SSC · Railway
According to Article 53, the executive power of the Union is vested in the:
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Answer: Option A — President
Detailed Solution
Article 53(1) of the Constitution states that the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Article 53(2) adds that the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union is vested in the President, and its exercise is regulated by law.
The Union executive consists of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers and the Attorney General of India (Articles 52 to 78 in Part V).
Although the executive power is formally vested in the President, India has a parliamentary system of government. Under Article 74, the President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. So the President is the nominal (de jure) executive head, while the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are the real (de facto) executive. Dr B.R. Ambedkar explained that the President "occupies the same position as the King under the English Constitution": he is the head of the State but not of the executive, and represents the nation but does not rule it.
The President's executive powers include:
All executive actions of the Government of India are formally taken in his or her name (Article 77).
Appointing the Prime Minister and other ministers, the Attorney General, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, the Chairman and members of the UPSC, Governors of states, and the Finance Commission.
Being the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.
Administering Union Territories through administrators.
Declaring emergencies and granting pardons.
The President also has some discretionary powers in certain situations, such as appointing a Prime Minister when no party has a clear majority, dismissing a government that has lost confidence, and using a "pocket veto" on bills.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Prime Minister is the real executive head, but executive power is formally vested in the President.
- ✗The Union Cabinet exercises executive power in practice.
- ✗Parliament is the legislature.
Quick tip
Remember: Article 52 = there shall be a President; Article 53 = executive power vested in the President (also Supreme Commander); Article 74 = acts on ministerial advice; President = nominal head, PM = real head.
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Union Executive: President, VP & PM — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Union Executive: President, VP & PM, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Union Executive: the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and the Attorney General. It includes their election or appointment, qualifications, powers, removal, and the relationship between the President and the Council of Ministers. Common questions cover the electoral college that elects the President, impeachment under Article 61, the President's ordinance-making power (Article 123) and pardoning power (Article 72), and the fact that the Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Lists of past Presidents and Prime Ministers are also tested. Practise the Union Executive questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.