According to the Constitution and law in India, what is the prescribed retirement age of the Prime Minister of India?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: No upper age limit prescribed

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question tests basic knowledge of the nature of the Prime Minister office in the Indian parliamentary system. In some posts, such as judges of the Supreme Court or High Courts, there is a fixed retirement age. However, the Prime Minister is part of the political executive, not a civil servant or judge. Understanding that the position depends on majority support in the Lok Sabha rather than on a fixed age limit is key for answering this question correctly.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The office in question is the Prime Minister of India.
  • The query is about prescribed retirement age.
  • Options present age limits of 60, 65, 70 years and an option indicating no upper age limit.
  • The Constitution and laws must be the basis for the answer, not personal opinion.


Concept / Approach:
The Prime Minister holds office as long as he or she enjoys the confidence of the majority in the Lok Sabha. There is no article in the Constitution setting an upper age for being appointed or continuing as Prime Minister, apart from basic eligibility conditions like being a member of Parliament and being a citizen of India. Therefore, the correct answer is that there is no upper age limit specified. Any age related change in leadership is political, not legal.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Prime Minister is the leader of the majority in the Lok Sabha and is appointed by the President. Step 2: Remember that the term of office depends on maintaining majority support, not on a fixed tenure or retirement age. Step 3: Consider whether any constitutional article specifies an age after which a person cannot be Prime Minister. Step 4: Recognise that such a provision does not exist. Step 5: Select the option stating no upper age limit prescribed as the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to compare with offices that do have age limits, such as judges, who retire at 65 or 62 years, and members of the civil services, who retire at ages set by service rules. For the Prime Minister, one finds no such entry in the constitutional text or in the Representation of the People Acts. Instead, the only requirements relate to membership of Parliament and absence of certain disqualifications. This confirms that legal rules do not prescribe a retirement age for the Prime Minister.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The options 60 years, 65 years and 70 years are common retirement ages in various services or hypothetical guesses, but they have no basis in the constitutional provisions relating to the office of Prime Minister. Selecting any of these would imply a rule that does not exist. The absence of a fixed age is intentional, because in a democracy the choice of leader is left to elected representatives and the electorate, not to automatic age cut offs for political offices.


Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates assume that all important offices must have retirement ages and therefore pick 65 years, confusing the Prime Minister with judges of the Supreme Court. Others may think that a large age like 70 years is a likely compromise and choose it without checking any legal text. The correct approach is to recall that political offices in a parliamentary democracy usually do not have fixed retirement ages, since electoral processes determine leadership changes.


Final Answer:
There is no upper age limit prescribed in the Constitution or law for the retirement of the Prime Minister of India; the tenure depends on majority support in the Lok Sabha.

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