Legislative powers of the Centre and State Government — MCQs

All questions with answers and explanations

Read the full set here, or use the practice card above to test yourself one question at a time.

1. Which List contains "Forests" and "Protection of wild animals and birds" today?

   • Union List
   • State List
   • Concurrent List (correct answer)
   • Residuary power, no specific list

   Explanation. Both subjects were moved to the Concurrent List (Entries 17A and 17B) by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.

2. Forests and wildlife protection were moved to the Concurrent List by which constitutional amendment?

   • 24th Amendment
   • 42nd Amendment (correct answer)
   • 44th Amendment
   • 73rd Amendment

   Explanation. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976 moved Forests and Wildlife protection to the Concurrent List.

3. "Water" is listed in which List of the Seventh Schedule?

   • Union List
   • State List (correct answer)
   • Concurrent List
   • Not listed in any List

   Explanation. "Water" is Entry 17 of the State List, ordinarily making it a State subject.

4. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 derives its constitutional basis primarily from:

   • A Concurrent List entry
   • Article 252 (State-resolution adoption) (correct answer)
   • Article 253 (treaty implementation)
   • Union List Entry 56 alone

   Explanation. Since Water is a State List subject, the Act relies on Article 252, applying to a State only once its Legislature adopts it by resolution.

5. Article 253 empowers Parliament to legislate:

   • Only on Union List subjects
   • On any subject, to implement an international treaty, agreement or convention (correct answer)
   • Only during a national emergency
   • Only with the consent of all States

   Explanation. Article 253 lets Parliament legislate on any subject, overriding the ordinary List division, to implement an international agreement.

6. Which of the following statutes is most commonly justified as an exercise of Article 253?

   • Indian Contract Act, 1872
   • Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (correct answer)
   • Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
   • Indian Penal Code

   Explanation. The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 is commonly cited as enacted under Article 253 to implement the Stockholm Declaration, 1972.

7. If a State law on a Concurrent List subject conflicts with an existing Central law, the State law is void to the extent of the conflict, UNLESS:

   • The State law was passed first
   • It received the President's assent under Article 254(2) (correct answer)
   • The Union informally agrees
   • The Supreme Court is never asked to review it

   Explanation. Article 254(2) lets such a State law prevail within that State only if it received the President's assent.

8. Parliament's residuary legislative power over subjects not found in any of the three Lists comes from:

   • Article 246 and the State List
   • Article 248 and Union List Entry 97 (correct answer)
   • Article 254
   • Article 372

   Explanation. Article 248, read with Entry 97 of the Union List, gives Parliament residuary power over any subject not listed elsewhere.