UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC asks if Haryana can grant relief to academic for posts
Q1. In the prosecution of Prof. Ali Khan Mahmudabad over his posts on Operation Sindoor, which authority is the 'competent authority' for granting or withholding prosecution sanction before the trial court can take cognisance?
- A. Union Ministry of Home Affairs
- B. Government of Haryana
- C. District Magistrate, Sonipat
- D. Director of Public Prosecutions, Government of India
Q2. The Supreme Court Bench that, on 6 January 2026, suggested the Haryana government show 'one-time magnanimity' by not granting prosecution sanction against Prof. Mahmudabad was headed by which one of the following?
- A. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
- B. Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud
- C. Justice Sanjiv Khanna
- D. Justice B. R. Gavai
Q3. The free-speech protection invoked by Prof. Mahmudabad against his prosecution for social-media posts is guaranteed under which one of the following provisions of the Constitution of India?
- A. Article 19(1)(a)
- B. Article 19(1)(b)
- C. Article 21
- D. Article 20(3)
Q4. In the context of the Supreme Court restraining the trial court from 'taking cognisance' of the chargesheet against Prof. Mahmudabad, the term 'taking cognisance' by a Magistrate most precisely means:
- A. Application of judicial mind by the Magistrate to the alleged facts for the purpose of proceeding against the accused
- B. The formal arrest of the accused on the basis of the chargesheet
- C. The filing of the final report (chargesheet) by the investigating police officer
- D. The framing of formal charges against the accused at the commencement of trial