HP GK one liner - Polity and Administration of Himachal Pradesh

Constitutional History and Statehood

• When was Himachal Pradesh formed and what administrative unit was it established as? - Chief Commissioner's Province (15 April 1948).
• How many princely states were combined to form Himachal Pradesh at the time of its formation in 1948? - 30 states (26 Shimla Hills and 4 Punjab Hills).
• In which year was Himachal Pradesh granted the status of a 'Part-C' state under the Indian Constitution? - 1951 AD.
• What was Himachal Pradesh made on 1 November 1956 after the recommendations of the States Reorganization Commission (SRC)? - Union Territory.
• On which historical date was Himachal Pradesh established as the 18th full state of the Indian Union? - 25 January 1971.
• In which year was the Himachal Pradesh State Act passed in Parliament at the time of attaining full statehood in 1971? - 18 December 1970.
• From which ground in Shimla did Prime Minister Indira Gandhi make the historic announcement granting full statehood to Himachal Pradesh? - The Ridge, Shimla.
• In 1954, which 'Part-C' state was merged with Himachal Pradesh to make it the 5th district of the state? - Bilaspur state (1 July 1954).
• On 1 November 1966, during the Punjab reorganization, which hilly areas of Punjab were merged into Himachal Pradesh? - Kangra, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Shimla city, and Nalagarh.
• During the administrative reorganization of Himachal Pradesh in 1972, Mahasu district was abolished, and which two new districts were formed? - Solan and Shimla districts (also Una and Hamirpur were formed from Kangra).

Executive: Governor and CM

• Who was appointed as the first Chief Commissioner of Himachal Pradesh in 1948? - N.C. Mehta.
• In 1952, when Himachal Pradesh got its first Lieutenant Governor, who was appointed to this post? - Major General Himmat Singh.
• On 25 January 1971, upon attaining full statehood, who became the first Governor of Himachal Pradesh? - S. Chakravarti.
• Who was the first Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh who took the oath on 24 March 1952? - Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar (known as the architect of Himachal).
• Which district of Himachal Pradesh did Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar belong to, and how many times did he become the Chief Minister? - Sirmaur district (Bagthan) - He became Chief Minister 4 times.
• Who is the politician with the longest tenure as Chief Minister in the history of Himachal Pradesh? - Virbhadra Singh (he remained the Chief Minister of the state 6 times).
• Who was the first non-Congress Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh who formed the government under the leadership of Shanta Kumar in 1977? - Shanta Kumar (Palampur, Kangra).
• Who was the first female Governor of Himachal Pradesh who took charge of the Raj Bhavan? - Sheila Kaul (1995-1996).
• Who are the real and constitutional heads of the state executive respectively? - The Chief Minister is the real head, and the Governor is the constitutional head.
• How many times has President's Rule been imposed in Himachal Pradesh so far? - Twice (in 1977 and 1992).

Legislature: Legislative Assembly

• When the Legislative Assembly was formed for the first time in Himachal Pradesh in 1952, what was the total number of seats? - 36 seats.
• At present, what is the total number of elected MLAs in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly? - 68 seats (including 17 reserved for Scheduled Castes and 3 for Scheduled Tribes).
• Who was elected as the first Speaker of the HP Assembly? - Pandit Jaiwant Ram.
• Who has the distinction of being the first female Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly? - Vidya Stokes (1985).
• In which historical building or place in Shimla is the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat building of Himachal Pradesh located? - Council Chamber (Chaura Maidan - inaugurated by Lord Reading in 1925).
• Which is the first state in the country to implement the fully digital and paperless 'e-Vidhan' system? - Himachal Pradesh (implemented in 2014).
• In which district of Himachal Pradesh are the maximum number of assembly constituencies located? - Kangra district (total 15 assembly seats).
• Which is the largest assembly constituency in Himachal Pradesh in terms of area, where the number of voters is the lowest? - Lahaul-Spiti assembly constituency.
• Which is the largest assembly constituency in Himachal Pradesh based on the number of voters? - Sulah assembly constituency - Kangra district.
• Who was elected as the first Deputy Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly? - Krishna Chandra.

