Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Polity)
3 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts (Polity). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–3 of 3 questions
UPSC 2006Polity · Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts
Q1. Assertion (A): In India, every State has a High Court in its territory. Reason (R): The Constitution of India provides a High Court in each State. Codes:
Explanation
India’s justice system is a three-tiered structure comprising the Supreme Court at the top, followed by High Courts in each state or group of states, and subordinate courts at the district and local levels. This system ensures the rule of law, protection of rights, and fair adjudication of disputes. Assertion (A) is False: India has 28 states but only 25 High Courts. Some, like the Guwahati High Court, serve multiple states. Therefore, not every state has its own High Court. Reason (B) is True: The Indian Constitution provides for High Courts for each state (Article 214) but Article 231 also enables the Parliament to establish common HC for two or more states or for two or more States and a Union territory.
UPSC 2006Polity · Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts
Q2. Who was the Chief Justice of India when Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was introduced to the Indian judicial system?
Explanation
PILs protect disadvantaged communities who can’t seek justice themselves. They can be filed in the Supreme Court and High Courts under Article 32 (right to move the Supreme Court) and Article 226 (power of High Courts to issue writs). Justice P.N. Bhagwati introduced Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in India in the 1980s, broadening the judiciary’s role to address public grievances and protect marginalized communities. His efforts democratized the judicial process, allowing direct court access for significant public matters. This made the justice system more accessible and responsive to societal issues. However, the concept was first pioneered by Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer in cases like Mumbai Kamgar Sabha vs. Abdulbhai Faizullabhai (1976) and Fertilizer Corporation Kamgar Union vs. Union of India (1981). Justice Bhagwati significantly expanded PILs through landmark cases like Hussainara Khatoon vs. State of Bihar (1979) and S.P. Gupta vs. Union of India (1981).
UPSC 2006Polity · Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts
Q3. Consider the following statements: 1. A person who has held office as a permanent Judge of a High Court cannot plead or act in any court or before any authority in India except of the Supreme Court. 2. A person is not qualified for appointment as a Judge of a High Court in India unless he has for at least five years held a judicial office in the territory of India. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Explanation
The judges and the Chief Judge of a HC are appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the concerned state.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Article 220 of the Indian Constitution prohibits retired High Court judges from practicing in the same High Court but allows them to practice in other courts in India, including the Supreme Court.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 217 of the Indian Constitution stipulates that a person can be appointed as a High Court judge if they have held a judicial office in India for at least ten years or have served as an advocate of a High Court (or High Courts in succession) for at least ten years.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2006
(d) ‘A’ is false but ‘R’ is true.
2
2006
(d) P. N. Bhagwati
3
2006
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts?
This page covers 3 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts (Polity), asked from 1996 to 2023. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts?
Questions on Higher Judiciary: Supreme Court and High Courts (Polity) are available for 17 years, from 1996 to 2023. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
