UPSC Prelims 2018 · Question 53 of 99
UPSC Prelims 2018 question on Article 356 President Rule
If the President of India exercises his powers as provided under Article 356 of the Constitution in a particular State, then
Show answer
Answer: B. the powers of the Legislature of that State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of the Parliament.
Analysis
Under Article 356 the powers of the State legislature become exercisable by or under the authority of Parliament, so the answer is (b).
When President's Rule is imposed, the President can take up the functions of the State government and the powers vested in the Governor or any other executive authority, declare that the powers of the State legislature shall be exercised by Parliament, and take other necessary steps including suspending constitutional provisions relating to any body or authority in the State. The Governor carries on the administration on the President's behalf, and Parliament passes the State's legislative bills and budget.
Option (a) is the closest distractor and fails on the word automatically, since the President either suspends or dissolves the assembly, so dissolution is a choice rather than an automatic consequence. Option (c) confuses Article 356 with a national emergency under Article 352, which is what affects Article 19.
Source
Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, chapter on Emergency Provisions.
How to crack it
Keep the three emergencies in separate columns, noting for each what happens to fundamental rights, to the State legislature and to Centre and State relations. Article 19 suspension belongs only to the national emergency column, and that single separation defeats the most common distractor in this area.