Polity · X-Factor Notes
The President revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
High-Yield Revision| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Constitutional Mandate (Article 52) | There shall be a President of India. | |
| Head of State | The President is the head of the Indian State, the first citizen, and the symbol of unity, integrity, and solidarity of the nation. | |
| Representation vs. Leadership | He represents the nation but does not lead the nation (as the real executive power vests in the Prime Minister). | UP PCS Mains 2007 |
| Executive Power (Article 53) | The Executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President. This power is exercised by him directly or through subordinate officers in accordance with the Constitution. | UP PCS Mains 2012, UP PCS Mains 2010, UPPCS RO-ARO 2023 Prelims Exam |
| Conduct of Business | Conduct of businesses of the Government of India is formally done in his name (Article 77). | UP PSC GIC 2010 |
| Source of Power | Constitution is the source of the Union's power vested in the President. | UPPCS RO-ARO 2023 Prelims Exam |
| Comparison | The President of India is elected by indirect election, combining the parliamentary system with republicanism (Head of State is elected). The office is different from the British King and not similar to that of America. | UP PCS Mains 2005, 2010 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral College (Article 54) | electoral college consisting of-- the elected members of both Houses of Parliament; and (b)the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States | UP PCS Mains 2012, UP PCS Pre 1993, UP PCS Mains 2011 |
| Inclusion of UTs (70th Amendment) | Elected members of legislative assemblies of National Capital Territory of Delhi and Puducherry are included in the Electoral College (via 70th Amendment Act, 1992). | |
| Members Excluded |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Term of Office (Article 56) | Five years from the date on which he enters upon his office. | |
| Resignation (Article 56) | President addresses his resignation in writing to the Vice-President of India. | UP PCS Pre 1990, UP PCS Pre 2015 |
| Eligibility for Re-election (Article 57) |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinances (Article 123) | Can promulgate ordinances when Parliament is not in session. Ordinances must be approved by Parliament within six weeks from its reassembly. | UP PCS Pre 2015, UP PCS Mains 2016 |
| Assent to Bills | Can give assent, withhold assent, or return the bill (if not a money bill) for reconsideration. A bill becomes an Act after assent. | UP PCS Mains 2011 |
| Money Bill |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| National Emergency (Art. 352) | Declared if security is threatened by War, External Aggression, or Armed Rebellion. The term 'Internal disturbance' was replaced by 'Armed rebellion' by the 44th Constitutional Amendment, 1978. | UP PCS Mains 2010, UP PSC GIC 2010, UP UDA/LDA Pre 2002 |
| Approval of National Emergency | Proclamation must be approved by both Houses within 1 month by a special majority. | |
| Suspension of FRs (Art. 359) |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| First President | Dr. Rajendra Prasad (hailed from Bihar). | |
| Two Successive Terms | Dr. Rajendra Prasad served for two successive terms (1950-1962). | |
| Unanimously Elected | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (1977-1982) was the only President elected unanimously/unopposed. |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| No. | President | Term of Office |
| 1 | Rajendra Prasad | |
| 2 | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | |
| 3 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Article | Description | |
| Article 52 | Establishes the office of the President of India | |
| Article 53 | Executive power of the Union vested in the President | |
| Article 54 |
| Nominated members of Lok Sabha,Rajya Sabha and members of Legislative Councils do not participate in the election. |
| UP PCS Pre (Re. Exam) 2015, UP PCS Pre 1993, UP PCS Mains 2012 |
| Manner of Election (Article 55) | Elected by Indirect Election. The election is held via the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and voting by secret ballot. It seeks uniformity in the scale of representation of different States in the Presidential election. By convention, the Secretary General, Lok Sabha and the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha are appointed as the Returning Officers on rotation basis. |
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| Value of Vote |
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| Electoral Disputes | All doubts and disputes related to the election are inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court, whose decision is final. |
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| Nomination Requirements | Candidate nomination must be subscribed by at least 50 electors as proposers and 50 electors as seconders. Security deposit is ₹15,000. |
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| Qualifications (Article 58) | Citizen of India, completed age of 35 years, and qualified for election as a member of the House of the People (Lok Sabha). | UP Lower Sub. Pre 1998 |
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| Oath/Affirmation (Article 60) | Administered by the Chief Justice of India. |
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| Removal/ Impeachment (Article 61) | Removed via the process of Impeachment. The only ground specified is violation of the Constitution. | UP PCS Mains 2017, UP PCS Pre 1994 |
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| Impeachment Initiation | Motion can be initiated by any House of Parliament. | UP PCS Mains 2007, 2008 |
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| Prior Notice for Impeachment | Requires at least 14 days of prior notice. |
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| Impeachment Procedure Type | It is a Quasi-Judicial Procedure. |
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| Vacancy | Vacant post must be filled within six months. | UP PCS Pre 2005, UP PCS Mains 2013 |
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| Succession | Vice-President acts as President. If VP office is also vacant, the Chief Justice of India (or senior most SC judge) acts as the President. | UP PCS Mains 2014 |
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| UP PCS Mains 2005 |
| Veto Power | Possesses Veto power (e.g., Pocket Veto exercised by Gyani Zail Singh on the Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill in 1986). Absolute Veto The President outright rejects a bill, and it does not become law. This is used in: Private member bills. Government bills when the Cabinet that passed the bill has resigned, and a new Cabinet advises withholding assent. Suspensive Veto The President returns the bill to Parliament for reconsideration. If Parliament passes the bill again (with or without amendments) by a simple majority, the President must give assent. Pocket Veto The President neither gives assent nor returns the bill, effectively withholding decision indefinitely. This is used when the President wants to avoid taking a decision on a bill. The President does not have a qualified veto like the President of the USA, where the veto can be overridden by a higher majority. |
