Q10. Who is regarded as the custodian of the Constitution of India?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2015]
(A) President of India
(B) Prime Minister
(C) Lok Sabha Secretariat
(D) Supreme Court of India
Answer: (D) Supreme Court of India
Explanation: The Supreme Court serves as an ultimate judicial guardian of the Constitution through interpretation, judicial review and enforcement of Fundamental Rights. It does not exercise unrestricted supremacy over constitutionally allocated powers of the other organs.
Q9. A dispute between the Union and one or more States falls under which Supreme Court jurisdiction?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2014]
(A) Advisory
(B) Appellate
(C) Original
(D) Revisional
Answer: (C) Original
Explanation: Article 131 confers original jurisdiction for specified disputes involving legal rights between the Union and States or among States. The case begins in the Supreme Court rather than arriving as an appeal from a lower court.
Q8. Who is empowered to increase the number of judges of the Supreme Court?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2014]
(A) President of India
(B) Parliament
(C) Chief Justice of India
(D) Law Commission
Answer: (B) Parliament
Explanation: Parliament may change the maximum sanctioned Supreme Court strength by legislation under Article 124. The President appoints individual judges under constitutional procedures but cannot unilaterally increase the statutory ceiling.
Q7. In which situation may the Supreme Court exercise its advisory jurisdiction?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2010]
(A) At the request of any State Governor
(B) On a constitutional reference made by the President
(C) Whenever a private party asks an abstract question
(D) Automatically in every parliamentary debate
Answer: (B) On a constitutional reference made by the President
Explanation: Article 143 authorizes the President to refer specified public questions of law or fact to the Supreme Court. This advisory route differs from a petition brought by an individual to enforce a right.
Q6. Consider statements about Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer:
1. He served as Chief Justice of India.
2. He contributed greatly to public-interest litigation.
Which is correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2008]
(A) Statement 1 only
(B) Statement 2 only
(C) Both statements
(D) Neither statement
Answer: (B) Statement 2 only
Explanation: Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer was a Supreme Court judge but never Chief Justice of India. His jurisprudence contributed to expanding access to justice, including approaches associated with public-interest litigation and the rights of marginalized persons.
Q5. Consider:
1. Removal of a High Court judge follows substantially the same constitutional process as removal of a Supreme Court judge.
2. A retired High Court judge may never practise in any Indian court.
Which is correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2007]
(A) Statement 1 only
(B) Statement 2 only
(C) Both statements
(D) Neither statement
Answer: (A) Statement 1 only
Explanation: High Court judges face the constitutionally demanding removal procedure applied to Supreme Court judges. Retired High Court judges face specified practice restrictions, not a total prohibition on appearing before every court in India.
Q4. Which Chief Justice of India is particularly linked with expansion of public-interest litigation?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2006]
(A) M. Hidayatullah
(B) A.N. Ray
(C) Y.V. Chandrachud
(D) P.N. Bhagwati
Answer: (D) P.N. Bhagwati
Explanation: Justice P.N. Bhagwati, Chief Justice during 1985–1986, was a major architect of public-interest litigation and procedural liberalization. PIL enabled greater access to constitutional courts for persons unable to litigate through traditional procedures.
Q3. Under the law applicable in 2004, who was eligible to head the National Human Rights Commission?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2004]
(A) A serving District Judge
(B) Any senior advocate
(C) A former Chief Justice of India
(D) A serving member of Parliament
Answer: (C) A former Chief Justice of India
Explanation: The Protection of Human Rights Act as it then stood required an NHRC Chairperson who had been Chief Justice of India. Subsequent amendments changed eligibility rules; the historical examination answer must be judged by the law then in force.
Q2. Which right did B.R. Ambedkar describe as the heart and soul of the Constitution?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2002]
(A) Freedom of religion
(B) Right to property
(C) Right to equality
(D) Right to constitutional remedies
Answer: (D) Right to constitutional remedies
Explanation: The right to constitutional remedies under Article 32 permits direct Supreme Court action to enforce Fundamental Rights. Ambedkar valued this guarantee because constitutional promises require effective judicial mechanisms when public authorities infringe protected rights.
Q1. Consider:
1. Election Commissioners receive unequal salaries.
2. The Chief Election Commissioner receives a Supreme Court judge’s salary.
3. The CEC’s removal follows the same process as that for a Supreme Court judge.
4. Election Commissioners retire at 62.
Which were correct in 2002?
[UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2002]
(A) 1 and 2
(B) 2 and 3
(C) 1 and 4
(D) 2 and 4
Answer: (B) 2 and 3
Explanation: In the 2002 framework, the CEC had the salary of a Supreme Court judge and enjoyed comparable removal safeguards. Election Commissioners did not receive unequal salaries, and the stated five-year or age-sixty-two tenure claim was incorrect.
