Consider the following statements regarding the political and administrative landscape of Bihar:
- 1. The Bihar Legislative Council is the upper house of the state established under Article 169 of the Indian Constitution, with the total number of members currently at 75, and its members are elected through various electorates (graduates, teachers, local bodies, and assembly) by the proportional representation system.
- 2. In the state's administrative system, the 'Chief Secretary' is the highest administrative officer of the state, who is the head of the cabinet secretariat as well as coordinates between all administrative departments, and is directly appointed by the Governor without the advice of the Council of Ministers.
- 3. Under the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in Bihar, Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti, and Gram Panchayat are included, and in accordance with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, under the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act, 2006, a historical provision of 50 percent reservation has been made for women in local body elections.
- 4. The State Human Rights Commission and the State Public Service Commission (BPSC) are constitutional bodies, in which the chairman and members of BPSC are appointed by the Governor, but the power to remove them from office lies solely with the Chief Minister of the state.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are completely true?
Detailed Explanation & Solution
Statement 1 is true because the Bihar Legislative Council is part of a bicameral system under the provisions of Article 169 of the Indian Constitution, with a total of 75 members elected through specific electorates. Statement 2 is false because the Chief Secretary is appointed on the approval of the Chief Minister of the state, not by the Governor at his discretion. Statement 3 is completely true; Bihar is among the leading states in the country to provide 50% reservation to women in three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions under the Bihar Panchayati Raj Act, 2006. Statement 4 is false because the power to remove the chairman or members of the State Public Service Commission (BPSC) rests solely with the President, not the Governor (Article 317).