Daily Static Quiz Prelims Practice 2027
Habeas Corpus (“to have the body”) directs the authority to produce the detained person before the court and to justify the detention, and it can be issued against public authorities and private individuals. Mandamus (“we command”) directs a public official or body to perform a public duty it has failed to perform, Certiorari quashes an order already passed by a lower court or tribunal acting without or in excess of jurisdiction, and Quo Warranto questions the legality of a person's claim to a public office.
- The Supreme Court can issue writs under Article 32 only for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, whereas High Courts can issue writs under Article 226 for Fundamental Rights and for any other purpose.
- Parliament can suspend the right to move the Supreme Court under Article 32 by passing an ordinary law.
Statement 1 is correct — Article 32 is confined to Fundamental Rights, while Article 226 extends to “any other purpose”, including the enforcement of ordinary legal rights, so in this respect a High Court's writ jurisdiction is wider than the Supreme Court's. Statement 2 is incorrect — Article 32(4) says the right shall not be suspended except as provided by the Constitution, and suspension is possible only during a National Emergency through a Presidential order under Article 359, not by an ordinary law of Parliament.
Option (b) is incorrect — the advisory opinion under Article 143 is not binding on the President, and the Court may also decline to give an opinion on questions of fact or law, as it did in the Ayodhya reference (1993). Options (a), (c) and (d) are correct — Article 131 gives the Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction in federal disputes, Article 129 makes it a court of record with power to punish for contempt of itself, and Article 137 empowers it to review its own judgments.
- Assertion (A): A writ of Mandamus cannot be issued against the President or the Governor of a State.
- Reason (R): Article 361 provides that the President and the Governors are not answerable to any court for the exercise of the powers and duties of their office.
Assertion A is correct — Mandamus does not lie against the President or Governors, nor against a private individual, nor to enforce a contractual or discretionary duty. Reason R is correct and explains A, because Article 361 grants personal immunity: the President and Governors cannot be compelled by any court in respect of their official functions, so a command to perform a duty would breach this immunity.
- The number of judges of the Supreme Court is determined by Parliament by law.
- A judge of the Supreme Court holds office until the age of 65 years.
- A person must have been a High Court judge for at least 10 years to be eligible for appointment as a Supreme Court judge.
- The writ of Prohibition can be issued only against judicial and quasi-judicial authorities.
Statement 1 is correct — under Article 124(1), Parliament fixes the number of judges by law, and the current strength is 34, including the Chief Justice. Statement 2 is correct — Supreme Court judges retire at 65, while High Court judges retire at 62. Statement 3 is incorrect — Article 124(3) requires 5 years as a High Court judge, or 10 years as an advocate of a High Court, or being a distinguished jurist in the President's opinion. Statement 4 is correct — Prohibition stops a lower court or tribunal from exceeding its jurisdiction and is not available against administrative or legislative bodies.