Judiciary: High Court and Lokayukta

• In which year was the High Court of Himachal Pradesh established along with full statehood? - 25 January 1971 (Shimla).
• Who became the first Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court? - Justice M.H. Beg.
• Who has the distinction of being the first female Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court? - Justice Leila Seth (1991).
• Who was appointed as the first Lokayukta of HP? - Justice T.V.R. Tatachari (1983).
• Who was the first Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Administrative Tribunal (SAT)? - Justice Hira Singh Thakur.
• In which historical building complex in Shimla is the Himachal Pradesh High Court currently operating? - Ravenswood Building.
• Who is the highest legal officer appointed to advise the government on legal matters of the state? - Advocate General.
• Where is the main office of the Himachal Pradesh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission located? - Shimla.
• What does the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority (HPSLSA) work to provide to the weaker sections of society? - Free legal aid and organizing Lok Adalats.
• The Chief Justice of the High Court is appointed by the President of India in consultation with whom? - In consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Governor of the concerned state.

Parliamentary Representation: Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

• How many members are elected from Himachal Pradesh to the Lower House of the Indian Parliament, i.e., Lok Sabha? - 4 members (Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Hamirpur parliamentary constituencies).
• Which is the only seat out of the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC)? - Shimla parliamentary constituency.
• What is the total number of members representing Himachal Pradesh in the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, i.e., Rajya Sabha? - 3 members.
• Who was the first member elected to the Rajya Sabha from Himachal Pradesh who reached Parliament in 1952? - Chiranjilal Verma.
• Who was the first female Lok Sabha member from HP who represented the Mandi parliamentary constituency and became the Union Health Minister? - Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (India's first Health Minister).
• Which is the largest Lok Sabha constituency of Himachal Pradesh in terms of area, which is one of the largest constituencies in the country? - Mandi Lok Sabha constituency (it also includes Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kullu).
• Which politician in the history of Himachal Pradesh held the post of full Cabinet Minister (like Communication or Sports Minister) in the Central Government for the first time? - Pandit Sukhram or Rajkumari Amrit Kaur.
• What is the tenure of Rajya Sabha members and by whom are they elected? - 6-year tenure (elected by the MLAs of the State Legislative Assembly).
• What is the total number of assembly constituencies under the Kangra Lok Sabha seat? - 17 assembly constituencies.
• Which districts of Himachal Pradesh are fully or partially included in the Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency? - Hamirpur, Una, Bilaspur, and parts of Kangra and Mandi.

Administrative Divisions: Districts, Divisions and Tehsils

• For administrative smoothness, Himachal Pradesh has been divided into how many administrative divisions? - 3 divisions (Shimla, Kangra, and Mandi divisions).
• Where is the headquarters of the Kangra Division located, and which districts come under it? - Dharamshala (Kangra, Una, and Hamirpur districts come under it).
• What is the total number of districts in Himachal Pradesh which are the main axis of the administrative system? - 12 districts.
• Which is the largest administrative division of Himachal Pradesh, under which the maximum of 5 districts come? - Mandi division (Mandi, Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Bilaspur, Chamba).
• What is the District Magistrate responsible for administrative tasks and law and order within the districts usually called? - District Collector / Deputy Commissioner (DC).
• Which is the smallest unit of revenue and local administration in Himachal Pradesh, headed by a Tehsildar? - Tehsil and Sub-Tehsil.
• What special arrangement is in place for administrative tasks in tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh (like Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti)? - Single Line Administration.
• Where are the headquarters of the two administrative sub-divisions (Lahaul and Spiti) of Lahaul-Spiti district located? - Keylong (Lahaul) and Kaza (Spiti).
• Where is the district headquarters of Kinnaur district located? - Reckong Peo.
• Where is the administrative headquarters of the remote tribal area 'Pangi' of Chamba district functioning? - Kilar.

Local Self-Government: Panchayati Raj and Municipal Corporation

• In which year was the 'Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act' passed to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system in Himachal Pradesh? - 1994 AD (after the 73rd Constitutional Amendment).
• What percentage of seats are reserved for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Himachal Pradesh? - 50 percent seats (one of the early states to do so).
• Which is the oldest Municipal Corporation of Himachal Pradesh, established during the British era? - Shimla Municipal Corporation (formed in 1852).
• At present, how many Municipal Corporations are operating in Himachal Pradesh? - 5 Municipal Corporations (Shimla, Dharamshala, Mandi, Solan, and Palampur).
• What is the institution working at the intermediate level under the three-tier Panchayati Raj system called? - Panchayat Samiti (Block Samiti).
• What is the name of the institution that determines policy at the district level at the top level of the Panchayati Raj system? - Zila Parishad.
• How are the Pradhans and Up-Pradhans of Gram Panchayats in Himachal Pradesh elected by the voters? - By direct voting.
• स्थानीय निकायों को वित्तीय संसाधन आवंटित करने की सिफारिश करने के लिए राज्य में किसका गठन किया जाता है? - State Finance Commission.
• Which amendment act of the Indian Constitution is responsible for the smooth functioning of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)? - 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.
• What is the employee appointed by the government for the meetings of the Gram Panchayat and the administrative implementation of development works called? - Panchayat Secretary.

