UPSC Prelims 2014 · GS Paper I
Question 75: Polity and Governance
The power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India is vested in
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).
Article 124(1) says the Supreme Court consists of the Chief Justice and such number of other judges as Parliament may by law prescribe (the Constitution originally fixed seven). So Parliament, by law, increases the number of judges, and the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act has been amended several times to do so. The President appoints judges but cannot change their number, and the Chief Justice and the Law Commission have no such power.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Wrong. The President appoints judges but cannot fix their number.
- (b) Right. Parliament increases the number of judges by law.
- (c) Wrong. The Chief Justice has no power to increase the number of judges.
- (d) Wrong. The Law Commission only recommends law reforms.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2014, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.