Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: The two houses of the Parliament
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on the process of impeachment of the President of India, which is a serious constitutional mechanism used only in exceptional circumstances. Understanding who has the power to initiate and complete this process reveals how checks and balances work within the parliamentary system. The President can be removed for violation of the Constitution, but this cannot be done by a single individual or institution; it requires a collective decision by Parliament.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The Constitution provides that the President may be removed from office for violation of the Constitution by a process of impeachment. The charge can be preferred by either house of Parliament, and the resolution must be passed by a special majority in both houses. The Prime Minister, Speaker, and Chief Justice have important constitutional roles, but they do not by themselves have the power to remove the President. Thus the power to impeach and remove rests collectively with the two houses of Parliament, acting through a prescribed procedure and majority.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that impeachment is a parliamentary process involving the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.Step 2: Remember that a resolution containing the charges must be passed by one house and then investigated, after which the other house also passes it with a special majority.Step 3: Note that no single office holder such as the Prime Minister, Speaker, or Chief Justice has the authority to remove the President.Step 4: Choose the option that clearly points to the collective role of the two houses of Parliament, which is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify from standard polity references that impeachment of the President is initiated by either house with a notice signed by a prescribed number of members, then investigated, and finally concluded by a special majority vote in both houses. The Chief Justice may preside during the investigation, but does not decide the outcome alone. The Prime Minister and the Speaker have roles in parliamentary functioning, but they do not substitute for the collective decision of the two houses. Since removal is only possible when both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha pass the resolution, the answer is confirmed.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Prime Minister heads the Council of Ministers and advises the President, but has no independent authority to remove the President from office, so this option is incorrect.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides over the lower house and may receive the notice of impeachment, but cannot alone determine removal; therefore this option is also wrong.
The Chief Justice of India may be involved in the investigation of the charges and preside during the process, but removal is decided by Parliament, not by the judiciary alone, so this option is incorrect as well.
Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes believe that the Prime Minister, being the most powerful political executive, can recommend removal in a manner similar to appointment, which is a misunderstanding. Others imagine that the Chief Justice, as the head of the judiciary, directly removes the President, confusing impeachment with judicial review. To avoid such errors, focus on the clear constitutional design that such an extreme step must be supported by special majorities in both houses of Parliament, reflecting the will of the legislature as a whole.
Final Answer:
For the President of India to be removed from office through impeachment, the required resolution must be passed by both houses of the Parliament.
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