SSC CGL 2025 Tier-I · 13 September 2025, Shift 2 · General Awareness · Question 14 of 100

We transcribed this text from the pictures on a candidate's response sheet for this shift; the answer is the key SSC colour-marked on that sheet. Solution last reviewed 13 September 2026.

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As per Article 279A of the Indian Constitution, the GST Council’s decisions require what kind of majority of the weighted votes of the members present and voting?

(a)Simple majority
(b)Three-fourths majority
(c)Two-thirds majority
(d)Half majority

Answer

Why

Correct — B. Article 279A(9): every GST Council decision is taken at a meeting by a majority of not less than three-fourths of the weighted votes of the members present and voting → option (b).

The same clause sets the weights: the Centre's vote counts for one-third of the votes cast, and all the States together for two-thirds.

Neither side reaches three-fourths alone, since 1⁄3 and 2⁄3 are both short of 3⁄4.

Why the others are wrong

(a)
Simple majority — A simple majority is not enough. Clause (9) sets the bar at three-fourths of the weighted votes, so a proposal backed by 60% of them fails.
(c)
Two-thirds majority — Two-thirds is the weight of all the States taken together, not the majority a decision needs. The threshold in clause (9) is higher: three-fourths.
(d)
Half majority — One-half does appear in Article 279A, but as the quorum: half of all Council members must be present. A decision still needs three-fourths of the weighted votes.

Concept

The GST Council was created by Article 279A, inserted by the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016. It makes recommendations to the Union and the States on GST, including rates and exemptions.

The Union Finance Minister chairs it. The other members are the Union Minister of State in charge of revenue or finance, and a minister nominated by each State Government.

In practice the Centre alone can block a decision. If the Centre votes yes, the decision still needs at least 5⁄8 of the States voting:
1⁄3 + (2⁄3 × 5⁄8) = 4⁄12 + 5⁄12 = 3⁄4

Key facts

Article 279A(9): decisions need not less than three-fourths of the weighted votes of members present and voting.
Weightage under Article 279A(9): the Centre one-third of the votes cast, all States together two-thirds.
Article 279A(7): one-half of the Council's total members form the quorum.
Article 279A(2)(a): the Union Finance Minister is the Chairperson.

Study next

Article 246A: the power of Parliament and State legislatures to make GST lawsArticle 269A: GST on inter-State suppliesThe 101st Amendment, 2016, which inserted Articles 246A, 269A and 279A

Common traps

Picking two-thirds because it appears in Article 279A: it is the States' combined weight, not the decision threshold.
Picking half majority: one-half is the quorum rule in clause (7), not the voting rule in clause (9).

The weightage behind this threshold is asked at 18 Sep 2025, 09:00, GA Q.17 (keyed: the States together carry twice the Centre's weight), and the Council's chair at 19 Sep 2025, 16:00, GA Q.13 (keyed: Union Finance Minister).

Related PYQs

No directly related past PYQ was found.

Topic: General Policy — all 308 SSC CGL questions on it, every solved shift.