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Q53 (IAS/2019) Polity & Governance › State Executive & Legislature › State legislative procedure Official Key

With reference to the Legislative Assembly of a State in India, consider the following statements : 1. The Governor makes a customary address to Members of the House at the commencement of the first session of the year. 2. When a State Legislature does not have a rule on a particular matter, it follows the Lok Sabha rule on that matter. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is option C - both statements are correct.

Statement 1 is correct because the Governor can address the state legislature at the commencement of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year.[2] This is a constitutional provision that makes the Governor's address at the first session of each year a customary practice.

Statement 2 is also correct. Under Article 212(2) of the Constitution of India, state legislatures have the power to make rules for regulating their procedure and conduct of business. However, until rules are made under this article, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha (with necessary modifications) apply to the state legislature. This means that when a state legislature does not have a specific rule on a particular matter, it follows the corresponding Lok Sabha rule on that matter as a default mechanism.

Therefore, both statements are accurate descriptions of constitutional provisions and practices, making option C the correct answer.

Sources
  1. [1] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
  2. [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
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got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. With reference to the Legislative Assembly of a State in India, consider the following statements : 1. The Governor makes a customary ad…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Moderate fairness Books / CA: 5/10 · 0/10

Statement 1 is a direct lift from standard Polity texts (Laxmikanth Ch. 30). Statement 2 is a 'Federal Trap'—it tests if you understand that State Legislatures are constitutionally autonomous, not subordinate branches of Parliament. Master the parallel between President/Parliament and Governor/State Legislature.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does the Governor of an Indian State address the State Legislative Assembly at the commencement of the first session of each year as a customary/constitutional practice?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
Presence: 5/5
“A governor is an integral part of the state legislature. In that capacity, he / she has the following legislative powers and functions: • He/she can summon or prorogue the state legislature and dissolve the state legislative assembly. • He/she can address the state legislature at the commencement of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year. • He/she can send messages to the house or houses of the state legislature, with respect to a bill pending in the legislature or otherwise.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly lists the Governor's power to address the state legislature at the first session after each general election and the first session of each year.
  • Presents this addressing as a formal legislative function of the Governor.
Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
Presence: 5/5
“A governor is an integral part of the state legislature. In that capacity, he / she has the following legislative powers and functions: • He/She can summon or prorogue the state legislature and dissolve the state legislative assembly. • He/she can address the state legislature at the commencement of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year. • He /she can send messages to the house or houses of the state legislature, with respect to a bill pending in the legislature or otherwise.”
Why this source?
  • Repeats the same provision about the Governor addressing the legislature at those specific occasions, reinforcing the point.
  • Frames the address as part of the Governor's legislative powers and functions.
Statement 2
Under the Constitution of India or established practice, if a State Legislature has no rule on a particular matter, does it follow the Lok Sabha's rules on that matter?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Democratic Politics-I. Political Science-Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: WORKING OF INSTITUTIONS > Two Houses of Parliament > p. 62
Strength: 4/5
“Which of the two Houses is more powerful? It might appear that the Rajya Sabha is more powerful, for sometimes it is called the 'Upper Chamber' and the Lok Sabha the 'Lower Chamber'. But this does not mean that Rajya Sabha is more powerful than Lok Sabha. This is just an old style of speaking and not the language used in our Constitution. Our Constitution does give the Rajya Sabha some special powers over the states. But on most matters, the Lok Sabha exercises supreme power. Let us see how: • 1 Any ordinary law needs to be passed by both the Houses.”
Why relevant

Notes that on most matters the Lok Sabha 'exercises supreme power' in Parliament, indicating a pattern where one House’s practices may be treated as authoritative in many ordinary legislative matters.

How to extend

A student could compare this notion of Lok Sabha primacy with norms for State Legislatures to see whether central House practices are treated as default elsewhere.

Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 24: DISTRIBUTION OF LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE POWERS > Territorial Extent of Union and State Legislation. > p. 376
Strength: 4/5
“Parliament has, on the other hand, the power to legislate for "the whole or any part of the territory of India", which includes not only the States but also the Union Territories or any other area , fl.)!" the time being, included in the territory of India [Article 246(4)]. It also possesses the power of "extra-territorial legislation" [Article 243(2)], which no State Legislature possesses. While Parliament has exclusive power under Article 246( I) of the Constitulion to make laws with respect to the matters enumerated in the Union List, the State Legislature has exclusive power to make laws with respect to matters enumerated in the State List, subject to clauses (I) and (2) of Article 246.”
Why relevant

Explains the division of legislative competence between Parliament and State Legislatures (Parliament can legislate for whole/any part of India), showing Parliament’s rules or legislation can have effect across states in some domains.

How to extend

One could check whether Parliament’s procedural rules or central statutes are expressly applied to states when state rules are silent.

Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 14: Federal System > DB Parliament's Authority Over State List > p. 141
Strength: 3/5
“Even in the limited sphere of authority allotted to them, the states do not have exclusive control. The Parliament is empowered to legislate on any subject of the State List if the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution to that effect in the national interest. This means that the legislative competence of the Parliament can be extended without amending the Constitution. Notably, this can be done when there is no emergency of any kind.”
Why relevant

States that Parliament can legislate on a State List subject when Rajya Sabha passes a resolution in the national interest, showing a constitutional mechanism by which central norms can displace or supplement state law.

How to extend

A student might investigate whether absence of state rules triggers use of such central mechanisms or if a specific constitutional provision governs procedural defaults.

Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: LEGISLATURE > WHY DO WE NEED TWO HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT? > p. 102
Strength: 3/5
“The term 'Parliament' refers to the national legislature. The legislature of the States is described as State legislature. The Parliament in India has two houses. When there are two houses of the legislature, it is called a bicameral legislature. The two Houses of the Indian Parliament are the Council of States or the Rajya Sabha and the House of the People or the Lok Sabha. The Constitution has given the States the option of establishing either a unicameral or bicameral legislature. At present only six States have a bicameral legislature.”
Why relevant

Points out States may have unicameral or bicameral legislatures, implying procedural arrangements vary between states and are not uniform by default.

How to extend

A student could use this to argue that variability makes an automatic application of Lok Sabha rules to all States less likely unless a constitutional/default rule exists.

Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > Voting in House > p. 237
Strength: 3/5
“All matters at any sitting of either House or joint sitting of both the Houses are decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting, excluding the presiding officer. Only a few matters, which are specifically mentioned in the Constitution, require either effective majority or special majority, not simple majority. The presiding officer of a House does not vote in the first instance, but exercises a casting vote in the case of a tie. The proceedings of a House are to be valid irrespective of any unauthorized voting or participation or any vacancy in its membership. The following points can be noted with respect to the voting procedure in the Lok Sabha. • 1.”
Why relevant

Describes voting and procedural norms (majority, presiding officer's casting vote) within Houses, illustrating that Houses have their own internally defined procedures for decision-making.

How to extend

A student could examine whether such procedural norms are house-specific and whether a gap in state rules is typically filled by analogous state house practice or by reference to Parliament's rules.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC frequently pairs a verbatim textbook fact (Statement 1) with a plausible-sounding but legally incorrect procedural assumption (Statement 2). The error in Statement 2 usually violates a core constitutional doctrine (here, Federalism/Legislative Autonomy).
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Statement 1 is a SITTER (Laxmikanth, Governor chapter). Statement 2 is a LOGICAL TRAP (requires application of Federal principles).
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The Constitutional provisions regarding 'Special Address' (Art 176) and 'Rules of Procedure' (Art 208).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Compare Art 87 (President) vs Art 176 (Governor). Memorize: The address happens at 1) First session after General Election, and 2) First session of each year. Note: If the House defeats the Motion of Thanks, the govt falls (if it's a no-confidence proxy). Check Art 208: If no rules exist, pre-Constitution provincial rules apply, NOT Lok Sabha rules.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When reading about State Legislatures, always ask: 'Is this body independent or dependent?' The Constitution grants States procedural autonomy. Therefore, a default rule linking them to Lok Sabha is constitutionally unsound unless explicitly mentioned (which it isn't).
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Governor's legislative powers
💡 The insight

Defines the Governor's authority to summon, prorogue, dissolve the assembly and to address the legislature.

High-yield for UPSC because it clarifies the Governor's constitutional role in the legislative process and is often asked in questions on centre-state relations and executive-legislative interaction.

📚 Reading List :
  • Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
  • Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 13: The State Executive > Powers of the Governor. The Governor has no diplomatic or military powers like the President, but he possesses executive, legislative and judicial powers analogous to those of the President. > p. 272
🔗 Anchor: "Does the Governor of an Indian State address the State Legislative Assembly at t..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Opening address timing (first session after general election & first session each year)
💡 The insight

Specifies the constitutional occasions when the head of the executive delivers an opening address to the legislature.

Important for distinguishing formal constitutional ceremonies and for drawing parallels between President's and Governor's roles; useful for prelims fact-based questions and mains analyses on constitutional practice.

📚 Reading List :
  • Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 30: Governor > Legislative Powers > p. 316
  • Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 11: The Union Executive > b) The Opening Address. > p. 213
🔗 Anchor: "Does the Governor of an Indian State address the State Legislative Assembly at t..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Composition of the State Legislature (Governor as integral part)
💡 The insight

Establishes the Governor as a constituent of the state legislature, providing the basis for legislative functions like the opening address.

Core concept for questions on legislative structure (unicameral/bicameral), constitutional provisions about state bodies, and duties vested in the Governor; connects to broader topics on legislative procedures.

