Union Executive

Statement I is correct: President's pardoning power can be subjected to limited judicial review, especially on grounds like mala fides, irrelevant considerations, or arbitrariness (as held in Kehar Singh, Epuru Sudhakar cases).

Statement II is incorrect: President cannot act independently; the power must be exercised on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers under Article 74.

An Ordinance is a temporary law issued by the President (Article 123) or Governor (Article 213) when the legislature is not in session. It holds the same force as a regular law, but must adhere to constitutional limits.

Statement I: Correct * An Ordinance can amend any Central Act, just like a Parliamentary law, subject to constitutional provisions.

Statement II: Incorrect * Ordinances cannot abridge Fundamental Rights as per Article 13(2) of the Constitution. Any such provision is void.

Statement III: Correct * Ordinances can be given retrospective effect, i.e., they can be enforced from a past date.

1. Permanent Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee: This is correct. The CDS is designated as the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), which includes the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

2. Exercise military command over the three Service Chiefs: This is incorrect. The CDS does not have direct operational command authority over the three service chiefs. The service chiefs continue to exercise operational command over their respective services. The CDS acts as a coordinator and advisor, promoting jointness and integration among the services.

3. Principal Military Advisor to Defence Minister on all tri-service matters: This is correct. The CDS acts as the single-point military advisor to the Defence Minister on matters related to all three services. This ensures streamlined and integrated military advice to the political leadership.

4. Additional Information - The creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff was recommended by these committees: Group of Ministers (2001), Naresh Chandra Committee and D.B. Shekatkar Committee.

Therefore, the correct statements are 1 and 3.

* Statement 1 is incorrect: If the election of a person as President is declared void by the Supreme Court, acts done by him before the date of such declaration of the Supreme Court are not invalidated and continue to remain in force.

* Statement 2 is incorrect: The Supreme Court in 1974 held that the dissolution of the state legislative assembly would not be a ground for preventing the holding of the election on the expiry of the term of the President. Nor can it be grounds to suggest that the election to the office of the President could be held only after the election to the state is held, where the Legislative Assembly of a State is dissolved.

* Statement 3 is incorrect: The Constitution of India does not prescribe any time limit within which the President has to decide concerning a bill presented to him/her for his/her assent. Thus the President of India can simply keep the bills pending for an indefinite period.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: The executive power of the Union is vested in the President, who acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

The Constitution of India vests the executive power in the President (Article 53). However, the President exercises this power on the advice of the Council of Ministers, with the Prime Minister as its head (Article 75).

So, the real executive authority lies with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, but formally it's vested in the President.

Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Chairperson of the Civil Services Board is the Cabinet Secretary, a senior bureaucrat who leads the bureaucracy of the Government of India.

Statement 1 is not correct: The Council of Ministers in the Centre shall be collectively responsible to Lok Sabha, not parliament.

Statement 2 is correct: The Union Ministers shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President of India.

Statement 3 is correct: The Prime Minister shall communicate to the President about the proposals for legislation.

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Constitution of India does not classify ministers into four fixed ranks. There are broadly two categories based on parliamentary convention - Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State (with or without independent charge). The number of ranks can vary based on the specific structure chosen by the government.

Statement 2 is correct: The 91st Amendment to the Constitution limits the size of the Council of Ministers. The total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister, cannot exceed 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha.

Statement 1 is correct: According to Article 77 of the Constitution of India, the President shall make rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of the Government of India, and for the allocation among Ministers of the said business.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 53 of the Indian Constitution deals with the Executive power of the Union. The executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President ( and not the Prime Minister) and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution.

Statement 1 is correct: The Cabinet Secretariat is responsible for the preparation of the agenda for Cabinet meetings and circulation of papers related to Cabinet discussions.

Statement 2 is correct: It provides secretarial assistance to Cabinet Committees and ensures implementation of Cabinet decisions through coordination among ministries.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The Cabinet Secretariat does not allocate financial resources — that function is performed by the Ministry of Finance through the Budget Division and related departments.