Kesavananda Bharati Case Practice Questions
20 free Kesavananda Bharati Case practice questions for the Indian Polity. Tap an option to answer — you get instant feedback, the correct answer, and a detailed explanation for every question.
Which specific constitutional amendment was primarily challenged in the Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) case?
- A 24th Amendment Act
- B 21st Amendment Act
- C 42nd Amendment Act
- D 44th Amendment Act
Correct answer: 24th Amendment Act
The 24th Amendment was challenged because it sought to give Parliament the absolute power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights. The petitioners argued this power could not be used to destroy the essential features of the document.
The Kesavananda Bharati case was heard by the largest-ever Constitutional Bench in the history of the Supreme Court of India. How many judges sat on this bench?
- A 9 judges
- B 11 judges
- C 15 judges
- D 13 judges
Correct answer: 13 judges
A record 13-judge bench was constituted to review the earlier judgment in the Golaknath case. The decision was delivered with a narrow 7:6 majority.
Which doctrine was established by the Supreme Court in the Kesavananda Bharati judgment?
- A Doctrine of Pith and Substance
- B Doctrine of Colorable Legislation
- C Doctrine of Basic Structure
- D Doctrine of Pleasure
Correct answer: Doctrine of Basic Structure
The court ruled that while Parliament has wide powers to amend the Constitution under Article 368, it cannot alter or destroy its 'Basic Structure'. This remains the most significant judicial innovation in Indian constitutional law.
The validity of which Article, inserted by the 25th Amendment Act, was partially struck down in this case?
- A Article 31A
- B Article 31B
- C Article 31C
- D Article 31D
Correct answer: Article 31C
The court struck down the second part of Article 31C, which barred judicial review of laws claiming to implement Directive Principles. The court held that judicial review is a part of the basic structure.
Before the Kesavananda Bharati case, which 1967 judgment had ruled that Parliament could not amend Fundamental Rights?
- A Shankari Prasad case
- B Sajjan Singh case
- C I.C. Golaknath case
- D Minerva Mills case
Correct answer: I.C. Golaknath case
In I.C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab, the Supreme Court ruled that Fundamental Rights were 'transcendental' and beyond the reach of Parliament's amending power. The Kesavananda case partially overruled this by allowing amendments that do not violate the basic structure.
Who was the Chief Justice of India who headed the bench in the Kesavananda Bharati case?
- A CJI M.H. Beg
- B CJI S.M. Sikri
- C CJI A.N. Ray
- D CJI Y.V. Chandrachud
Correct answer: CJI S.M. Sikri
Chief Justice Sarv Mittra Sikri led the 13-judge bench and was one of the seven judges who signed the majority opinion. He retired just one day after delivering the judgment.
What was the primary legal issue concerning Kesavananda Bharati, the petitioner, in this case?
- A Freedom of speech and press restrictions under the Constitution
- B Management of Mutt property under land reforms
- C Preventive detention without trial laws
- D Reservation in government job promotions
Correct answer: Management of Mutt property under land reforms
Kesavananda Bharati was the head of Edneer Mutt in Kerala and challenged the Kerala government's attempts to impose restrictions on the management of the Mutt's property. The case evolved from a property dispute into a landmark constitutional battle.
In the Kesavananda Bharati judgment (1973), which of the following was listed as a component of the 'Basic Structure'?
- A Absolute power of the Prime Minister
- B Supremacy of the Parliament
- C Republican and Democratic Government
- D Right to Property
Correct answer: Republican and Democratic Government
The Bench listed features such as the supremacy of the Constitution, the republican and democratic form of government, secularism, separation of powers and federalism as part of the basic structure. Parliamentary supremacy was expressly rejected, and the Right to Property was left out of the list.
Which Constitutional Amendment Act was passed by the Parliament to effectively nullify the Golaknath verdict, later scrutinized in the Kesavananda case?
- A 24th Amendment Act
- B 25th Amendment Act
- C 26th Amendment Act
- D 29th Amendment Act
Correct answer: 24th Amendment Act
The 24th Amendment (1971) amended Article 13 and Article 368 to clarify that Parliament had the power to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights. The Supreme Court upheld this amendment in Kesavananda but added the 'basic structure' caveat.
The 29th Constitutional Amendment Act, challenged in this case, dealt with the inclusion of certain land reform acts in which Schedule?