📚 Reading List :
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 33: State Legislature > ORGANISATION OF STATE LEGISLATURE > p. 334
  • Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 33: State Legislature > ORGANISATION OF STATE LEGISLATURE > p. 334
  • Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 14: The State Legislature > THE STATE LEGISLATURE > p. 281
🔗 Anchor: "Does the Governor of an Indian State address the State Legislative Assembly at t..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Distinction between Parliament and State Legislature
💡 The insight

Parliament is the national legislature while the State legislature is a separate, distinct body; this distinction is central to whether one body’s rules automatically apply to the other.

High-yield for UPSC because questions often test differences in institutional identity and powers; mastering this clarifies limits of applicability of parliamentary rules to state bodies and links to federal structure and legislative competence.

📚 Reading List :
  • Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: LEGISLATURE > WHY DO WE NEED TWO HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT? > p. 102
🔗 Anchor: "Under the Constitution of India or established practice, if a State Legislature ..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Distribution of legislative powers: Union List vs State List
💡 The insight

The Constitution allocates exclusive legislative subjects to Parliament and to State Legislatures, defining the separate spheres where each can make laws or rules.

Essential for answering questions about which body can legislate or set rules on particular matters; connects to Articles on legislative lists and to scenarios where Parliament may legislate for states, enabling candidates to reason about jurisdictional limits.

📚 Reading List :
  • Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 24: DISTRIBUTION OF LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE POWERS > Territorial Extent of Union and State Legislation. > p. 376
  • Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 14: Federal System > DB Parliament's Authority Over State List > p. 141
🔗 Anchor: "Under the Constitution of India or established practice, if a State Legislature ..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Lok Sabha's functional supremacy and parliamentary voting procedures
💡 The insight

Lok Sabha exercises supremacy on most matters of national legislative decision-making and the Houses decide by majority voting rules that determine outcomes.

Useful for questions contrasting powers of the two Houses and for procedural issues; understanding majority rules and Lok Sabha’s practical predominance helps in reasoning about when Lok Sabha norms might influence national practice but not automatically bind state legislatures.

📚 Reading List :
  • Democratic Politics-I. Political Science-Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: WORKING OF INSTITUTIONS > Two Houses of Parliament > p. 62
  • Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > Voting in House > p. 237
🔗 Anchor: "Under the Constitution of India or established practice, if a State Legislature ..."
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The actual default rule: Under Article 208(2), if a State Legislature hasn't made rules, the rules of procedure in force immediately before the commencement of the Constitution (i.e., Provincial Legislature rules) apply, modified by the Speaker.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Apply the 'Federal Autonomy Filter'. Statement 2 suggests State Legislatures are subordinate to Lok Sabha norms. In India's federal setup, States have independent legislative competence. Unless it's an emergency provision, automatic subordination to the Centre's rules is usually FALSE.

🔗 Mains Connection

Mains GS-2 (Federalism & Governor's Role): The 'Customary Address' is not just ceremonial; it outlines the State Government's policy. Recent controversies (e.g., Tamil Nadu/Kerala) where Governors skipped paragraphs or walked out link this static fact to the 'Discretion vs. Aid and Advice' debate.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CDS-I · 2006 · Q118 Relevance score: 4.14

Consider the following statements 1. If the Legislative Assembly of a State in India is dissolved in mid-term, the Speaker vacantes his office. 2. When the Speaker of a Legi slat ive Assembly resigns, he addresses his letter to the Governor of the State. Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?

IAS · 2025 · Q59 Relevance score: 3.97

With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements : I. The Governor of a State is not answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and duties of his/her office. II. No criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against the Governor during his/her term of office. III. Members of a State Legislature are not liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said within the House. Which of the statements given above are correct?

IAS · 2015 · Q82 Relevance score: 3.43

Consider the following statements : 1. The Legislative Council of a State in India can be larger in size than half of the Legislative Assembly of that particular State. 2. The Governor of a State nominates the Chairman of Legislative Council of that particular State. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IAS · 2025 · Q54 Relevance score: 3.06

Consider the following statements : I. The Constitution of India explicitly mentions that in certain spheres the Governor of a State acts in his/her own discretion. II. The President of India can, of his/her own, reserve a bill passed by a State Legislature for his/her consideration without it being forwarded by the Governor of the State concerned. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CDS-I · 2002 · Q66 Relevance score: 3.00

Consider the following statements regarding Indian polity: 1. In India, a State cannot have more than 500 members in its Legislative Assembly. 2. The Legislative Council of a State in India cannot be larger in size than half of the Legislative Assembly of that particular State 3. To be a member of State Legislative Assembly, a citizen must not be less than 25 years of age 4. The Governor of a State nominates the Chairman for Legislative Council of that particular State Which of these statements are correct?