Which Article of the Constitution of India deals with the conduct of business of the Government of a state?
- (a)Article 164
- (b)Article 167
- (c)Article 166
- (d)Article 177
Answer
Why
Correct — C. Article 166 is headed Conduct of business of the Government of a State.
It provides that all executive action of a state is expressed to be taken in the name of the Governor, that orders be authenticated as the Governor's rules direct, and that the Governor makes rules for the convenient transaction of business and for allocating it among Ministers.
Its Union twin is Article 77, which says the same three things with the President in place of the Governor → option (c).
Why the others are wrong
- (a)Article 164 — Article 164 is 'Other provisions as to Ministers' — appointment of the Chief Minister and Ministers by the Governor, the cap of 15 per cent of the Assembly and the floor of twelve. It fixes who the ministers are, not how business is transacted.
- (b)Article 167 — Article 167 is a duty of the Chief Minister, not a rule of business: to communicate the decisions of the Council of Ministers to the Governor and to furnish the information the Governor asks for.
- (d)Article 177 — Article 177 is about rights inside the House. Every Minister and the Advocate-General may speak in and take part in the proceedings of the State Legislature, but the article gives neither of them a vote.
Concept
Part VI of the Constitution runs the state executive, and it deliberately mirrors Part V for the Union. Learn the pairs and one article buys you two.
Articles 74 and 163 — the Council of Ministers to aid and advise.
Articles 75 and 164 — appointment and responsibility of Ministers.
Articles 77 and 166 — conduct of business.
Articles 78 and 167 — the duty to keep the head of state informed.
The conduct-of-business articles are the housekeeping clauses: executive action runs in the head of state's name, orders are authenticated so their validity is not open to question, and rules of business share the work out among Ministers.
The word to fix is conduct. Articles 166 and 77 are about the machinery of executive action, not about the ministers themselves.
Every wrong option here is also a Part VI article on the state, so the number is what is being tested, not the topic.
Key facts
- Article 166 deals with the conduct of business of the Government of a State.
- Article 77 is its Union counterpart, covering the conduct of business of the Government of India.
- All executive action of a state is expressed to be taken in the name of the Governor.
- Article 167 makes it the Chief Minister's duty to furnish information on state administration to the Governor.
Study next
Common traps
- Reaching for Article 164 because it is the article most often revised about state ministers.
- Swapping the Union and state numbers, answering 77 where 166 is wanted.
SSC asks the Union half of this pair in almost the same words: 09 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.7 asks what Article 77 deals with and keys the conduct of business of the Government of India.
Neighbouring numbers turn up at 17 Sep 2024, 12:30, GA Q.12, which keys Article 165 for the Advocate-General's duty to advise the state government, and at 23 Sep 2024, 16:00, GA Q.22, which keys the floor of twelve ministers in a state.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.