Q – Of the following political features, which is/are common to India and the USA.
1. Residuary powers vested in the centre.
2. Residuary powers vested in the states.
3. President has the power of pocket veto.
4. The upper house has some nominated members.
(a) 3 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(b) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1,3 and 4 only
U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2017
Ans. (a)
Explanation – Pocket Veto is an indirect veto of a legislative Bill by an Executive through retention of the Bill unsigned until after adjournment of the legislature.
The President of India and the American President both possess pocket veto.
The American President is bound to return the Bill within 10 days if he refuses his assent, whereas there is no such time limit in the Indian Constitution for the President of India.
The residuary powers are vested in the Centre in India and in the States in USA.
All the members are directly elected to the upper House of the USA while in the upper house of the Indian Parliament 12 members are nominated by the President.
Thus, option (a) is the correct answer.
| Pocket Veto
In Pocket Veto, the President neither ratifies nor rejects nor returns the bill, but simply keeps the bill pending for an indefinite period. This power of the President not to take any action ( either +ve or -ve ) on the bill, is known as the pocket veto. The President exercise this veto power as the constitution does not prescribe any time-limit within which he has to take the decision with respect to a bill presented to him for his assent. In USA, on the other hand, the President has to return the bill for reconsideration within 10 days. Hence, it is remarked that the pocket of the Indian President is bigger than that of the USA President. In 1886, President Giani Zail Singh exercised the pocket veto with respect to the Indian Post Office ( Amendment ) Bill. Source : Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth |