The Supreme Court — MCQs with Answers (Set 4)

In Kasturilal v. State of UP (1965), police seized gold from a trader and later lost it through negligence. The Court denied compensation, treating seizure under statutory police power as a sovereign function — a ruling later criticised for leaving the citizen with no remedy.

In State of Rajasthan v. Vidyawati (1962), a government jeep driver’s negligence killed a pedestrian. The Court held the State liable since driving a jeep was a non-sovereign function — the origin of the ‘vicarious liability of the State’ principle in India.

Correct because in the Hadiya case (Shafin Jahan v. Asokan K.M., 2018) the Court protected an adult woman’s right to marry the person of her choice.

In Kehar Singh (1988), the Supreme Court held courts cannot review the merits of a pardon decision, but they may examine the decision-making process.

Justice M. Fathima Beevi was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1989, becoming its first woman judge. She served on the apex court until 1992.

The answer is that the Gram Sabha’s rejection was decisive in practice. The Environment Ministry issued the final order. In Orissa Mining Corporation v. Ministry of Environment & Forest, on 18 April 2013, the Supreme Court asked the Gram Sabhas to decide on Forest Rights Act claims. Twelve villages voted against mining in July and August 2013. In January 2014, the Ministry rejected Vedanta’s mining request.

The Supreme Court read the right to a pollution-free environment into Article 21’s right to life. The Ganga pollution case (1988) affirmed this reading.

In Navtej Singh Johar (Section 377) and the Sabarimala judgment, both of 2018, the Court said constitutional morality cannot yield to popular morality.

The Court held Section 7 constitutional. It struck down Section 33(2) in its present form. It also held part of Section 57 unconstitutional.

The judgment allowed the writ petitions and set aside the RBI circular dated 6 April 2018 on the ground of proportionality. The circular had told RBI-regulated entities not to deal in virtual currencies. The Court said the 5 April 2018 statement was not a statutory direction.

The Supreme Court initially ruled in Vodafone’s favour, holding the overseas share transaction was not taxable under the law as it stood. Parliament then retrospectively amended the law to reverse this outcome.

The correct answer is (b) The Supreme Court of India is not constrained in the exercise of its powers by laws made by the Parliament.. Article 142 grants the Supreme Court plenary power to do “complete justice,” unconstrained by ordinary legislation Parliament has made. Read more.

The correct answer is (d) The Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court is often called the custodian and final interpreter of the Constitution, since it has the last word on constitutional questions. Polity0052 — The Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court struck down mining leases Andhra Pradesh had granted to non-tribal companies on Scheduled Area land, holding they violated the Fifth Schedule’s protective intent — mining there could only be done by the state mineral corporation or a tribal cooperative.

Judicial review is the power of the Supreme Court and High Courts to test a law against the Constitution. A law that does not fit is declared unconstitutional. It does not judge whether a law is wise. It is not a check before the President signs a bill. Review of a court’s own past judgment is a separate process.

A Constitution Bench struck down the NJAC by a 4:1 majority. It held that the NJAC compromised judicial independence, a part of the basic structure. The collegium system stayed in place.

The correct answer is Jallikattu, the bull-taming sport. The 2023 bench upheld the amended law that allows it. Memory hook: bull-taming, Pongal week.

High Courts are required to make appointment recommendations at least 6 months before a vacancy occurs, under the Memorandum of Procedure. This differs from judge transfers, for which no such timeline is prescribed.

Article 222 lets the President transfer a High Court Judge to another High Court, after consulting the Chief Justice of India. The transfer proposal is initiated by the CJI, in consultation with the four senior-most Supreme Court judges.

The correct answer is recognition as a legal third gender. In NALSA v. Union of India (2014) the Supreme Court legally recognised the third gender. It also upheld the right of every person to self-identify their gender.

Justice R.M. Lodha made the “caged parrot” remark while hearing the coal block allocation scam case, commonly known as Coalgate, criticising political interference in the CBI’s investigation.

The Vineet Narain vs. Union of India (1997) judgment established a minimum fixed two-year tenure for the CBI Director, along with a high-powered committee for the appointment, both meant to insulate the post from political interference.