UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Disclose details of decisions by EC, say former members
Q1. Consider the following functions:
1. Preparation of the electoral rolls for elections to Parliament
2. Conduct of the election to the office of the Vice-President of India
3. Superintendence and control of elections to municipalities and panchayats
4. Conduct of elections to the Legislature of every State
Which of the above are correctly identified as being vested in the Election Commission of India by Article 324(1) of the Constitution?
- Preparation of the electoral rolls for elections to Parliament
- Conduct of the election to the office of the Vice-President of India
- Superintendence and control of elections to municipalities and panchayats
- Conduct of elections to the Legislature of every State
- A. 1 and 4 only
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q2. Under Article 324(2) of the Constitution, the strength of the Election Commission over and above the Chief Election Commissioner is determined in which one of the following ways?
- A. It is fixed at two Election Commissioners by the Constitution itself, and can be altered only by constitutional amendment
- B. It is fixed by Parliament by law, and the appointments are made by the President on the advice of the Chief Election Commissioner
- C. It is fixed by the Union Cabinet, and the appointments are notified by the Ministry of Law and Justice with the concurrence of the Commission
- D. It is fixed from time to time by the President, and the appointments are made by the President subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023:
1. It replaced the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991.
2. It provides that the business of the Commission shall, as far as possible, be transacted unanimously, and that where the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners differ, the matter shall be decided by the opinion of the majority.
3. Unlike the law it replaced, it requires that a person be, or have been, a Judge of a High Court to be eligible for appointment as Chief Election Commissioner.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It replaced the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991.
- It provides that the business of the Commission shall, as far as possible, be transacted unanimously, and that where the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners differ, the matter shall be decided by the opinion of the majority.
- Unlike the law it replaced, it requires that a person be, or have been, a Judge of a High Court to be eligible for appointment as Chief Election Commissioner.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. Under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, the Search Committee that shortlists candidates for appointment is headed by which one of the following?
- A. The Minister of Law and Justice, who forwards a panel of five names to the Selection Committee
- B. The Chief Election Commissioner, who forwards a panel of three names to the Selection Committee
- C. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, who forwards a panel of five names to the Selection Committee
- D. The Cabinet Secretary, who forwards a panel of five names to the Selection Committee
Q5. In Anoop Baranwal v Union of India (2 March 2023), the Supreme Court directed that, until Parliament made a law, appointments to the Election Commission be made on the advice of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (or the leader of the single largest opposition party) and which one of the following as its third member?
- A. The Chief Justice of India
- B. A Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister
- C. The senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court after the Chief Justice of India
- D. The Vice-President of India in his capacity as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
Q6. In the proceedings challenging the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, on which the Supreme Court delivered a split order in September 2026, the Union Government had sought a reference of the matter to a larger Bench under which one of the following constitutional provisions?
- A. Article 131, which confers original jurisdiction in disputes between the Union and the States
- B. Article 137, which enables the Supreme Court to review its own judgments and orders
- C. Article 145(3), which requires a minimum Bench of five judges for a substantial question of law as to interpretation of the Constitution
- D. Article 143(1), which enables a reference by the President for the Court's advisory opinion
Q7. Consider the following propositions about the tenure and removal of members of the Election Commission of India:
1. The Chief Election Commissioner may be removed from office in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
2. An Election Commissioner may be removed from office only on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
3. Under the 2023 Act, the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners hold office for six years from the date of assuming office or till the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.
4. Under the 2023 Act, an Election Commissioner who is thereafter appointed Chief Election Commissioner is entitled to a fresh term of six years in that office.
Which of the above are correctly identified?
- The Chief Election Commissioner may be removed from office in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
- An Election Commissioner may be removed from office only on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
- Under the 2023 Act, the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners hold office for six years from the date of assuming office or till the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.
- Under the 2023 Act, an Election Commissioner who is thereafter appointed Chief Election Commissioner is entitled to a fresh term of six years in that office.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. Within the Election Commission of India, the constitutional protection of removal only in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court is available to whom?
- A. To the Chief Election Commissioner and all other Election Commissioners equally
- B. To the Chief Election Commissioner alone
- C. To the Chief Election Commissioner and to the senior-most Election Commissioner
- D. To all Election Commissioners, but not to the Chief Election Commissioner, who holds office during the pleasure of the President
Q9. The Supreme Court ruling of 1995 that held Election Commissioners to be at par with the Chief Election Commissioner arose from a writ petition filed in 1993 by which one of the following?
- A. M. S. Gill, in his capacity as an Election Commissioner of India
- B. Anoop Baranwal, a private citizen who challenged executive appointments
- C. T. N. Seshan, the then Chief Election Commissioner of India
- D. S. Y. Quraishi, a former Chief Election Commissioner of India
Q10. According to the September 2026 investigative report that prompted former Chief Election Commissioners to demand disclosure of which decisions were unanimous and which were by majority, on how many occasions had the two serving Election Commissioners recorded objections?
- A. On exactly four occasions, spread over about two years
- B. On at least forty occasions, over a period of about ten months
- C. On every decision taken by the Commission during the period in question
- D. On at least fourteen occasions, over a period of about ten months
Q11. The Model Code of Conduct enforced by the Election Commission of India is organised into how many parts, and which is the most recently added among them?
- A. Six parts, the most recent being the part regulating the conduct of the party in power, added in 1979
- B. Eight parts, the most recent being the part on election manifestos, added in 2013
- C. Ten parts, the most recent being the part on the use of social media, added in 2019
- D. Four parts, the most recent being the part on polling booths, added in 1968
Q12. Phase II of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, carried out between October 2025 and April 2026, extended to how many States and Union Territories?
- A. Nine States and three Union Territories
- B. Twelve States and three Union Territories
- C. Sixteen States and three Union Territories
- D. Six States and one Union Territory