🧷 Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

📍 The Question:

Consider the following statements:

1. Attorney General of India and Solicitor General of India are the only officers of the Government who are allowed to participate in the meetings of the Parliament of India.
2. According to the Constitution of India, the Attorney General of India submits his resignation when the Government which appointed him resigns.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

✅ Correct Answer: (d)

🔎 Curiosity Raiser (UPSC trap)

UPSC is testing your ability to distinguish between:

• constitutional provisions, and
• constitutional conventions.

Mixing the two leads to easy elimination errors.

🧠 Core Concept Tested

Article 76 — Attorney General of India: rights, role, and tenure

🔍 Classroom Explanation (UPSC Prelims Focused)

Statement 1 ❌

• Article 76 provides for the office of the Attorney General of India.
• The Attorney General:
  • has the right to speak and participate in proceedings of both Houses of Parliament and their committees,
  • but has no right to vote.
• The Solicitor General of India:
  • is not a constitutional authority, and
  • does not have the right to participate in Parliamentary proceedings.

👉 Hence, Statement 1 is incorrect.

Statement 2 ❌

• The Constitution does not prescribe:
  • a fixed tenure for the Attorney General, or
  • a rule requiring resignation when the Government resigns.
• The Attorney General:
  • holds office during the pleasure of the President, and
  • may resign voluntarily.
• Resignation upon change of government is a convention, not a constitutional requirement.

👉 Hence, Statement 2 is incorrect.

❌ Why the final answer is (d)

• Both statements are incorrect.
• Therefore, neither 1 nor 2 is correct.

📘 Enrich Notes (Prelims Value Add)

• Article 76 → Attorney General is the highest law officer of India
• Rights of AG → Participate in Parliament, no voting right
• Solicitor General → Executive post, no parliamentary privilege
• Tenure → Pleasure of President; resignation on govt change is convention

📌 Prelims Recall Line
AG’s powers are constitutional; his resignation is conventional.

🧘‍♂️ IAS Monk Whisper

The Constitution speaks in law;
conventions speak in practice.