UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Pleas against ‘3-capital’ plan for A.P. now infructuous: HC

Q1. Article 3 of the Constitution of India lists the heads of power under which Parliament may, by law, reorganise the States. How many such heads (clauses) does Article 3 contain?

  • A. Three — forming States, altering boundaries and altering names, and nothing else
  • B. Four — every one of them relating exclusively to creating wholly new States
  • C. Five — forming States, increasing area, diminishing area, altering boundaries, altering names
  • D. Six — the five reorganisation heads plus the power to designate every State's capital

Q2. A law made by Parliament to form a new State may contain changes to the First and Fourth Schedules, yet it is not treated as an amendment of the Constitution. Which provision makes this so?

  • A. Article 368, which lays down the procedure for amending the Constitution
  • B. Article 4(2), a deeming clause attached to laws made under Articles 2 and 3
  • C. The proviso to Article 3, which requires the President's recommendation
  • D. Article 2, which empowers Parliament to admit or establish new States

Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the original Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 with its 2026 amendment: 1. The original Section 5 made Hyderabad the common capital of both successor States for a period not exceeding five years; the amendment named Amaravati as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. 2. The original Section 6 required the Government of the successor State of Andhra Pradesh to set up an expert committee to recommend a new capital within one year. 3. The 2026 amending Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Home Affairs and passed by both Houses within two consecutive days. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The original Section 5 made Hyderabad the common capital of both successor States for a period not exceeding five years; the amendment named Amaravati as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh.
  2. The original Section 6 required the Government of the successor State of Andhra Pradesh to set up an expert committee to recommend a new capital within one year.
  3. The 2026 amending Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Home Affairs and passed by both Houses within two consecutive days.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. The expert committee set up under Section 6 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 to study alternatives for a new capital of the residuary State was chaired by

  • A. Aromar Revi, urban practitioner and director of an institute for human settlements
  • B. Rathin Roy, economist and head of a public finance and policy institute
  • C. Jagan Shah, architect and head of a national urban affairs institute
  • D. K.C. Sivaramakrishnan, retired IAS officer and urban governance scholar

Q5. Consider the following statements comparing the Andhra Pradesh High Court's 'Amaravati judgment' of March 2022 with its September 2026 order on the 'three capitals' petitions: 1. The 2022 judgment rested on the view that the State Legislature lacked competence to shift or split the capital. 2. The 2026 order rested on an amendment, made by the State Legislature, to the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020. 3. Before the statutory change behind the 2026 order, the AP Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution asking the Centre to give Amaravati legal sanctity as capital. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2022 judgment rested on the view that the State Legislature lacked competence to shift or split the capital.
  2. The 2026 order rested on an amendment, made by the State Legislature, to the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020.
  3. Before the statutory change behind the 2026 order, the AP Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution asking the Centre to give Amaravati legal sanctity as capital.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. Consider four strands of the Amaravati litigation: the batch of writ petitions against the 'three capitals' plan, the Supreme Court appeals against the High Court's March 2022 Amaravati judgment, the residual matters the High Court listed for further examination in November 2026, and challenges to the repealed 2020 Decentralisation Act. After the High Court's September 2026 order, how many of these strands remain live before a court?

  • A. One
  • B. Two
  • C. Three
  • D. Four

Q7. Under the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, which of the following city–capital function pairs are correctly identified? 1. Visakhapatnam — Executive capital 2. Kurnool — Legislative capital 3. Amaravati — Legislative capital 4. Guntur — Judicial capital Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Visakhapatnam — Executive capital
  2. Kurnool — Legislative capital
  3. Amaravati — Legislative capital
  4. Guntur — Judicial capital
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 3 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q8. The batch of petitions against the 2020 'three capitals' law mainly argued that it violated which statute, on the ground that the statute provides for only one capital for Andhra Pradesh?

  • A. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014
  • B. The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014
  • C. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
  • D. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956

Q9. Nagpur's position as Maharashtra's second capital, where the State Legislature holds one session every year, traces its origin to which of the following?

  • A. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, which exclusively designated Nagpur as a capital
  • B. Article 371(2), which mandates that every winter session be held in Nagpur
  • C. The Nagpur Pact of 1953, an agreement made before the State was formed
  • D. The Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960, which permanently fixed Nagpur as a capital

Q10. South Africa's three-capital model is often cited as the template for the 'three capitals' proposal in Andhra Pradesh. Which of the following is South Africa's principal executive and administrative capital?

  • A. Pretoria
  • B. Cape Town
  • C. Bloemfontein
  • D. Johannesburg

Q11. Which one of the following was the principal reason the Andhra Pradesh High Court treated the 'three capitals' writ petitions as infructuous in September 2026?

  • A. The petitioners lacked locus standi because the land-pooling contracts had already been performed
  • B. Choosing a State capital is a policy matter outside writ jurisdiction under Article 226
  • C. The pending Supreme Court appeals barred the High Court under the principle of res judicata
  • D. A later Parliamentary amendment making Amaravati the sole capital removed the cause of action

Q12. Consider the following statements on the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) used for Amaravati, as compared with compulsory land acquisition: 1. Under the LPS, ownership of pooled land parcels is transferred to the State Revenue Department, which then allots developed plots to landowners. 2. For every acre of dry land pooled, the landowner receives 1,000 square yards of residential plot and 250 square yards of commercial plot. 3. Pooling landowners receive annuity payments for ten years, adjusted upward each year for inflation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Under the LPS, ownership of pooled land parcels is transferred to the State Revenue Department, which then allots developed plots to landowners.
  2. For every acre of dry land pooled, the landowner receives 1,000 square yards of residential plot and 250 square yards of commercial plot.
  3. Pooling landowners receive annuity payments for ten years, adjusted upward each year for inflation.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3