Under the anti-defection law contained in the Tenth Schedule, disqualification petitions against a Member of the Lok Sabha are decided by whom?

The Election Commission of India

NITI Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission, was constituted by which mechanism?

An executive order of the President

A Money Bill, as defined under Article 110, can be introduced only in which House of Parliament?

Either House at the Speaker's discretion

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, gave constitutional status to which institution of local self-government?

Municipal Corporations in urban areas

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India was established under which legislation?

The Constitution of India directly

The National Commission for Women Act

The Right to Information Act, 2005

Current Affairs · Micro-test

Polity and Governance Current Affairs

Questions on how India's constitutional machinery actually functions appear across both the GK and Legal Reasoning sections, making institutional knowledge doubly valuable.

10 questions · 5 minutes · instant scoring

Updated 10 September 2026

What this topic actually tests

Polity and governance current affairs sit at the intersection of static polity (the Constitution's design) and dynamic events (elections, amendments, institutional reforms), and CLAT draws on both simultaneously. What recurs most often is the functioning of constitutional bodies: the Election Commission's powers under Article 324, the Comptroller and Auditor General's role under Article 148, the Finance Commission's periodic recommendations under Article 280, and the GST Council's composition under Article 279A. Also common are questions on Parliament's structure and procedure (how a bill becomes law, the anti-defection law under the Tenth Schedule, the roles of the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman), on constitutional amendments and their effects (the 73rd and 74th Amendments on local self-government being especially popular), and on newer or evolving institutions such as NITI Aayog, whose advisory role is often contrasted with the erstwhile Planning Commission's allocative one. Because these bodies rarely change their basic design, the efficient way to study this category is to first master the static constitutional architecture — which article creates which body, what its composition is, what powers it has — and only then layer on the year's specific developments, such as a new Finance Commission report or a notable Election Commission ruling. Building a simple table of "Body — Constitutional Article — Appointing Authority — Term — Key Power" for each institution turns a sprawling topic into a compact, revisable reference. Reading the Constitution's relevant articles directly, even briefly, resolves far more ambiguity than secondary summaries, since CLAT examiners often test the precise wording of a constitutional provision rather than a popular paraphrase of it.

The common trap on this topic

Aspirants most often confuse constitutional bodies with statutory ones, treating NITI Aayog (a non-constitutional, non-statutory executive body created by a Cabinet resolution) as if it had constitutional status like the Finance Commission or the Election Commission. Another frequent error is muddling which body appoints whom — for instance, assuming the Chief Election Commissioner has the same removal protection as a Supreme Court judge without checking the actual constitutional text, or mixing up the tenure and appointment process of the CAG with that of the Election Commissioners. A third trap is applying the same rules to the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha where they in fact differ, such as forgetting that Money Bills can only originate in the Lok Sabha or that the Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved. Aspirants also tend to memorise the name of a scheme or amendment without its correct number or the specific power it grants, which fails them when options are deliberately close (e.g., confusing the 73rd Amendment on Panchayats with the 74th on Municipalities).

Polity and Governance Current Affairs: answers and explanations

Which constitutional provision vests the "superintendence, direction and control" of elections in the Election Commission of India?
Answer: C. Article 324
Article 324 vests the power of superintendence, direction, and control of elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President in the Election Commission of India.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India audits the accounts of the Union and state governments under which constitutional article?
Answer: D. Article 148
Article 148 establishes the office of the CAG, whose duties and powers relating to audit of Union and state accounts are further detailed in Article 149.
A Finance Commission is constituted by the President every five years (or earlier) under which constitutional provision to recommend the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the states?
Answer: D. Article 280
Article 280 provides for the constitution of a Finance Commission, which recommends the distribution of net tax proceeds between the Union and states and the principles governing grants-in-aid.
The GST Council, chaired by the Union Finance Minister and including state finance ministers, was created by inserting which article into the Constitution?
Answer: C. Article 279A
Article 279A, inserted by the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016, established the GST Council to make recommendations on GST rates, exemptions, and related matters.
Under the anti-defection law contained in the Tenth Schedule, disqualification petitions against a Member of the Lok Sabha are decided by whom?
Answer: C. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha
The Tenth Schedule vests the power to decide questions of disqualification on grounds of defection with the Speaker (for the Lok Sabha) or the Chairman (for the Rajya Sabha) of the relevant House, subject to judicial review.
NITI Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission, was constituted by which mechanism?
Answer: C. A resolution of the Union Cabinet
NITI Aayog was set up in 2015 through a Cabinet resolution, making it an executive body rather than a constitutional or statutory one, unlike bodies such as the Finance Commission.
A Money Bill, as defined under Article 110, can be introduced only in which House of Parliament?
Answer: A. The Lok Sabha
Article 110 read with Article 109 provides that Money Bills can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha's role is limited to making recommendations that the Lok Sabha may accept or reject.
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, gave constitutional status to which institution of local self-government?
Answer: D. Panchayati Raj institutions in rural areas
The 73rd Amendment inserted Part IX into the Constitution, establishing a three-tier Panchayati Raj system for rural local self-government; the parallel 74th Amendment did the same for urban local bodies under Part IX-A.
The Attorney General for India, the government's chief legal advisor, is appointed by whom?
Answer: A. The President of India
Article 76 provides that the Attorney General for India is appointed by the President and holds office during the pleasure of the President, advising the government on legal matters and representing it in court.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India was established under which legislation?
Answer: D. The Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993
The NHRC is a statutory (not constitutional) body established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to inquire into and safeguard human rights violations.

FAQ

Is NITI Aayog a constitutional body?

No. NITI Aayog was created by a Cabinet resolution in 2015 and is neither a constitutional nor a statutory body, unlike the Election Commission, Finance Commission, or CAG, which are established directly by the Constitution.

What is the difference between the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments?

The 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj institutions in rural areas, while the 74th Amendment (1992) did the same for urban local bodies such as Municipalities and Municipal Corporations.

Why does CLAT test constitutional bodies so heavily under current affairs?

Because these bodies are frequently in the news for their decisions, appointments, or reports, and examiners use fresh events as a hook to test whether candidates also understand the underlying constitutional design.

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