UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why is Nicobar debating elections?
Q1. The draft Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tribal Councils (Preparation of Electoral Rolls and Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2026, were notified by the Tribal Welfare Department of the A&NI administration. Under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) framework, the administration of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands itself falls under which one of the following Union Ministries?
- A. Ministry of Tribal Affairs
- B. Ministry of Home Affairs
- C. Ministry of Panchayati Raj
- D. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Q2. With reference to the customary Nicobarese self-governance system and the changes proposed under the draft Tribal Councils (Elections) Rules, 2026, consider the following statements:
1. Under the customary system, Captains and Chief Captains were selected through community consensus rather than secret ballot.
2. The 2026 draft rules introduce reservation of seats for women in the Village Councils and Island Tribal Councils.
3. The 2026 draft rules retain hereditary selection of the Chief Captain while only introducing electoral rolls for Village Captains.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Under the customary system, Captains and Chief Captains were selected through community consensus rather than secret ballot.
- The 2026 draft rules introduce reservation of seats for women in the Village Councils and Island Tribal Councils.
- The 2026 draft rules retain hereditary selection of the Chief Captain while only introducing electoral rolls for Village Captains.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. Consider the following features said to be introduced by the draft Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tribal Councils (Preparation of Electoral Rolls and Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2026:
1. Delimitation of constituencies within tribal areas
2. Preparation of electoral rolls for tribal voters
3. Reservation of seats for women in tribal councils
4. Inclusion of non-tribal residents of the islands in the tribal-council electoral rolls
Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as a feature of the draft rules?
- Delimitation of constituencies within tribal areas
- Preparation of electoral rolls for tribal voters
- Reservation of seats for women in tribal councils
- Inclusion of non-tribal residents of the islands in the tribal-council electoral rolls
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 4 only
- D. 3 and 4
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the structure of elections to the Island Tribal Councils under the draft Rules, 2026:
1. Each village shall elect 5 to 9 Captains.
2. The Chief Captain of each Island Tribal Council shall be directly elected by the villagers.
3. The Vice-Chief Captain shall be elected by the First Captains of the villages on that island.
4. The Lieutenant Governor's nominee shall chair each Village Council in an ex-officio capacity.
Which of the statements given above is/are correctly identified?
- Each village shall elect 5 to 9 Captains.
- The Chief Captain of each Island Tribal Council shall be directly elected by the villagers.
- The Vice-Chief Captain shall be elected by the First Captains of the villages on that island.
- The Lieutenant Governor's nominee shall chair each Village Council in an ex-officio capacity.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. Under the structure proposed by the draft Tribal Councils (Elections) Rules, 2026, who is the apex/highest functionary of an Island Tribal Council?
- A. First Captain of the largest village
- B. Vice-Chief Captain
- C. Chief Captain
- D. Tuhet head of the dominant clan