Which one of the following is not explicitly stated in the Constitution of India but followed as a convention?
A
The finance minister is to be a Member of the Lower House
B
The Prime Minister has to resign if he loses majority in the Lower House
C
All the parts of India are to be represented in the Council of Ministers
D
In the event of both the President and the Vice-president demitting office simultaneously before the end of their tenure the Speaker of the Lower House of the Parliament will officiate as the President
Correct Answer: Option B
Explanation
1. The Constitution of India explicitly lays down many rules of governance, while others are based on convention.
2. Option (A) is incorrect; there's no constitutional requirement for the Finance Minister to be from the Lower House (Lok Sabha), though it is common practice.
3. Option (C) is desirable but not a constitutional mandate; representation in the Council of Ministers aims for broad representation but isn't explicitly dictated for all parts of India.
4. Option (D) describes a scenario handled by Article 65 and the President (Discharge of Functions) Act, 1969, which specifies the line of succession (VP, then Chief Justice of India, then senior-most Supreme Court judge), not the Speaker officiating.
5. Option (B), the resignation of the Prime Minister upon losing majority in the Lower House, is a fundamental principle of the parliamentary system derived from British practice and followed as a strong convention in India, underpinning the collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the Lok Sabha (Article 75(3)), although not explicitly stated in the phrase 'Prime Minister has to resign'.