Constitutional Bodies in India

August 02, 2025

Nature: Permanent and independent body.
Composition: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs) determined by the President.
Appointment: President appoints CEC and ECs.
Tenure: Hold office for 6 years or until they attain 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.
Removal: CEC removed like a Supreme Court Judge. ECs can be removed by the President on the recommendation of the CEC.
Functions:
- Conducts elections for Parliament, State Legislatures, and offices of President and Vice-President.
- Prepares electoral rolls and registers eligible voters.
- Grants recognition to political parties and allocates election symbols.
- Advises the President and Governors on matters related to disqualification of members.
- Supervises election machinery for free and fair elections.

Nature: Central recruiting agency and "watchdog of merit system".
Composition: Chairman and other members appointed by the President.
Tenure: Hold office for 6 years or until they attain 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.
Removal: By the President on grounds of misbehavior (after Supreme Court inquiry), insolvency, engaging in paid employment outside office, or infirmity of mind/body.
Functions:
- Conducts examinations for appointments to All-India Services, Central Services, and public services of centrally administered territories.
- Assists states in recruiting candidates for special qualifications (if requested).
- Consulted on matters related to recruitment, promotions, transfers, disciplinary matters, and claims for legal expenses for civil servants.
- Submits an annual performance report to the President.

Nature: Constitutional body for two or more states, created by an act of Parliament.
Composition: Chairman and members appointed by the President.
Tenure: Hold office for 6 years or until they attain 62 years of age, whichever is earlier.
Removal: By the President.
Report: Submits its annual performance report to each concerned state Governor.

Nature: Constitutional body.
Composition: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and three other members appointed by the President.
Functions:
- Investigates and monitors all matters relating to safeguards for SCs.
- Inquires into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of SCs.
- Participates and advises on the planning process of socio-economic development of SCs.
- Presents annual reports to the President on the working of safeguards.
Powers: Has powers of a civil court while investigating matters.

Nature: Constitutional body (bifurcated from NCSC by 89th Amendment Act, 2003).
Composition: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and three other members appointed by the President.
Functions: Similar to NCSC, but specifically for Scheduled Tribes. Investigates and monitors safeguards, inquires into complaints, participates in socio-economic development planning, and presents annual reports to the President.
Powers: Has powers of a civil court.

Nature: Constitutional body (granted constitutional status by 102nd Amendment Act, 2018).
Functions:
- Examines complaints and welfare measures for socially and educationally backward classes.
- Not empowered to look into grievances of persons of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) which continues to be vested with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC).
- Central and state governments consult NCBC on major policy matters affecting socially and educationally backward classes.
- Presents annual reports to the President on the working of safeguards for backward classes.
Powers: Has powers of a civil court.

Nature: Quasi-judicial body, constituted by the President every five years (or earlier).
Composition: Chairman (experience in public affairs) and four other members (appointed by the President). Members typically have expertise in finance, accounts, economics, or as a High Court judge.
Functions: Recommends to the President on:
- Distribution of net proceeds of taxes between Union and States.
- Principles governing grants-in-aid to states from the Consolidated Fund of India.
- Measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of a state to supplement resources of Panchayats and Municipalities.
- Any other matter referred by the President in the interest of sound finance.

Nature: Chief legal advisor to the Government of India, the first Law Officer of the Government.
Appointment: Appointed by the President. Must be qualified to be appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Tenure: Holds office during the pleasure of the President. (No fixed term).
Removal: No specific grounds or procedure for his removal mentioned in the Constitution.
Functions:
- Advises the Government of India on legal matters.
- Performs other legal duties assigned by the President.
- Has the right of audience in all courts in the territory of India.
- Can attend Parliament proceedings (but without voting right).
Note: Not a government servant and not debarred from private legal practice. Assisted by Solicitor General and Additional Solicitors-General.

Nature: Not in original Constitution. Inserted by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956, based on the States Reorganisation Commission (1953-55) recommendation.
Designation: Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities.
Appointment: Appointed by the President.
Office Location: Falls under the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Functions:
- Investigates all matters relating to safeguards for linguistic minorities provided under the Constitution.
- Reports to the President, who places reports before Parliament and sends them to the concerned state governments.

Tags: polity