2005 General Studies, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2005 · General Studies

Question 47: Polity and Governance

Consider the following statements:

  1. 1.The Parliament cannot enlarge the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India as its jurisdiction is limited to that conferred by the Constitution.
  2. 2.The officers and servants of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed by the concerned Chief Justice and the administrative expenses are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerThe answer is (b).

Statement 2 is accepted: the Chief Justice appoints the officers and servants of the Supreme Court (Article 146) and of each High Court (Article 229), and their administrative expenses are charged on a Consolidated Fund, so they are not voted by Parliament. Statement 1 is wrong: Parliament can extend the Supreme Court's jurisdiction, for example on Union List matters (Article 138).

  • 1. Parliament may extend the Supreme Court's jurisdiction under Article 138.
  • 2. The Chief Justice appoints staff, and expenses are charged on a Consolidated Fund.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.

    What you needed to know: Parliament may extend the Supreme Court's jurisdiction under Article 138.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: The Chief Justice appoints staff, and expenses are charged on a Consolidated Fund.

Only (b) is left. This one needs every statement.

This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Statement 1 is false: Parliament can extend the Supreme Court's jurisdiction.
  • (b) Given answer: only statement 2 holds.
  • (c) Statement 1 is false, so both cannot be right.
  • (d) Rejects statement 2; this is the strict reading (see doubt).

Worth knowing: Strictly, High Court expenses are charged on the Consolidated Fund of the State (Article 229), not of India, so statement 2 is only partly right and (d) can be argued; the key accepts statement 2.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2005, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.