Impeachment can be imposed on the President of India on which of the following grounds?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Violation of the Constitution. Article 61 provides the one and only ground on which the President of India can be removed: 'violation of the Constitution'. The Constitution deliberately leaves the phrase undefined, so what counts as a violation is decided by Parliament in the impeachment process itself. That process is quasi-judicial: the charge may be preferred by either House; the resolution needs at least fourteen days' notice signed by not less than one-fourth of the total members of that House; it must be passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of that House; the other House then investigates the charge, and the President has the right to appear and to be represented at the investigation. If the investigating House also passes the resolution by two-thirds of its total membership, the President stands removed from the date on which that resolution is passed.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) 'Proved misbehaviour or incapacity' is the ground for removing judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts under Article 124(4); it is not the ground written into Article 61 for the President, where the only head of charge is violation of the Constitution.  (c) The Constitution does bar the President from holding any other office of profit (Article 59(2)), and a person holding an office of profit cannot be elected President (Article 58(2)) — but that is a condition of the office, not a separately listed ground of removal. Any such breach would still have to be charged under the single Article 61 head, 'violation of the Constitution'.  (d) The Constitution provides no removal of the President for insanity or physical/mental incapacity. The office falls vacant only on expiry of the five-year term, resignation addressed to the Vice-President, death, or removal by impeachment.

Concept: Impeachment under Article 61 is the only route to remove a sitting President, and it is designed to be political in forum but judicial in form. Both Houses must act: one prefers and passes the charge, the other investigates and passes it again, each by two-thirds of its total membership — a far heavier bar than an ordinary majority, and one that also differs from a no-confidence motion, which touches the Council of Ministers and not the President. Membership of the impeachment forum is not the same as membership of the electoral college that elects the President: nominated members of Parliament take part in impeachment though they cannot vote in the election, while elected members of State Legislative Assemblies vote in the election but have no role in impeachment.

State PCS 2025 Q25 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2025 Q25 — Indian Polity PYQ with Answer