This post was published to IAS Help at 20:55:02 20/01/2010

Indian Polity #10 | Study Material::General Studies | IAS Help

Category Indian Polity

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIA

Overview

 The Attorney General is the Union Government’s chief legal advisor and is its primary
lawyer in the Supreme Court
 The Attorney General is the highest law officer in the country
 The first Attorney General of independent India was M C Setalvad 1950-1963
 The current Attorney General is G E Vahanvati (2009 – present)

Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study Material, General Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

Terms of service

 The Attorney General is appointed by the President under Article 76 of the Constitution
 To be appointed Attorney General, a candidate must be qualified to be appointed as a
Judge of the Supreme Court

Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study Material, Gener al Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

Powers and functions of the Attorney General

 The Attorney General gives legal advice to the Government of India

 He has the right of audience in all courts in India
 The Attorney General can participate in proceedings of the Parliament without the right to
vote
 The Attorney General appears on behalf of the Government of India in all cases in the
Supreme Court
 The Attorney General is to be consulted only in legal matters of greatest importance and
only after the Ministry of Law has been consulted
 All references to the AG are made by the Ministry of Law
 The Attorney General cannot appear against the Government of India
 The AG cannot defend an accused in criminal proceedings
 The AG cannot accept directorship of a company without permission of the government
 The AG does not have any executive authority
 The Attorney General is assisted by the Solicitor General and four Additional Solicitor
Generals

Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study Material, General Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

Solicitor General for India

 The Solicitor General assists the Attorney General

 He is the second highest law officer of the country
 The Solicitor General is assisted by four Additional Solicitors General for India
 Unlike the Attorney General, the Solicitor General does not give legal advice to the
government
  The primary responsibility of the Solicitor General is to appear in courts on behalf of the
Government of India
 The first Solicitor General of independent India was C K Daphtary (1950-1963)
 The current Solicitor General is Gopal Subramaniam (2009 – present)

The Advocate General

 Each state has an Advocate General, whose position is similar to that of the Attorney
General of the Centre
 The Advocate General is appointed by the Governor
 A person must be qualified to be a Judge of the High Court to be appointed as Advocate
General
 The Advocate General can participate in proceedings of the state legislature without the
right to vote

Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study Material, General Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL OF INDIA

Overview

 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India audits all receipts and expenditures of the
Union and state governments
 The CAG is empowered to audit all revenues and expenditures of the Union and state
governments, whether incurred within India or outside
 The CAG also acts as the external auditor for government owned companies
 The CAG submits his reports to the President (in case of accounts relating to the Union
Government) or to the state Governors (for state government accounts)
 The reports of the CAG are taken into account by the Public Accounts Committee of
Parliament and state legislatures
 The CAG is also the head of the Indian Audits and Accounts Service (IA&AS)
 The office of the CAG was established in 1860
 The first CAG of India was V Narahari Rao (1948-1954)
 The current CAG is Vinod Rai (2008 – present)

Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study Material, General Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

Terms of service

 The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is appointed by the President

 The CAG can only be removed from office in manner similar to a Judge of the Supreme
Court
 The salary and benefits of the CAG cannot be changed to his disadvantage during his tenure
 The CAG is not eligible for further office under the Union of state governments
 The expenses of the office of the CAG (including all salaries, allowances, pensions etc) is
charged to the Consolidated Fund of India
Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study Material, General Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

The Indian Audits and Accounts Service (IA&AS)

 The IA&AS is a central government service that functions under the Comptroller and
Auditor General of India
  The IA&AS is responsible for auditing the accounts of the Union and state governments and
public sector undertakings
 The IA&AS also maintains accounts of state governments
 Under the IA&AS, each state has a Principal Accountant General in charge of audit functions
 Each state also has several Accountants General in charge of accounts and entitlement
functions
 Recruitment to the IA&AS is through the Civil Services Exam
 Once recruited, IA&AS officers are trained at the National Academy of Audit and Accounts,
Simla
Keywords: IAS, IAS Exam, IAS Study Material, UPSC, UPSC Exam, UPSC Question Papers, Civil Service, Civil Service Exam, Civil Service Study
Material, General Studies, General Studies Question Paper, Free, Study Material, Question Paper, 2009, 2010, India

PREVIOUS WEEK: ELECTIONS ~~~~~ NEXT WEEK: PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES