Who among the following is the Head of the Committee appointed by the Supreme Court of India to enquire into the circumstances that led to the Prime Minister of India's convoy being stuck for several minutes on a flyover in Punjab recently?
- (a)Justice Indu Malhotra
- (b)Justice Ashok Bhushan
- (c)Justice Navin Sinha
- (d)Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman
Correct — A, Justice Indu Malhotra. In January 2022 the Supreme Court set up an inquiry committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra, to examine the security lapse during the Prime Minister's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab, when his convoy was stranded on a flyover for about twenty minutes. She had recently retired from the Supreme Court and was named to lead the panel.
- (b)Justice Ashok Bhushan — A retired Supreme Court judge, but he did not head this committee; the panel was led by Justice Indu Malhotra.
- (c)Justice Navin Sinha — A former Supreme Court judge who was not appointed to head this particular inquiry.
- (d)Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman — A distinguished retired Supreme Court judge, but not the head of the committee into the Punjab security breach.
When a matter of national importance needs an independent probe, the Supreme Court can constitute an inquiry committee, often led by a retired judge, in preference to a purely government-run inquiry. The January 2022 security breach during the Prime Minister's Punjab visit was referred to such a court-appointed committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra.
This is a pure current-affairs recall question. The name to fix is Justice Indu Malhotra, who had just retired from the Supreme Court; the other three options are also genuine retired judges, added to make the recall harder.
- The committee was constituted by the Supreme Court in January 2022.
- It was headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra.
- It examined the security lapse during the Prime Minister's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab, where the convoy was stuck on a flyover.
- Justice Indu Malhotra had earlier been the first woman lawyer elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court.
- Picking any famous retired judge's name without recalling the specific appointee.
- Confusing a court-appointed committee with a government-appointed inquiry.
As a name-recall current-affairs item about who headed a specific committee or commission.
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Justice Indu Malhotra is notable as the first woman lawyer to be
- (a)elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court of India
- (b)appointed Attorney General of India
- (c)made a High Court Chief Justice
- (d)appointed to the Law Commission
Answer(a) elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court of India.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The elite force primarily responsible for the security of the Prime Minister of India is the
- (a)Special Protection Group (SPG)
- (b)Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
- (c)National Security Guard (NSG)
- (d)Border Security Force (BSF)
Answer(a) Special Protection Group (SPG) — the dedicated close-protection force for the PM.