Q. Consider the following statements:
1.The Constitution mandates that local government elections must be held before the end of their five-year term.
2.State Election Commissions (SECs) are at the same level with the Election Commission of India (ECI) in terms of independence and transparency.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation –
Statement 1 is correct. The Constitution requires that elections to local bodies (panchayats and urban local governments) must be conducted before the end of their five-year term, similar to national and state legislative elections.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Although SECs are constitutionally established bodies, they are not as independent or transparent as the ECI. SECs often face interference from state governments, and their appointment process lacks the same level of autonomy and safeguards that protect the ECI’s independence.
Source: The Hindu
