UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — A.P. files plea in SC against court order on BC quota

Q1. With reference to reservation of seats in Panchayats under Part IX of the Constitution, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Reserving seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in every Panchayat, broadly in proportion to their population in the area, is a constitutional requirement.
  2. Once a State notifies a list of backward classes for public employment, Part IX obliges it to reserve seats in Panchayats for those classes.
  3. Part IX leaves the State Legislature free to reserve Panchayat seats for backward classes, and the courts have no role in examining the extent of such reservation.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 1 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q2. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A State that makes no provision for reserving seats for backward classes in its Municipalities does not thereby violate Part IXA of the Constitution.
  2. Part IXA makes reservation of seats in Municipalities compulsory only for women, leaving reservation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to the discretion of the State.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q3. With reference to the 'backwardness' that justifies reserving seats for Other Backward Classes in local bodies, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A finding that a group is socially and educationally backward for the purposes of Article 15(4) automatically establishes that it is under-represented in elected local bodies.
  2. A group may be adequately represented in local bodies in one area and under-represented in another, which is why the share of reservation has to be worked out local body-wise.
  3. The inquiry required before such reservation concerns the nature and implications of backwardness in connection with local bodies, not backwardness in access to education or public jobs.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 2 only

Q4. A State appoints a dedicated commission, which recommends different shares of OBC reservation for different panchayats. Before the commission's final report is submitted, the State notifies a uniform 27 per cent OBC reservation in every panchayat. It also reserves the office of sarpanch for OBCs in some panchayats. Under the Supreme Court's framework for OBC reservation in local bodies, which of the following are legal infirmities in the State's action?

  1. Applying one State-wide percentage instead of proportions specified for each local body in line with the commission's recommendations
  2. Notifying the reservation before the commission's empirical findings were available
  3. Extending backward-class reservation to offices of Chairpersons of Panchayats in addition to seats
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 only

Q5. With reference to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Article 136 of the Constitution, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Special leave to appeal may be granted against an order of a tribunal, and not only against that of a court.
  2. The power operates notwithstanding the other provisions of the Chapter on the Union Judiciary, so it is not confined by the conditions governing regular appeals.
  3. Special leave may be sought against an interlocutory order, and not only against a final judgment.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. Consider the following statements: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. A person sentenced by a court-martial constituted under a law relating to the Armed Forces can seek special leave to appeal against that sentence directly under Article 136.
  2. The Supreme Court may decline to grant special leave even when a petition is properly filed before it, because its power under Article 136 is discretionary.
  • A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
  • B. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
  • C. Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
  • D. Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Q7. In a Zilla Parishad, the mandatory reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes together accounts for 35 per cent of the seats. The State's dedicated commission finds OBCs politically under-represented there and recommends a 30 per cent share for them. Under the Supreme Court's framework, what is the maximum OBC reservation permissible in this body?

  • A. 15 per cent
  • B. 27 per cent
  • C. 50 per cent
  • D. 30 per cent

Q8. With reference to the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. In Indra Sawhney (1992), the Supreme Court laid down the ceiling for reservation made under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution.
  2. In the EWS reservation case, the Supreme Court majority held that the 50 per cent ceiling binds every category of reservation, including the quota for economically weaker sections.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. Both 1 and 2
  • D. Neither 1 nor 2