UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Settle Acting Chief Justice row internally: Rajasthan lawyers

Q1. Under the Constitution of India, an order transferring a Judge from one High Court to any other High Court is finally made by which one of the following authorities?

  • A. The Chief Justice of India, after consultation with the Union Minister for Law and Justice and the Chief Justices of both the High Courts concerned
  • B. The Supreme Court collegium, by a resolution communicated to the Department of Justice for implementation
  • C. The President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India
  • D. The Governor of the State concerned, acting on the advice of the Chief Justice of that High Court

Q2. In the constitutional scheme relating to the High Courts, an 'acting Judge' is appointed in which one of the following situations?

  • A. When a person who has previously held office as a Judge of that or any other High Court is requested to sit and act as a Judge of the Court
  • B. When there is a temporary increase in the business of the High Court or arrears of work stand at a high level
  • C. When the office of the Chief Justice of the High Court is vacant and the duties of that office have to be performed by another Judge
  • D. When a permanent Judge of the High Court, other than the Chief Justice, is temporarily unable to perform the duties of the office or is himself acting as Chief Justice

Q3. With reference to the mechanisms for dealing with allegations of misconduct against judges of the higher judiciary in India, consider the following statements: 1. The removal of a Judge of a High Court follows the same procedure as that prescribed for a Judge of the Supreme Court, requiring an address by each House of Parliament presented to the President. 2. A notice of motion for removal must be signed by at least one hundred members if given in the Lok Sabha, but by at least fifty members if given in the Rajya Sabha. 3. Unlike the statutory inquiry under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, the in-house procedure of the judiciary is purely advisory and can in no circumstance affect the judicial work assigned to the judge complained against. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The removal of a Judge of a High Court follows the same procedure as that prescribed for a Judge of the Supreme Court, requiring an address by each House of Parliament presented to the President.
  2. A notice of motion for removal must be signed by at least one hundred members if given in the Lok Sabha, but by at least fifty members if given in the Rajya Sabha.
  3. Unlike the statutory inquiry under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, the in-house procedure of the judiciary is purely advisory and can in no circumstance affect the judicial work assigned to the judge complained against.
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, the committee constituted to investigate the grounds on which the removal of a judge is sought is composed of which one of the following?

  • A. A Judge of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of a High Court and a distinguished jurist
  • B. The Chief Justice of India, a Judge of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General for India
  • C. Three Judges of the Supreme Court nominated by the Chief Justice of India in order of seniority
  • D. A Judge of the Supreme Court, a Judge of the High Court to which the judge concerned belongs, and a distinguished jurist

Q5. According to the extant policy of the Union Government, a Bench of a High Court at a place other than its principal seat can be set up only if which one of the following pairs of authorities agrees to it?

  • A. The Supreme Court collegium and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, on a proposal moved by the State Bar Council concerned
  • B. The Chief Justice of the High Court concerned and the State Government
  • C. The Chief Justice of India and the Department of Justice in the Union Ministry of Law and Justice
  • D. The Governor of the State and the Chief Justice of India, on a resolution passed by the State Legislative Assembly

Q6. Among the following Benches of High Courts, which one is the oldest, having functioned since July 1948?

  • A. The Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court
  • B. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court
  • C. The Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court
  • D. The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court

Q7. Within the Union Government, proposals for appointment of the Chief Justice of India and other judges of the Supreme Court are processed by which one of the following?

  • A. The Department of Justice in the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • B. The Department of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • C. The Legislative Department in the Ministry of Law and Justice
  • D. The Judicial Division of the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India

Q8. Justice Surya Kant, who assumed the office of Chief Justice of India in November 2025, holds which position in the line of succession of Chief Justices of India, and until when does his tenure run?

  • A. The 52nd Chief Justice of India, with tenure running up to 23 November 2026
  • B. The 53rd Chief Justice of India, with tenure running up to 9 February 2027
  • C. The 51st Chief Justice of India, with tenure running up to 24 May 2026
  • D. The 53rd Chief Justice of India, with tenure running up to 10 February 2026

Q9. Article 223 of the Constitution enables the President to appoint one of the other Judges of a High Court to perform the duties of the Chief Justice of that Court. In how many distinct contingencies does that Article permit such an appointment?

  • A. Only one
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q10. Consider the following pairs of constitutional provisions and their subject matter relating to the manning of the High Courts: 1. Article 217 — Appointment of a Judge of a High Court and the conditions of the office of a Judge 2. Article 222 — Transfer of a Judge from one High Court to any other High Court 3. Article 223 — Appointment of retired Judges at sittings of High Courts 4. Article 224 — Appointment of additional and acting Judges Which of the above is/are NOT correctly matched?

  1. Article 217 — Appointment of a Judge of a High Court and the conditions of the office of a Judge
  2. Article 222 — Transfer of a Judge from one High Court to any other High Court
  3. Article 223 — Appointment of retired Judges at sittings of High Courts
  4. Article 224 — Appointment of additional and acting Judges
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 3 and 4