Type 1: EVIDENCE INFERENCE

Evaluate the jurisprudential legacy of the S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) verdict concerning Centre-State relations:

1. The Supreme Court established that administrative inefficiency constitutes a total failure of constitutional machinery.

2. The judgment institutionalized the Sarkaria Commission's doctrine, validating Centre interventions in cases of hung assemblies.

3. The verdict authorized state governments to disregard Central directives without facing Article 356 consequences.

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Detailed Solution & Context

Statement 2 is correct. As delineated in the S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) judgment, which adopted the Sarkaria Commission (1988) recommendations, a hung assembly is a proper ground for Article 356. Statement 1 is incorrect because the court explicitly barred 'maladministration' as a valid trigger. Statement 3 is incorrect as disregarding constitutional Central directives remains a valid ground for dismissal.
Type 2: ASSERTION REASON

Examine the following Assertion and Reason regarding the imposition of President's Rule:

1. Assertion (A): A Governor can legitimately recommend the imposition of President's Rule if a state government is deliberately subverting the constitutional framework.

2. Reason (R): The Bommai judgment dictates that any form of political maladministration automatically equates to a failure of constitutional machinery.

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Detailed Solution & Context

A is true, as wilful disobedience of the Constitution is a valid ground under Article 356. R is false. Pursuant to the S.R. Bommai case (1994), the Supreme Court explicitly distinguished 'maladministration' from constitutional failure, classifying the former as an improper ground for central intervention.
Type 3: SCENARIO

As the Governor of a state post-elections, you face a deeply fractured legislature with no clear majority (a hung assembly). Simultaneously, the incumbent caretaker Chief Minister is accused of severe bureaucratic maladministration. Based on the Sarkaria Commission and Bommai guidelines, what is your constitutionally sound course of action?

1. Recommend Article 356 solely citing the widespread maladministration of the caretaker administration.

2. Recommend Article 356 citing the hung assembly, as it represents a genuine failure to form a constitutional government.

3. Direct the Centre to issue ordinances on state subjects to cure the maladministration without imposing Article 356.

4. Suspend the state assembly indefinitely while retaining the caretaker government based on administrative needs.

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Detailed Solution & Context

Option 2 is correct. Under the framework established by the S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) judgment, a hung assembly is a recognized and proper ground for invoking Article 356. Option 1 is incorrect because maladministration is explicitly categorized as an improper ground. Options 3 and 4 invent constitutional mechanisms outside the provided legal facts.
Type 4: HOW MANY

According to the precedents set by the Supreme Court, how many of the following scenarios are classified as 'proper' situations for the invocation of Article 356?

1. The inability of any political coalition to secure a legislative majority post-election.

2. The state administration suffering from severe systemic maladministration and corruption.

3. The state executive willfully ignoring binding constitutional directives issued by the Union Government.

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Detailed Solution & Context

Two statements are correct (the first and third). As per the Supreme Court's ruling in the Bommai case (1994), a hung assembly and the disregarding of Central constitutional directives are valid triggers. The second statement is the distractor; maladministration is an improper ground for President's rule.

🚨 The Examiner's Trap

Aspirants naturally assume 'maladministration' equates to a failure of constitutional machinery, making it an highly effective distractor when mixed with genuine grounds like a hung assembly.

⚡ Quick Revision

Concept Flow Mapping

Bommai Case
Interprets
Article 356
Maladministration
Is Improper For
President's Rule
Sarkaria Commission
Influenced
Bommai Judgment

Logic Quest

"Under the Bommai framework, does administrative inefficiency justify Central takeover of a state?"

No, maladministration is strictly an improper ground for invoking Article 356.

Topic Clusters

S.R. BommaiSarkaria Commission