Which Article of the Constitution explains that the executive power of every state shall be so exercised as not to impede or prejudice the exercise of the executive power of the Union, and the executive power of the union shall extend to the giving of such directions to a state as may appear to the Government of India to be necessary for that purpose?

Correct — C. The stem reproduces Article 257(1) almost word for word.

Headed 'Control of the Union over States in certain cases', it says a State's executive power must not be exercised so as to impede or prejudice the Union's.

It then extends the Union's executive power to giving a State such directions as the Government of India thinks necessary for that purpose.

The article sits in Part XI, Chapter II — administrative relations between the Union and the States.

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  Article 123 — Article 123 is the ordinance power — the President legislating while Parliament is not in session. It is an executive power over legislation, not over States.
• (b)
  Article 261 — Same chapter, different subject. Article 261 requires full faith and credit throughout India for the public acts, records and judicial proceedings of the Union and the States.
• (d)
  Article 247 — Article 247 is legislative, not executive. It lets Parliament provide additional courts for the better administration of laws it has made on Union List subjects.

Articles 256 to 263 form the administrative-relations chapter of Part XI, and they lean the federation towards the Centre.

Article 256 — a State must exercise its executive power so as to ensure compliance with laws made by Parliament.

Article 257 — goes further, and lets the Union issue directions to a State.

Its later clauses cover means of communication declared to be of national or military importance, and the protection of railways, with the extra cost borne by the Government of India.

Articles 262 and 263 — inter-State river water disputes, and the Inter-State Council.

Key facts

• Article 257(1) bars a State from using its executive power to impede the Union's, and lets the Union direct a State for that purpose.
• Article 256 requires a State to ensure compliance with laws made by Parliament.
• Article 365 lets the President treat a State's failure to comply with a Union direction as a constitutional breakdown.
• Article 261 requires full faith and credit throughout India for public acts, records and judicial proceedings.

Common traps

• Confusing 256 with 257 — 256 is the State's duty to comply, 257 is the Union's power to direct.
• Reaching for Article 355 or 365 because the stem mentions directions. Those cover the Union's duty to protect a State and the consequence of non-compliance, not the power itself.

No directly related past PYQ was found.