- A Seventh Schedule
- B Eighth Schedule
- C Ninth Schedule
- D Tenth Schedule
Correct answer: Ninth Schedule
The 29th Amendment added two Kerala Land Reform Acts to the Ninth Schedule to shield them from judicial scrutiny. The court eventually upheld the amendment but maintained its right to review laws in the Ninth Schedule.
Which article of the Indian Constitution deals with the 'Power of Parliament to amend the Constitution and procedure therefor'?
- A Article 352
- B Article 360
- C Article 368
- D Article 370
Correct answer: Article 368
Article 368 provides the mechanism for amending the Constitution. The core debate in the Kesavananda case was whether the word 'amend' included the power to 'abrogate' or 'destroy' the core identity of the Constitution.
Which Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) was given precedence over Fundamental Rights under the original Article 31C?
- A Article 39(a) and (b)
- B Article 39(b) and (c)
- C Article 40 and 41
- D Article 44
Correct answer: Article 39(b) and (c)
Article 31C sought to protect laws made to implement DPSPs under Article 39(b) and (c) from being declared void on the grounds of violating Articles 14, 19, or 31. The court upheld this protection while striking down the part that barred judicial review.
What was the majority ratio in the Kesavananda Bharati judgment?
- A 6:5
- B 7:6
- C 8:5
- D 9:4
Correct answer: 7:6
The judgment was passed with a slim majority of 7 to 6. Justice H.R. Khanna played a pivotal role by providing the 'swing vote' that established the Basic Structure doctrine.
In the context of the basic structure, what does 'Judicial Review' refer to?
- A The power of the President to review laws
- B The power of the Parliament to review court orders
- C The power of the Cabinet to review the Governor's decisions and orders
- D The power of the Judiciary to examine constitutionality of laws
Correct answer: The power of the Judiciary to examine constitutionality of laws
The court held that the power of the High Courts and the Supreme Court to determine the validity of laws is an inherent part of the basic structure that cannot be taken away by an amendment.
Which of the following was NOT an amendment considered or challenged during the Kesavananda Bharati proceedings?
- A 24th Amendment
- B 25th Amendment
- C 29th Amendment
- D 42nd Amendment
Correct answer: 42nd Amendment
The 42nd Amendment was enacted in 1976, three years after the Kesavananda Bharati judgment. It attempted to widen the scope of parliamentary power but was later partially struck down in the Minerva Mills case using the Basic Structure precedent.
The court ruled that the Preamble is ________ of the Constitution.
- A Not a part
- B An integral part
- C A decorative part
- D An optional part
Correct answer: An integral part
Overruling the Berubari Union case (1960), the Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati held that the Preamble is a part of the Constitution. It further noted that the Preamble contains the essential features of the basic structure.
Who was the lead counsel for the petitioner (Kesavananda Bharati) who argued for the limitations on Parliament's amending power?
- A Soli Sorabjee
- B Fali S. Nariman
- C Ram Jethmalani
- D Nani Palkhivala
Correct answer: Nani Palkhivala
Nani Palkhivala was the primary lawyer for the petitioner. His brilliant and extensive arguments over several months were instrumental in convincing the court to adopt the Basic Structure doctrine.
Which of the following features was identified by Justice H.R. Khanna as a basic feature in his decisive opinion?
- A Absolute Socialism
- B The right to strike
- C Parliamentary Sovereignty over Judiciary
- D Democratic setup and Secularism
Correct answer: Democratic setup and Secularism
Justice Khanna emphasized that the Constitution's identity as a democratic and secular document must remain intact. His opinion served as the middle ground that defined the majority view.
The 25th Amendment Act (1971) substituted the word 'compensation' with which word in Article 31?
- A Value
- B Amount
- C Market Rate
- D Reward
Correct answer: Amount
By replacing 'compensation' with 'amount', the government sought to prevent courts from questioning the adequacy of the payment made for acquired property. The Supreme Court upheld this change in the Kesavananda case.
Which subsequent landmark case in 1980 reaffirmed the Basic Structure doctrine and struck down clauses of the 42nd Amendment?
- A Minerva Mills v. Union of India
- B Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
- C Waman Rao v. Union of India
- D S.R. Bommai v. Union of India
Correct answer: Minerva Mills v. Union of India
In Minerva Mills (1980), the court struck down sections of the 42nd Amendment that gave DPSPs absolute precedence over Fundamental Rights. It reaffirmed that the 'harmony and balance' between Parts III and IV is a basic feature.