Read the following sentences carefully:
I. In some spheres the powers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are equal.
II. Removing of Vice-President is one of the sphere.
The correct statement is/are:

Question

Read the following sentences carefully: 
I. In some spheres the powers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are equal. 
II. Removing of Vice-President is one of the sphere. 
The correct statement is/are:

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

[Detailed explanation of why it is correct — include conceptual, or contextual depth.]

The correct option is "Both I and II are correct." This is because, while the Indian Parliament is bicameral, with the Lok Sabha (House of the People) generally holding more power in certain areas like money bills and executive accountability, the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is designed to be co-equal with the Lok Sabha in many critical legislative and non-legislative functions. Therefore, Statement I, "In some spheres the powers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are equal," is factually correct. Areas of equal power include the introduction and passage of ordinary bills, constitutional amendment bills, the impeachment of the President, and the approval of financial emergency.

Statement II, "Removing of Vice-President is one of the sphere," is also correct, but requires careful understanding of the procedure. The Constitution of India specifies a unique process for the removal of the Vice-President. A resolution for removal can only originate in the Rajya Sabha because the Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. However, this resolution, passed by a majority of all the then members of the Rajya Sabha, must be agreed to by the Lok Sabha (by a simple majority of those present and voting). Although the motion originates exclusively in the Rajya Sabha, the process is incomplete, and the removal cannot be effected without the explicit agreement of the Lok Sabha. Because the final decision requires assent from both Houses, the sphere of removing the Vice-President is considered a matter where both Houses exercise mandatory, concurrent power, confirming that Statement II is correct.

The incorrect option is 1:

[Detailed explanation of why it is incorrect — include conceptual, or contextual depth.]

Option 1, "I is correct and II is incorrect," is wrong because while Statement I is indeed correct regarding the co-equal powers in various matters, Statement II is also correct regarding the removal of the Vice-President. The constitutional provision requires the Lok Sabha's agreement for the Vice-President’s removal resolution to take effect, meaning the process is joint, not exclusive to the Rajya Sabha. If Lok Sabha's agreement were not mandatory, then Statement II would be incorrect in classifying it as a sphere of equal power, but since the Lok Sabha's role is mandatory for removal, the second statement holds true. This option incorrectly dismisses the mandatory role of the Lok Sabha in the removal process.

The incorrect option is 2:

[Detailed explanation of why it is incorrect — include conceptual, or contextual depth.]

Option 2, "II is correct and I is incorrect," is fundamentally flawed. Statement I is universally accepted in Indian political science: the two Houses share equal powers in numerous critical functions such as constitutional amendments, ordinary legislation, and the election/impeachment of the President. The idea that the powers of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are never equal would imply that the Rajya Sabha is merely a subordinate house in all matters, which is incorrect constitutionally and practically. Furthermore, while Statement II is correct, arguing that Statement I is incorrect ignores the co-equal status of the two Houses in matters like the joint sitting provision (for ordinary bills) and the procedure for removing the President.

The incorrect option is 3:

[Detailed explanation of why it is incorrect — include conceptual, or contextual depth.]

Option 3, "Both I and II are incorrect," is completely wrong. As established, Statement I is correct because the Constitution clearly grants equal powers to the two Houses in areas like the impeachment of the President and the process of amending the Constitution. To claim that both statements are incorrect would be to deny the constitutional reality of India’s parliamentary structure. Furthermore, Statement II is correct because the removal of the Vice-President, though initiated in the Rajya Sabha, requires the concurrence of the Lok Sabha, thereby making it a sphere where the mandatory participation of both Houses is required for the action to be effective.