UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why was Acting CJ of Rajasthan HC not shifted, judge asks CJI
Q1. The provision in Article 222 entitling a transferred High Court Judge to receive a compensatory allowance, in addition to his salary, was introduced by which one of the following Constitution Amendment Acts?
- A. The Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956
- B. The Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Act, 1963
- C. The Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976
- D. The Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978
Q2. Once the Chief Justice of India has formed his opinion on a proposal to transfer a High Court Judge, to whom is that proposal forwarded with his recommendation before it reaches the President?
- A. To the Secretary to the President of India, who places it before the President for issue of the warrant of transfer
- B. To the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, for processing
- C. To the Union Minister of Law and Justice, who puts it up to the Prime Minister for advice to the President
- D. To the Attorney-General for India, who certifies its conformity with the Memorandum of Procedure
Q3. In the appointment of a Judge of a High Court, final approval at the Supreme Court level is given by which one of the following?
- A. The Chief Justice of India along with the four senior-most puisne Judges of the Supreme Court, in every case and without exception
- B. The Chief Justice of India along with the two senior-most Judges of the Supreme Court
- C. The full court of all sitting Judges of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous concurrence is invariably required
- D. The senior-most puisne Judge of the Supreme Court, who alone endorses the entire recommendation of the High Court collegium
Q4. A decision of the Supreme Court Collegium to transfer a High Court Judge takes legal effect through a notification issued by which one of the following?
- A. The Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India
- B. The Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India
- C. The Registry of the Supreme Court of India, on the administrative side
- D. The Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Q5. With reference to the Rajasthan High Court, consider the following:
1. Its principal seat is at Jodhpur.
2. Its Bench at Jaipur has been functioning since 31 January 1977.
3. It was constituted in 1977, when a permanent Bench was created for the first time in the State.
4. It came into existence through the integration of the High Courts of the erstwhile princely states of Rajasthan, and completed 75 years in 2024.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Its principal seat is at Jodhpur.
- Its Bench at Jaipur has been functioning since 31 January 1977.
- It was constituted in 1977, when a permanent Bench was created for the first time in the State.
- It came into existence through the integration of the High Courts of the erstwhile princely states of Rajasthan, and completed 75 years in 2024.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1, 2 and 4
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q6. Consider the following statements comparing the Rajasthan High Court with other constitutional courts:
1. The Rajasthan High Court marked its Platinum Jubilee in 2024, the same year in which the Supreme Court of India marked its Diamond Jubilee.
2. The Gauhati High Court completed 75 years earlier than the Rajasthan High Court did.
3. The Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court has functioned from the very inception of that Court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The Rajasthan High Court marked its Platinum Jubilee in 2024, the same year in which the Supreme Court of India marked its Diamond Jubilee.
- The Gauhati High Court completed 75 years earlier than the Rajasthan High Court did.
- The Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court has functioned from the very inception of that Court.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding the arrangements for performing the duties of the office of Chief Justice:
1. Under Article 223, the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of a High Court are performed by such one of the other Judges of that High Court as the President may appoint.
2. The corresponding provision for the Supreme Court is Article 126, under which the President appoints one of the other Judges of the Supreme Court to act as Chief Justice of India.
3. Article 224 empowers the President to appoint an acting Chief Justice of a High Court, while Article 223 deals with the appointment of additional and acting Judges of a High Court.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Under Article 223, the duties of the office of the Chief Justice of a High Court are performed by such one of the other Judges of that High Court as the President may appoint.
- The corresponding provision for the Supreme Court is Article 126, under which the President appoints one of the other Judges of the Supreme Court to act as Chief Justice of India.
- Article 224 empowers the President to appoint an acting Chief Justice of a High Court, while Article 223 deals with the appointment of additional and acting Judges of a High Court.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q8. Article 223 of the Constitution specifies how many distinct situations in which the President may appoint a Judge of a High Court to perform the duties of the office of its Chief Justice?
- A. One
- B. Two
- C. Three
- D. Four
Q9. With reference to the grievances raised in 2026 by a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court against the Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, consider the following:
1. Manipulation of the listing of cases in a manner favouring rich litigants.
2. Designating a large number of favoured advocates as senior advocates.
3. Humiliating judicial officers and threatening High Court judges with retributive action, including transfer.
4. Recovery of large amounts of unaccounted cash from the Judge's official residence.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as allegations made in that complaint?
- Manipulation of the listing of cases in a manner favouring rich litigants.
- Designating a large number of favoured advocates as senior advocates.
- Humiliating judicial officers and threatening High Court judges with retributive action, including transfer.
- Recovery of large amounts of unaccounted cash from the Judge's official residence.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 2 and 4
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 3 and 4
Q10. Under the statutory process for removal of a Judge, the first formal decision on whether the charges will be investigated at all is taken by which one of the following?
- A. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, in the House in which the notice of motion is given
- B. The Chief Justice of India, upon a reference made to him by the Union Minister of Law and Justice
- C. The President of India, acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister
- D. A committee of a Supreme Court Judge, a Chief Justice of a High Court and a distinguished jurist, upon receipt of the notice
Q11. The repatriation of a High Court Judge back to his parent High Court after an earlier inter-High-Court transfer is set in motion by a recommendation of which one of the following?
- A. The collegium of the parent High Court, comprising its Chief Justice and the two senior-most Judges of that Court
- B. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, which clears all transfers of High Court Judges
- C. The Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, which maintains the seniority and transfer roster of High Court Judges
- D. The Supreme Court Collegium headed by the Chief Justice of India, whose recommendation is then processed by the Union Government
Q12. The expression 'Chief Justice of India (Designate)', used in official communications in late 2025, denotes a Judge who —
- A. has been recommended by the outgoing Chief Justice of India but in whose case the President has not yet issued any warrant of appointment
- B. has been appointed to the office of Chief Justice of India by warrant of the President, the appointment taking effect from a later notified date
- C. has been appointed under Article 126 to perform the duties of the Chief Justice of India during a temporary vacancy in that office
- D. is the senior-most puisne Judge of the Supreme Court and is therefore entitled by convention to succeed, subject to confirmation by Parliament