1. the State Government loses its executive power in such areas and a local body assumes total administration
2. the Union Government can take over the total administration of such areas under certain circum- stances on the recommendations of the Governor
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: When an area in a State is declared as a Scheduled Area under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, the State Government does not lose its executive power. Instead, the Governor is given special responsibilities for administering such areas, including the power to modify or exclude the application of laws. A local body does not assume total administration; rather, a Tribal Advisory Council may be constituted to advise on matters related to the welfare of Scheduled Tribes.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Union Government cannot take over the total administration of Scheduled Areas under the Fifth Schedule simply based on the Governor’s recommendation. While the Governor submits an annual report to the President regarding the administration of such areas, the executive powers remain with the State Government unless a separate constitutional mechanism like President’s Rule under Article 356 is invoked, which is unrelated to the Fifth Schedule provisions. Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, Chapter: Scheduled and Tribal Areas
Absolutist phrases like "loses all power" or "Union takes over" are usually traps. The Indian Constitution is designed to balance autonomy and oversight -- not to enable such total transfers of authority. For S1, The phrase "loses executive power" is extreme and totalitarian, which is unconstitutional in India’s quasi-federal system. Hence S1 is likely false due to the absolutism it suggests. For S2, The expression "Union can take over administration" implies an extraordinary breakdown, which isn’t the purpose of the Fifth Schedule. In reality, such a takeover would require constitutional machinery failure, not just Scheduled Area status. Hence likely false.