UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Live-streamed proceedings cannot be exploited: SC

Q1. Consider the following statements in the context of the Supreme Court's October 2026 hearing on live-streamed court proceedings: Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. The Supreme Court ordered that live-streaming of its hearings be suspended on social media and digital platforms until stakeholders file their suggestions.
  2. Public access to court proceedings does not by itself give a viewer the right to appropriate the recordings and exploit them commercially.
  • 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

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

  1. A law restricting the publication of material on the ground that it amounts to contempt of court can still be struck down by the courts as unconstitutional.
  2. Article 19(2) allows only 'reasonable' restrictions on freedom of speech, which makes the reasonableness of any such restriction open to judicial review.
  • 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 restrictions permitted on freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. A restriction on speech must be imposed by law; executive action with no legal backing cannot restrict this freedom.
  2. Because defamation is a listed ground, restrictions on speech may protect the reputation of individuals and not only the interests of the State.
  3. Article 19(2) applies only to laws made after the Constitution came into force, so laws restricting speech that existed before it fall outside its scope.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1 and 3 only

Q4. With reference to the classification of contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Wilful disobedience of a court order is criminal contempt, since it obstructs the administration of justice.
  2. A publication that tends to lower the authority of a court can be criminal contempt even when no specific case is pending before that court.
  3. An act that tends to interfere with the due course of a judicial proceeding falls within criminal contempt.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 2 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. With reference to 'safe harbour' for intermediaries under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the IT Rules, 2021, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. Safe harbour protects the user who uploaded unlawful content from liability as long as the platform hosting it complies with due diligence.
  2. To keep its immunity, an intermediary must check the legality of every piece of user content before it is published.
  3. An intermediary's immunity for third-party content depends on its compliance with prescribed due-diligence obligations.
  4. An intermediary that fails to remove unlawful content after getting actual knowledge through a court order can lose its immunity.
  • A. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 1, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 3 and 4 only

Q6. Consider the following acts relating to court proceedings: Under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, which of the acts given above can attract proceedings for contempt of court?

  1. A litigant who knows about an interim injunction deliberately carries on the activity it restrains.
  2. A news channel broadcasts a fair critique of a judgment's reasoning after the case has been heard and finally decided.
  3. An online channel circulates a hearing clip edited to put words a judge never said into the judge's mouth, with a caption suggesting the judge is biased.
  • A. 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3