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| Discretionary Powers | Include the power to return a Bill with objections and to withhold a Bill. He can also ask the Council of Ministers for reconsideration on advice. |
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| Aid and Advice (42nd/44th Amendment) | 42nd Amendment, 1976: Made President bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers. 44th Amendment, 1978: Authorized President to require the Council of Ministers to reconsider advice once, but must act on the reconsidered advice. |
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| Dissolution of Lok Sabha | Can dissolve Lok Sabha on the recommendation of the Union Cabinet. |
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| Special Address (Article 87) | Addresses the joint meeting of both houses at the commencement of the first session after each general election and the first session of each year. The Central Cabinet prepares the address. | UP PCS Pre 2021, UP PCS Mains 2010 |
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| Pardoning Power (Article 72) | Power to grant pardons, and to suspend, remit, respite, reprieve or commute sentences. Types of Pardoning: Pardon: Completely absolves the convict from punishment and legal consequences. Commutation: Substitutes one form of punishment with a lighter one. Remission: Reduces the period of sentence without changing its nature. Respite: Awards lesser punishment due to special circumstances (like pregnancy or illness). Reprieve: Temporarily delays the execution of a sentence to allow time for pardon or commutation to be processed. |
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| Supreme Court Consultation (Article 143) | Power to consult the Supreme Court on issues of law or fact of public importance. | UP PCS Mains 2016 |
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| Appointments | Appoints the Attorney General of India (Art. 76), Comptroller and Auditor General (Art. 148), and Governor of State (Art. 155). Also appoints Chairman of the Finance Commission (Art. 280) and Chief Ministers of UTs. Does NOT appoint the Vice-President. | UP PCS Pre 2002, UP PCS Mains 2005, UP PCS Pre 1997 |
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| Laying Reports | Must cause to be laid before Parliament reports from: Union Finance Commission, CAG, and National Commission for SCs. |
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| President can suspend the enforcement of Fundamental Rights (excluding Articles 20 and 21). |
| UP Lower Sub. Pre 2015, UP PCS Spl Mains 2008 |
| President’s Rule (Art. 356) | Imposed in case of failure of Constitutional machinery, based on Governor's report or otherwise. |
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| First President's Rule | Imposed in PEPSU (1953, formerly Punjab 1951). | UP PCS Mains 2010 |
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| Financial Emergency (Art. 360) | Can be proclaimed if financial stability or credit is threatened. Has never been declared in India. | UP PCS Pre 2006 |
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| UP PCS Pre 1998, UP PCS Mains 2004 |
| Did Not Serve as VP | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy is the President who had not held the office of Vice-President before his election. | UP Lower Sub. Pre 2002, UPPSC Prelims 2022 |
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| Also Served as Speaker | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy also served as Speaker of Lok Sabha. | UP RO/ARO Pre 2021 |
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| Philosopher King/Ruler | Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (2nd President, 1962-1967) is known as the Philosopher King or the Philosopher Ruler. | UP PCS Mains 2014 |
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| Associated with Trade Union | V.V. Giri (4th President, 1969-1974) was associated with trade union movements. | UP PCS Pre 2012 |
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| Missile Man | Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (11th President, 2002-2007) was known as the 'Missile Man'. |
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| Sequence Number | K R Narayanan was the 10th President of India. Ms. Pratibha Patil was the 12th President of India. Droupadi Murmu is 15th President of India | UP Lower Sub. Pre 2015 |
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| Zakir Husain |
| 4 | Varahagiri Venkata Giri |
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| 5 | Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed |
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| 6 | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy |
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| 7 | Giani Zail Singh |
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| 8 | Ramaswamy Venkataraman |
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| 9 | Shankar Dayal Sharma |
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| 10 | K. R. Narayanan |
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| 11 | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
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| 12 | Pratibha Patil |
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| 13 | Pranab Mukherjee |
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| 14 | Ram Nath Kovind |
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| 15 | Droupadi Murmu | 2022 – Incumbent |
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| Election of the President by an Electoral College |
| Article 55 | Manner of election of the President |
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| Article 56 | Term of office of the President |
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| Article 57 | Eligibility for re-election of the President |
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| Article 58 | Qualifications for election as President |
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| Article 59 | Oath or affirmation by the President |
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| Article 60 | Duties of the President |
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| Article 61 | Procedure for impeachment of the President |
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| Article 62 | Time of holding election to fill casual vacancies |
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| Article 63 | Establishes the office of the Vice-President of India |
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| Article 64 | Election of the Vice-President |
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| Article 65 | Powers and duties of the Vice-President |
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| Article 66 | Qualifications for election as Vice-President |
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| Article 67 | Term of office of the Vice-President |
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| Article 68 | Time of holding election to fill casual vacancies of Vice-President |
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