UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Allahabad HC judge recuses from Rahul Gandhi case

Q1. In the context of judicial recusal, the 'doctrine of necessity' means that:

  • A. A judge who is otherwise disqualified for bias may still hear a case where no alternative unbiased adjudicator of equivalent jurisdiction is available and refusal would deny justice.
  • B. A judge is bound to recuse whenever any party demands it in the interest of justice.
  • C. A superior court may compel a judge to recuse once bias against a party is conclusively proved.
  • D. Every recusal must be recorded by the judge in a written, reasoned order stating the ground.

Q2. How many districts of the Oudh (Avadh) region were originally brought under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Commissioner of Oudh at Lucknow (1865), a jurisdiction later inherited by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court?

  • A. 10
  • B. 12
  • C. 14
  • D. 16

Q3. Article 102(1) of the Constitution enumerates how many distinct grounds of disqualification for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament?

  • A. 3
  • B. 4
  • C. 5
  • D. 6

Q4. Under Article 103, when the President decides a question of disqualification of a sitting member of Parliament under Article 102(1), whose opinion is he constitutionally bound to obtain and act in accordance with?

  • A. The Election Commission of India
  • B. The Attorney General for India
  • C. The Chief Justice of India
  • D. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Q5. In April 2026, the specific ground on which Justice Subhash Vidyarthi of the Lucknow Bench recused himself from the plea concerning Rahul Gandhi's alleged British citizenship was that:

  • A. The petitioner's social media posts, made after the order of 17 April 2026, were held by the Bench to amount to casting aspersions on the Court.
  • B. The judge held a pecuniary interest connected with one of the parties.
  • C. The judge had previously appeared as counsel for Rahul Gandhi in another matter.
  • D. Rahul Gandhi's counsel formally moved an application citing a reasonable apprehension of bias.

Q6. In its order of 17 April 2026 directing registration of an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, the Lucknow Bench granted liberty to the State to refer the matter for investigation primarily to which agency?

  • A. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
  • B. The Enforcement Directorate (ED)
  • C. The National Investigation Agency (NIA)
  • D. The Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force

Q7. As reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, which is the primary judicial forum a complainant must ordinarily approach to compel police investigation into a cognizable offence when the police refuse to register an FIR, before writ jurisdiction is invoked?

  • A. The Magistrate under Section 175(3) BNSS (formerly Section 156(3) CrPC)
  • B. The High Court exclusively under Article 226, which alone can direct FIR registration
  • C. The Court of Session by way of a revision petition
  • D. The National Human Rights Commission

Q8. Pursuant to the 2017 Supreme Court direction, which Union ministry/department was tasked with framing and operationalising the scheme for special courts to expeditiously try criminal cases against MPs and MLAs?

  • A. The Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice
  • B. The Ministry of Home Affairs
  • C. The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
  • D. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions