Which statement best describes the role of constitutional bodies like EC, UPSC, CAG, and FC in Indian democracy?
- They replace elected governments in key functions
- They operate independently to ensure integrity, merit, accountability, and equity in governance
- They are subordinate to the executive for policy implementation
- They focus only on Union-level governance, not States
Answer: They operate independently to ensure integrity, merit, accountability, and equity in governance
Constitutional bodies are designed as independent institutions to: (a) EC: Ensure free/fair elections (integrity), (b) UPSC: Ensure merit-based recruitment (merit), (c) CAG: Ensure financial accountability (accountability), (d) FC: Ensure equitable resource distribution (equity). Their independence (appointment, removal, finances) shields them from political pressure, strengthening democratic governance. They complement, not replace, elected institutions.