Independence Of Supreme Court

**Statement 1 is correct:** While appointing the Supreme Court Judges, the President of India has to consult the Chief Justice of India. This ensures that the judiciary has a say in its own composition. **Statement 2 is incorrect:** The judges of the Supreme Court can only be removed by the President of India on the grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity, and that too after an address by the Parliament has been supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by two-thirds of the members present and voting. **Statement 3 is correct:** The salaries of the Judges are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India to which the legislature does not have to vote. This provision ensures the financial autonomy of the judiciary and protects it from any kind of legislative pressure or executive influence. **Statement 4 is incorrect:** All appointments of officers and staff of the Supreme Court of India are made by the Supreme Court itself.

**Statement 1 is incorrect:** The Supreme Court ruled that Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than six months, which invalidated the provision in the Aadhaar Act that allowed the storage of such data for up to five years. **Statement 2 is correct:** The Supreme Court struck down Section 57 which allowed private corporations to verify Aadhaar data. The Court held this provision unconstitutional, as it was seen to violate privacy rights. **Statement 3 is incorrect:** The 2018 Supreme Court judgment declared that making Aadhaar mandatory for services beyond welfare schemes, including financial services like insurance or for preventing money laundering, was unconstitutional. In response to this ruling, the IRDAI issued an advisory in 2019, clarifying that Aadhaar is not mandatory for obtaining insurance. It also withdrew its earlier 2017 policy that had made Aadhaar compulsory for insurance in the context of anti-money laundering measures. **Statement 4 is correct:** In the Aadhaar verdict, the Supreme Court upheld Section 7 of the Aadhaar Act, which allows the Central or State Governments to make Aadhaar authentication mandatory for receiving subsidies, benefits, or services funded by the Consolidated Fund of India. The Court defined welfare schemes as those funded by the Consolidated Fund of India, thus validating the use of Aadhaar for such schemes. Therefore, the correct answer is B. 2 and 4 only.

**Statement 1 is correct:** The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 was enacted based on the recommendations of the H.N. Sanyal Committee, which examined the law relating to contempt of courts. **Statement 2 is correct:** Articles 129 and 215 of the Constitution empower the Supreme Court and High Courts, respectively, to punish for contempt of themselves. **Statement 3 is incorrect:** The Constitution does not define civil contempt and criminal contempt; these are defined under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971. **Statement 4 is correct:** Parliament has the power to make laws on contempt of court, as evidenced by the enactment of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.