CAT Questions | CAT Reading Comprehension

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Question 2: The author says that the Supreme Court was “more executive-minded than the executive� during the Emergency. Which of the following options captures the essence of what the writer means by the phrase: 'more “executive-minded than the executive�'?

1. The Supreme Court abdicated its independence to an authoritarian government by embracing its perspective.
2. The Supreme Court was more emphatic than the Government about exercising executive power under the MISA.
3. The Supreme Court reflected the unconscionable actions taken by the government by upholding its laws.
4. The Supreme Court wanted to curry favor with the government through its deferential decisions during Emergency.

Explanatory Answer

Method of solving this CAT Question from Reading Comprehension:

In saying that the Supreme Court was “more executive-minded than the executive� during the Emergency, the author implies that the Supreme Court was more extreme and illiberal than the Government in imposing the rules of the Emergency, an approach not justified by the law.

Let us consider the options.

a. The Supreme Court abdicated its independence to an authoritarian government by embracing its perspective.

The abdication of judicial independence by the Court to an authoritarian government does not explain the given phrase, ‘more “executive –minded than the executive�’. It does not talk of the mindset or approach of the Court, which is what the author is discussing.

b. The Supreme Court was more emphatic than the Government about exercising executive power under the MISA.

This option is right on target in explaining why, according to the author, the Supreme Court was “more� executive-minded (unyielding) than the executive (the government) in enforcing the MISA and curbing fundamental rights.

c. The Supreme Court reflected the unconscionable actions taken by the government by upholding its laws.

The emphasis in the phrase “more executive-minded than the executive� is on the ‘more’. The Supreme Court did not merely reflect the unjust actions of the government by upholding its laws: it went one step further, according to the author, by being more illiberal than the government in enforcing the law. Hence option c does not capture the essence of what the writer means when he says “more executive- minded than the executive�.

d. The Supreme Court wanted to curry favor with the government through its deferential decisions during Emergency.
/br> The Supreme Court cannot be called “more executive-minded than the executive� for merely being deferential, i.e, submissive and complicit with the government during emergency. As discussed earlier, the key word here is “more�. Statement d does not explain the phrase given satisfactorily.

The question is "Choose the Correct option "

Hence, the answer is B

Choice B is the correct answer.