Which one of the following writs is issued when the court finds that a particular office holder is not performing their legal duties and thereby infringing on an individual?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Mandamus
Mandamus, meaning “we command”, is issued by the Supreme Court or a High Court to a public official, a corporation or a lower court ordering it to perform a public duty it has failed to perform. It cannot be issued against a private individual or for a discretionary act.
Certiorari quashes an order already passed by a lower court, prohibition stops such a court from exceeding its jurisdiction while a case is still pending, and quo warranto questions the authority of a person occupying a public office.