immunity of Environment legislation from judicial scrutiny (Art.31C) — MCQs

All questions with answers and explanations

Read the full set here, or use the practice card above to test yourself one question at a time.

1. Article 31C protects laws implementing which Directive Principles from an Article 14/19 challenge?

   • Article 39(a) only
   • Article 39(b) and Article 39(c) (correct answer)
   • All Directive Principles in Part IV
   • Article 44 only

   Explanation. Article 31C, in its current settled form, protects only laws genuinely implementing Article 39(b) or 39(c).

2. Which constitutional amendment first inserted Article 31C?

   • 25th Amendment, 1971 (correct answer)
   • 42nd Amendment, 1976
   • 44th Amendment, 1978
   • 1st Amendment, 1951

   Explanation. Article 31C was first inserted by the Constitution (Twenty-fifth Amendment) Act, 1971.

3. A law qualifying for Article 31C's protection is shielded from challenge under which Articles?

   • Article 21 only
   • Article 14 and Article 19 (correct answer)
   • Article 32
   • Article 300A

   Explanation. Article 31C shields a qualifying law only from challenge under Articles 14 and 19, not Article 21.

4. The 42nd Amendment's attempt to extend Article 31C's protection to all Directive Principles was struck down in:

   • Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
   • Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India (correct answer)
   • Golaknath v. State of Punjab
   • Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India

   Explanation. Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India (1980) struck down this expansion as violating the basic structure.

5. What was the vote split of the Supreme Court bench in Minerva Mills?

   • Unanimous
   • 3:2
   • 4:1 (correct answer)
   • 2:1

   Explanation. Minerva Mills was decided 4:1, with Bhagwati, J. partly dissenting.

6. Which case first upheld the original, 39(b)/(c)-only form of Article 31C as constitutionally valid?

   • Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (correct answer)
   • Golaknath v. State of Punjab
   • Shankari Prasad v. Union of India
   • A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras

   Explanation. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) upheld the original form of Article 31C while articulating the basic structure doctrine.

7. Article 31C does NOT protect a qualifying law from a challenge under:

   • Article 14
   • Article 19
   • Article 21 (correct answer)
   • Both Article 14 and Article 19

   Explanation. Article 31C's shield never extends to a challenge under Article 21.

8. "Material resources of the community" under Article 39(b) has been interpreted broadly enough to include:

   • Only government-owned buildings
   • Natural resources such as forests, minerals, river sand and coastal land (correct answer)
   • Only foreign investments
   • Only agricultural produce

   Explanation. Courts have read "material resources of the community" broadly to include natural resources like forests, minerals, river sand and coastal land.