UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Supreme Court begins review of 2018 ruling on Sabarimala shrine

Q1. How many judges constituted the Supreme Court Constitution Bench that delivered the 2018 verdict in Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala on entry of women into the Sabarimala temple?

  • A. Three
  • B. Five
  • C. Seven
  • D. Nine

Q2. The 2018 majority in the Sabarimala case held that the ban on women's entry violated certain fundamental rights. With reference to the Articles said to have been violated, which of the following is NOT correctly identified?

  1. Article 14
  2. Article 15
  3. Article 17
  4. Article 26
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 1 and 4

Q3. Consider the following statements comparing the origin and application of the Essential Religious Practices (ERP) doctrine. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The ERP test originated in the Shirur Mutt case decided in 1954.
  2. Under the test, what constitutes an essential part of a religion is ascertained with reference to the doctrines of that religion itself.
  3. The same doctrine holds that secular activities associated with religion also enjoy absolute protection from State regulation.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. With reference to the Essential Religious Practices doctrine and its use in the Sabarimala matter, consider the following statements. Which of the statements given above is/are NOT correct?

  1. The Shirur Mutt case, which is the source of the doctrine, was decided by a seven-judge Bench.
  2. The ERP test is used to determine whether a practice is protected under Articles 25 and 26.
  3. The Sabarimala deity Ayyappa is regarded as a Naishtik Brahmachari, a belief invoked in the essentiality argument.
  4. The Shirur Mutt case was decided in 1974.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 3 and 4
  • D. 4 only

Q5. Consider the following statements comparing the 2018 Sabarimala verdict with the 2019 order referring the matter to a larger Bench. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2018 verdict came from a five-judge Bench with a 4:1 split, whereas the 2019 reference order came from a five-judge Bench with a 3:2 split.
  2. The 2019 reference order was passed by a Bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi.
  3. The 2019 order finally decided the pending review petitions and set aside the 2018 verdict.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q6. In the context of the 14 November 2019 Sabarimala order, referring the matter to a 'larger Bench' precisely meant which one of the following?

  • A. Constituting a Bench of more judges to decide overarching questions of religious freedom across faiths, while the review petitions remained pending
  • B. Immediately dismissing the review petitions and confirming the 2018 verdict
  • C. Transferring the case to a High Court Full Bench for fresh trial
  • D. Staying the operation of the 2018 verdict pending a Presidential reference

Q7. The nine-judge Constitution Bench that began hearing the Sabarimala reference in April 2026 is headed by which one of the following?

  • A. CJI Surya Kant
  • B. CJI Ranjan Gogoi
  • C. CJI Dipak Misra
  • D. Justice B.V. Nagarathna

Q8. With reference to the nine-judge Constitution Bench hearing the Sabarimala reference from April 2026, which of the following judges are correctly identified as members of that Bench?

  1. B.V. Nagarathna
  2. Joymalya Bagchi
  3. D.Y. Chandrachud
  4. M.M. Sundresh
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 2, 3 and 4

Q9. Consider the following statements comparing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Article 25 guarantees to all persons freedom of conscience and the right to profess, practise and propagate religion, whereas Article 26 confers on every religious denomination the right to manage its own religious affairs.
  2. Both Article 25 and Article 26 are subject to public order, morality and health.
  3. The rights under Articles 25 and 26 are absolute and cannot be restricted on any ground.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. The traditional exclusion of women aged 10–50 from the Sabarimala temple is grounded in the belief that the presiding deity is which one of the following?

  • A. A Naishtik Brahmachari (eternal celibate)
  • B. A Grihastha householder deity
  • C. A Vanaprastha forest-dweller deity
  • D. A Sanyasi who welcomes all devotees without restriction

Q11. In referring the Sabarimala matter to a larger Bench, the Supreme Court clubbed certain other religious-freedom petitions with it. Which of the following are correctly identified as matters clubbed with the reference?

  1. Entry of Muslim women into mosques
  2. Female genital cutting among the Dawoodi Bohra community
  3. Barring of Parsi women married to non-Parsi men from the Agiary
  4. Entry of Dalits into all Hindu temples across India
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q12. In the Sabarimala reference, the Union government's argument for 'legislative primacy' in religious reform precisely means which one of the following?

  • A. That religious reform should be driven by the legislature, since courts lack the expertise to adjudicate the essentiality of rituals
  • B. That religious matters fall exclusively within the executive's domain and are beyond both courts and Parliament
  • C. That only the President, through an Ordinance, may reform religious practices
  • D. That courts alone, and not the legislature, should decide which practices are essential