UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Govt. can acquire religious sites for public projects: HC
Q1. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 was piloted through Parliament by, and continues to be administered as the nodal ministry by, which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Home Affairs
- B. Ministry of Culture
- C. Ministry of Minority Affairs
- D. Ministry of Law and Justice
Q2. With reference to categories exempted from the operation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, consider the following:
1. The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute at Ayodhya.
2. Any place of worship that is an ancient and historical monument or archaeological site covered by the AMASR Act, 1958.
3. A dispute over the character of a place of worship already settled by mutual agreement before the Act's commencement.
4. Any place of worship whose title is challenged in a suit filed after the Act came into force.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as exemptions?
- The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute at Ayodhya.
- Any place of worship that is an ancient and historical monument or archaeological site covered by the AMASR Act, 1958.
- A dispute over the character of a place of worship already settled by mutual agreement before the Act's commencement.
- Any place of worship whose title is challenged in a suit filed after the Act came into force.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q3. In its 2026 Dalmandi (Varanasi) ruling, the Allahabad High Court held that the Places of Worship Act's protection of the 'religious character' of a place of worship refers specifically to a bar on which one of the following?
- A. Converting a place of worship of one religious denomination into that of another
- B. Any acquisition of religious property by the State for a public project
- C. The demolition of any pre-1947 structure during road widening
- D. The transfer of tenancy or management rights over a place of worship
Q4. With reference to the Allahabad High Court's 2026 Dalmandi road-widening judgment, consider the following:
1. It was decided by a Division Bench of two judges.
2. It relied on the precedent of Dr. M. Ismail Faruqui v. Union of India (1994).
3. Six mosques in the Dalmandi area were at issue in the dispute.
4. The Court restrained the State from acquiring the mosques.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- It was decided by a Division Bench of two judges.
- It relied on the precedent of Dr. M. Ismail Faruqui v. Union of India (1994).
- Six mosques in the Dalmandi area were at issue in the dispute.
- The Court restrained the State from acquiring the mosques.
- A. 1 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 3
- C. 2 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. The Supreme Court's judgment in Dr. M. Ismail Faruqui v. Union of India (1994), which held that no religious structure is immune from State acquisition, was delivered by a Constitution Bench of how many judges?
- A. Three
- B. Five
- C. Seven
- D. Nine
Q6. With reference to the propositions laid down by the Supreme Court in Dr. M. Ismail Faruqui v. Union of India (1994), consider the following:
1. A mosque is not an essential or integral part of the practice of Islam.
2. Namaz can be offered by Muslims even in open spaces.
3. No place of worship — temple, mosque or church — is immune from acquisition by the State.
4. The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 was struck down as unconstitutional.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- A mosque is not an essential or integral part of the practice of Islam.
- Namaz can be offered by Muslims even in open spaces.
- No place of worship — temple, mosque or church — is immune from acquisition by the State.
- The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 was struck down as unconstitutional.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 and 3
- C. 4 only
- D. 1 and 4
Q7. With reference to the doctrine of eminent domain and property rights in India, consider the following:
1. The right to property is protected under Article 300A of the Constitution.
2. Article 300A confers a constitutional/legal right, not a fundamental right.
3. The RFCTLARR Act, 2013 governs land acquisition and mandates rehabilitation and resettlement of affected persons.
4. The right to property continues to be a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(f).
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- The right to property is protected under Article 300A of the Constitution.
- Article 300A confers a constitutional/legal right, not a fundamental right.
- The RFCTLARR Act, 2013 governs land acquisition and mandates rehabilitation and resettlement of affected persons.
- The right to property continues to be a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(f).
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2 and 4
- C. 1 and 4
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q8. The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor (Dham) in Varanasi, whose road-widening extension gave rise to the Dalmandi litigation, was inaugurated in which year?
- A. 2019
- B. 2020
- C. 2021
- D. 2022
Q9. The Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor project connecting the temple to Lalita Ghat on the Ganga was primarily planned and executed under the aegis of which one of the following?
- A. The Government of Uttar Pradesh (through the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board)
- B. The Archaeological Survey of India
- C. The National Monuments Authority
- D. The Ministry of Culture, Government of India
Q10. In the 2025 proceedings on the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship Act, the interim order passed by the Supreme Court's Special Bench specifically restrained which one of the following?
- A. The registration of fresh suits and the ordering of surveys disputing the existing religious character of any structure
- B. All forms of worship at the disputed religious sites until final adjudication
- C. The State's sovereign power to acquire religious sites for public projects
- D. The continued enforcement of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 itself
Q11. Under Article 226 of the Constitution, a High Court is empowered to issue how many distinct types of writs?
- A. Three
- B. Four
- C. Five
- D. Six