GK Question

polity hard fill_blank

In SR Bommai v. Union of India (1994), the Supreme Court emphasized that Governor's report recommending President's Rule must comply with ______ morality, meaning Governor acts as constitutional functionary, not political agent.

  1. political
  2. Constitutional
  3. social
  4. religious

Answer: Constitutional

Constitutional morality under SR Bommai: (a) Context: Challenge to President's Rule imposition based on political considerations, not constitutional morality, (b) Supreme Court holding: (i) Governor's report must comply with Constitutional morality: Governor acts as constitutional functionary, not political agent, (ii) Constitutional morality requires: Objective material, procedural compliance, constitutional principles compliance, not political considerations, party affiliations, (iii) Judicial review: Courts examine whether report complies with Constitutional morality, not political convenience, (c) Applications: (i) Post-1994: Courts more willing to strike down Article 356 proclamations violating Constitutional morality, (ii) Federal balance: Protects State autonomy against arbitrary Centre overreach via gubernatorial discretion, (d) Rationale: (i) Democratic legitimacy: Governor as constitutional functionary ensures Article 356 reflects genuine constitutional breakdown, not political convenience, (ii) Constitutional supremacy: Constitutional morality preserves constitutional order against arbitrary power, (iii) Federal balance: Protects State autonomy while enabling Union to preserve constitutional order, (e) Illustrates constitutional federalism: Constitutional morality requirement protects State autonomy; judicial review ensures Article 356 used for genuine crises, not political convenience.

Topic Article 356 - Governor's Report and Constitutional Morality
Exam Relevance Constitutional morality under Article 356 critical for UPSC Mains and Judiciary exams