UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC sets 3-month deadline for High Courts to pronounce judgments after reserving orders
Q1. Article 142(1) of the Constitution of India empowers the Supreme Court to do which one of the following?
- A. Pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it
- B. Declare law that shall be binding on all courts within the territory of India
- C. Render advisory opinions on questions of law referred to it by the President
- D. Withdraw and transfer to itself cases pending before the High Courts
Q2. With reference to Articles 141 and 142 of the Constitution, consider the following statements:
1. Article 141 concerns the binding precedential value of the Supreme Court's judgments, whereas Article 142 concerns its power to pass orders for complete justice.
2. Article 142 can be invoked only where a specific statute expressly authorises the Supreme Court to pass such an order.
3. The Supreme Court's 2026 guidelines fixing a deadline for pronouncing reserved judgments were issued under its Article 142 power.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Article 141 concerns the binding precedential value of the Supreme Court's judgments, whereas Article 142 concerns its power to pass orders for complete justice.
- Article 142 can be invoked only where a specific statute expressly authorises the Supreme Court to pass such an order.
- The Supreme Court's 2026 guidelines fixing a deadline for pronouncing reserved judgments were issued under its Article 142 power.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q3. As per the Supreme Court's 2026 binding guidelines, what is the maximum period within which a High Court must pronounce a judgment after reserving the order?
- A. Two months
- B. Three months
- C. Six months
- D. Twelve months
Q4. The Supreme Court Bench that issued the binding guidelines fixing a three-month deadline for High Courts to pronounce reserved judgments was headed by which one of the following?
- A. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
- B. Justice Joymalya Bagchi
- C. Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud
- D. Justice Sanjiv Khanna
Q5. With reference to the accountability mechanism for delayed reserved judgments under the Supreme Court's 2026 guidelines, consider the following:
1. On a delay beyond three months, the Registrar General is to flag the matter to the Chief Justice of the High Court.
2. The Chief Justice may grant a final extension of two weeks.
3. On continued delay, the case may be de-reserved and reassigned to a fresh Bench.
4. Every delayed judgment must automatically be referred to the Supreme Court Collegium for the judge's transfer.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- On a delay beyond three months, the Registrar General is to flag the matter to the Chief Justice of the High Court.
- The Chief Justice may grant a final extension of two weeks.
- On continued delay, the case may be de-reserved and reassigned to a fresh Bench.
- Every delayed judgment must automatically be referred to the Supreme Court Collegium for the judge's transfer.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1, 3 and 4
- C. 2 and 4 only
- D. 1 and 4 only
Q6. In the Supreme Court's guidelines on reserved judgments, the 'de-reservation' of a case refers to which one of the following?
- A. Withdrawing a reserved but undelivered case from the bench and reassigning it to a fresh Bench for hearing afresh
- B. Automatically dismissing the case for want of a timely judgment
- C. Automatically confirming the lower court's order once the deadline lapses
- D. Transferring the case directly to the Supreme Court for adjudication
Q7. With reference to the position on pronouncing reserved judgments before and after the 2026 ruling, consider the following statements:
1. Before this ruling, no statutory timeline existed for pronouncing reserved judgments.
2. The earlier informal convention expected pronouncement within about two to six months of reservation.
3. The new three-month outer limit applies to High Courts.
4. The earlier convention was a binding rule enacted by Parliament.
Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?
- Before this ruling, no statutory timeline existed for pronouncing reserved judgments.
- The earlier informal convention expected pronouncement within about two to six months of reservation.
- The new three-month outer limit applies to High Courts.
- The earlier convention was a binding rule enacted by Parliament.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 2 only
- D. 4 only
Q8. With reference to the new binding framework on reserved judgments (as distinct from the earlier convention), consider the following:
1. Reserved judgments must ordinarily be pronounced within three months.
2. High Court websites must display the date on which a judgment was reserved.
3. Bail applications should ordinarily be decided the same day, and if reserved, pronounced the next day.
4. The guidelines are advisory recommendations that High Courts are free to disregard.
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Reserved judgments must ordinarily be pronounced within three months.
- High Court websites must display the date on which a judgment was reserved.
- Bail applications should ordinarily be decided the same day, and if reserved, pronounced the next day.
- The guidelines are advisory recommendations that High Courts are free to disregard.
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q9. In the context of these guidelines on judicial delay, an 'undertrial prisoner' is best defined as which one of the following?
- A. A person in custody during the pendency of investigation, inquiry or trial who has not yet been convicted
- B. A convict undergoing the sentence imposed after conviction
- C. A person released on bail while an appeal is pending
- D. A person already acquitted but detained pending the State's appeal
Q10. Under the Supreme Court's guidelines, consider the following categories:
1. Habeas corpus petitions
2. Criminal appeals resulting in acquittal
3. Ordinary bail matters requiring only same-day communication to jail authorities
4. Demolition matters
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as categories whose operative order must be pronounced in open court?
- Habeas corpus petitions
- Criminal appeals resulting in acquittal
- Ordinary bail matters requiring only same-day communication to jail authorities
- Demolition matters
- A. 1, 2 and 4
- B. 2, 3 and 4
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q11. With reference to how the guidelines treat bail orders and website transparency as compared with ordinary reserved judgments, consider the following statements:
1. While reserved judgments have a three-month outer limit, bail orders should ordinarily be pronounced on the same day.
2. If a bail order is reserved, it must be pronounced and uploaded the next day and communicated to jail authorities immediately.
3. High Court websites are required to conceal the date of reservation in order to protect judicial independence.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- While reserved judgments have a three-month outer limit, bail orders should ordinarily be pronounced on the same day.
- If a bail order is reserved, it must be pronounced and uploaded the next day and communicated to jail authorities immediately.
- High Court websites are required to conceal the date of reservation in order to protect judicial independence.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q12. Consider the following pairs of constitutional article and its subject matter:
1. Article 226 — Power of High Courts to issue writs
2. Article 217 — Appointment and conditions of office of a Judge of a High Court
3. Article 141 — Power of a High Court to exercise superintendence over subordinate courts
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- Article 226 — Power of High Courts to issue writs
- Article 217 — Appointment and conditions of office of a Judge of a High Court
- Article 141 — Power of a High Court to exercise superintendence over subordinate courts
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3