Public Service Commission and Administrative Institutions

• In which year was the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) established and where is its headquarters located? - 1971 AD (Nigam Vihar, Shimla).
• Who became the first Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC)? - Lt. Gen. K.S. Katoch.
• In which year was the 'Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission' (HPSSC / now reorganized HPRCA) located in Hamirpur originally established? - 1998 AD (as Subordinate Services Selection Board).
• Where is the 'Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration' (HIPA) located to provide administrative training to government officials and employees? - Fairlawn, Shimla (established in 1974).
• Who was appointed as the first Chief Secretary of HP? - K.L. Mehta.
• What is the highest officer of the state police force called, and where is their office located? - Director General of Police (DGP) - Police Headquarters, Shimla.
• Which is the main vigilance agency in Himachal Pradesh to curb corruption? - State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.
• What is the tenure of the Chairman and members of the Public Service Commission? - 6 years or up to the age of 62 years (whichever is earlier).
• Historically, whose residence was the main building of HIPA 'Fairlawn' during the British era? - Sir Malcolm Hailey.
• By whom is the Chairman of the State Public Service Commission appointed, and who has the authority to remove them from the post? - Appointed by the Governor, but the authority to remove lies only with the President of India.

Important Commissions, Symbols and Administrative Reforms

• In which year was the Himachal Pradesh State Election Commission constituted to conduct elections for local bodies? - 1994 AD.
• Who became the first State Chief Election Commissioner of Himachal Pradesh? - एन.सी. महाजन।
• In which year was the State Information Commission constituted under the Right to Information Act (RTI)? - 2006 AD.
• Who has the distinction of becoming the first State Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of Himachal Pradesh? - P.S. Rana.
• Which historical act has been implemented to provide time-bound government services to citizens under administrative reforms? - Himachal Pradesh Public Services Guarantee Act 2011.
• Which is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh that symbolizes the conservation of forests? - Western Tragopan (local name: Jujurana).
• Which is the state flower of Himachal Pradesh that blooms in the middle and high Himalayas? - Pink Rhododendron.
• In the State Emblem of Himachal Pradesh, which three natural elements are depicted along with the national emblem of India? - Snow-capped mountain peaks, three rivers, and deodar leaves.
• In which year was the State Human Rights Commission constituted to protect the rights of citizens? - 1995 AD.
• Under the 'Right to Service' in Himachal Pradesh, how many government services are currently being tracked online? - More than 200 services of various departments.

Himachal in National Politics and Recent Governance

• Which leader from Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh took charge as the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Union Cabinet Minister? - J.P. Nadda.
• Who was the first voter of Independent India who hailed from Kalpa in Kinnaur district and passed away in 2022? - Shyam Saran Negi.
• Which hub is being established at Waknaghat in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh to promote digital governance? - Center for Technology and Digital Innovation.
• Which is the nodal department that strengthens the DBT system in Himachal for sending the benefits of government schemes directly to the accounts of the public? - Finance and Information Technology Department.
• Through which examination are officers of the Himachal Pradesh Administrative Service (HAS) selected? - Himachal Pradesh Administrative Combined Competitive Examination (HPAS).
• Which former Chief Minister of Himachal, who hailed from Palampur in Kangra district, was made the Minister of Consumer Affairs in the Union Cabinet? - Shanta Kumar.
• What is the name of the digital portal launched in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) to ensure direct access for the public? - Him Pragati Portal.
• Which selection system has been implemented by the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission recently to bring transparency in examinations? - Computer Based Test (CBT) and One-Time Registration (OTR) system.
• Who is the MP from the Hamirpur parliamentary constituency who handled the charge of Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Sports? - Anurag Singh Thakur.
• To make its administrative system completely paperless, which central digital filing system has the Himachal Pradesh government made mandatory in the Secretariat? - e-Office system.