Statement 1 is correct. The high court occupies the top position in the judicial administration of a state. In the Indian single integrated judicial system, the high court operates below the Supreme Court but above the subordinate courts. The judiciary in a state consists of a high court and a hierarchy of subordinate courts.

Statement 2 is correct. The institution of high court originated in India in 1862 when the high courts were set up at Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras1. In 1866, a fourth high court was established at Allahabad. In the course of time, each province in British India came to have its own high court. After 1950, a high court existing in a province became the high court for the corresponding state.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The Constitution of India provides for a high court for each state, but the Seventh Amendment Act of 1956 authorized the Parliament to establish a common high court for two or more states or for two or more states and a union territory. The territorial jurisdiction of a high court is co-terminus with the territory of a state. Similarly, the territorial jurisdiction of a common high court is co-terminus with the territories of the concerned states and union territory.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; Chapter 34

Statement 1 is correct. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the state concerned.

In case of a common high court for two or more states, the governors of all the states concerned are consulted by the president.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The Constitution has not prescribed minimum age for appointment as a judge of a high court.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikant, Chapter 34

Statement 1 is incorrect. There is no uniformity in the organisation of state legislatures. Most of the states have a unicameral system, while others have a bicameral system. Articles 168 to 212 in Part VI of the Constitution deal with the organisation, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges, powers and so on of the state legislature.

Statement 2 is correct. To hold direct elections to the assembly, each state is divided into territorial constituencies. The demarcation of these constituencies is done in such a manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it is the same throughout the state. In other words, the Constitution ensures that there is uniformity of representation between different constituencies in  the state. The expression ‘population’ means, the population as ascertained at the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; Chapter 33

statement 1 is correct. Unlike the members of the legislative assembly, the members of the legislative council are indirectly elected. The maximum strength of the council is fixed at one-third of the total strength of the assembly and the minimum strength is fixed at 40. It means that the size of the council depends on the size of the assembly of the concerned state. This is done to ensure the predominance of the directly elected House (assembly) in the legislative affairs of the state.

Statement 2 is correct. Like the Rajya Sabha, the legislative council is a continuing chamber, that is, it is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. But, one-third of its members retire on the expiration of every second year. So, a member continues as such for six years. The vacant seats are filled up by fresh elections and nominations (by governor) at the beginning of every third year. The retiring members are also eligible for re-election and re-nomination any number of times.

Statement 3 is correct. Every member of either House of state legislature, before taking his seat in the House, has to make and subscribe an oath or affirmation before the governor or some person appointed by him for this purpose.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; chapter 33

Statement 1 is correct. The legislative assembly can override the legislative council by passing the bill for the second time and not vice versa. When a bill is passed by the assembly for the second time and transmitted to the legislative council, if the legislative council rejects the bill again, or proposes amendments that are not acceptable to the legislative assembly, or does not pass the bill within one month, then the bill is deemed to have been passed by both the Houses in the form in which it was passed by the legislative assembly for the second time.

Statement 2 is correct. The mechanism of passing the bill for the second time to resolve a deadlock applies to a bill originating in the legislative assembly only. When a bill, which has originated in the legislative council and sent to the legislative assembly, is rejected by the latter, the bill ends and becomes dead.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; chapter 33

Statement 1 is correct. The appointment, posting and promotion of district judges in a state are made by the governor of the state in consultation with the high court.

A person to be appointed as district judge should have the following qualifications:

(a) He should not already be in the service of the Central or the state government. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

(b) He should have been an advocate or a pleader for seven years.

(c) He should be recommended by the high court for appointment.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; chapter 35

Statement 1 is correct. The district judge is the highest judicial authority in the district. He possesses original and appellate jurisdiction in both civil as well as criminal matters. In other words, the district judge is also the sessions judge.

Statement 2 is correct. The sessions judge has the power to impose any sentence including life imprisonment and capital punishment (death sentence). However, a capital punishment passed by him is subject to confirmation by the High Court, whether there is an appeal or not.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; chapter 35

Statement 1 is incorrect. A judge of a high court can be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court including the Chief Justice of India.

A judge of a high court can be removed from his office by an order of the President. The President can issue the removal order only after an address by the Parliament has been presented to him in the same session for such removal. The address must be supported by a special majority of each House of Parliament (i.e., a majority of the total membership of that House and majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and voting). The grounds of removal are two—proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

Statement 2 is correct. The Judges Enquiry Act (1968) regulates the procedure relating to the removal of a judge of a high court by the process of impeachment.

Source) Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth; Chapter 34

Statement 1 is Incorrect and Statement 2 is Correct: The legislative assembly consists of representatives directly elected by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise. Its maximum strength is fixed at 500 and minimum strength at 60. It means that its strength varies from 60 to 500 depending on the population size of the state. Unlike the members of the legislative assembly, the members of the legislative council are indirectly elected. The maximum strength of the council is fixed at one-third of the total strength of the assembly and the minimum strength is fixed at 406. It means that the size of the council depends on the size of the assembly of the concerned state. This is done to ensure the predominance of the directly elected House (assembly) in the legislative affairs of the state.

• Option D is the Correct Answer: Six States having a Legislative Council: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka. Recently, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council has been abolished through the J&K Reorganisation Bill, 2019, which reduced the State of J&K to the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.

• Both Statement 1 and 2 is Correct: The National Legal Services Authority(NALSA) has been constituted under the Legal Services Act,1987 to provide free Legal Services to the weaker sections of the society and to organise Lok Adalats for amicable settlements of disputes. In every state, State Legal Services Authority has been constituted to give effect to the policies and directions of the NALSA and to give free legal services to the people and conduct Lok Adalats in the State.

Gauhati High Court has jurisdiction over four states- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.

Option B is the Correct Answer: The salaries and allowances of the Judges of the High Court are charged to the Consolidated Fund of the State but their pensions are payable as Charged Expenditure/Art 112(3).