward classes whose entries differ from the Central List.
  2. The Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Act, 2018 empowered the President to notify the list of socially and educationally backward classes for any State for all purposes.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q4. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. Reservation of posts for economically weaker sections under Article 16(6) is available only to sections other than the backward classes covered by Article 16(4).
  2. Article 16(6) permits reservation for economically weaker sections only within the existing reserved share of posts, without adding to it.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q5. In a district panchayat, a dedicated commission's local-body-wise inquiry finds Backward Classes politically under-represented. Seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes there already add up to 40%. Applying the aggregate-ceiling rule the courts enforce for local-body reservation, what is the largest BC share that can be reserved?

  • A. Fifty per cent of the seats
  • B. Ten per cent of the seats
  • C. Thirty-four per cent of the seats
  • D. Twenty-seven per cent of the seats

Q6. With reference to the State Election Commission under Parts IX and IX-A of the Constitution, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The State Election Commissioner is appointed by the Governor.
  2. The State Election Commissioner can be removed only in the manner and on the grounds applicable to a Judge of a High Court.
  3. The superintendence, direction and control of elections to Municipalities is vested in the Election Commission of India, while Panchayat elections are vested in the State Election Commission.
  4. The conditions of service of the State Election Commissioner cannot be varied to his disadvantage after appointment.
  • A. 2 and 4 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q7. With reference to Article 342A of the Constitution as it stands after the 2021 amendment, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A State may prepare its list of socially and educationally backward classes by executive notification, without enacting a law.
  2. The President's notification of socially and educationally backward classes operates only for the purposes of the Central Government.
  3. States are exempted from consulting the National Commission for Backward Classes on matters relating to the preparation of their own lists of such classes.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 2 only

Q8. With reference to reservation of the offices of Chairpersons in Panchayats, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Reservation of Panchayat chairperson offices for women is left to the discretion of the State Legislature.
  2. The number of Panchayat chairperson offices reserved for Scheduled Castes in a State is to be proportionate to the Scheduled Caste share of that State's population.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2