Of the following political features, which is/are common to India and the USA. a) Residuary powers vested in the center. b) Residuary powers vested in the states. c) President has the power of pocket veto. d) The upper house has some nominated members.

The answer is A) c only, but only if you read 'pocket veto' the way Indian commentators usually do. Statement c is the only shared feature. The US President can pocket veto a bill by not signing it within 10 days after Congress adjourns. Article 111 of the Indian Constitution sets no time limit for assent, so the President can hold a bill indefinitely. This is the de facto pocket veto that the 1986 Postal Bill episode brought into focus.

Statement a is wrong. Residuary powers rest with the Centre in India (Article 248, Entry 97 of the Union List) but with the States in the USA (10th Amendment).

Statement b is wrong for the mirror-image reason. It is true of the USA but not of India.

Statement d is wrong. Twelve Rajya Sabha members are nominated by the President under Article 80(1)(a). The US Senate has no nominated members.

The Mains link is the Centre-State balance of power and the design choices behind the federal structure.

Trap: Aspirants reject c because they know the Indian President has no formal pocket veto. Note that Article 111 is silent on a time limit, which is what makes the veto effectively available.