Question

Principle : Decision of Court is Null and Void, if it is given by court which does not have jurisdiction over the subject matter.
Facts : A obtains decision from a court which did not have jurisdiction to deal with the subject matter.
This question consists of legal principle(s) (hereinafter referred to as ‘principle‘) and facts. Such proposition may or may not be true in the real and legal sense, yet you have to conclusively assume them to be true for the purposes of this section. Principles have to be applied to the given facts to arrive at the most reasonable conclusion. Only one of the alternatives, i.e., (A), (B), (C), or (D) is the most reasonable conclusion. In other words, in answering the following questions, you must not rely on any principle except the principles that are given herein below for every question. Further you must not assume any facts other than those stated in the question. The objective of this section is to test your ability in legal aptitude, study of law, research aptitude and problem solving ability even if the ’most reasonable conclusion‘ arrived at may be absurd or unacceptable for any other reason.

• A. Decision can be enforced because both the parties were present
• B. Decision cannot be enforced because decision is null and void
• C. Decision can be enforced because it is given a court
• D. Decision can be enforced

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The correct option is (B): Decision cannot be enforced because decision is null and void.

Answer 2

The principle says a court's decision is null and void if that court did not have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the dispute. A obtained a decision from a court that lacked jurisdiction to deal with the subject matter. The question is whether that decision can still be enforced.

1. Decision can be enforced because both the parties were present: The presence of the parties at the proceedings has nothing to do with subject matter jurisdiction. A court can have every party sitting in the room and still lack the power to decide that type of dispute, which is exactly the defect the principle is about.
2. Decision cannot be enforced because decision is null and void: This tracks the principle exactly. Since the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction, the decision is void from the outset, and a void decision has no legal effect to enforce.
3. Decision can be enforced because it is given a court: Simply being issued by a body called a court does not cure a jurisdictional defect. The principle specifically targets courts that lack jurisdiction over the subject matter, so being a court is not enough on its own.
4. Decision can be enforced: This ignores the jurisdictional defect stated in the facts entirely and treats the decision as valid without any basis in the principle.

Since the court that decided the matter had no jurisdiction over its subject matter, the principle marks the decision as null and void, which means it cannot be given any enforceable effect.

Therefore, the correct answer is Decision cannot be enforced because decision is null and void.

Answer 3

The single fact that controls this question is that the court which decided the matter did not have jurisdiction over the subject matter at all. Checking each option against that one fact, rather than against anything else in the scenario, resolves the question quickly.

1. Decision can be enforced because both the parties were present: Attendance of the parties says nothing about whether the court had power over the type of dispute, and the missing jurisdiction is a defect that presence in the room cannot cure.
2. Decision cannot be enforced because decision is null and void: This tracks the one controlling fact exactly, a court without subject matter jurisdiction produces a decision the principle labels void, and a void decision carries nothing to enforce.
3. Decision can be enforced because it is given a court: Being a court in name does not supply the missing subject matter jurisdiction, the principle is concerned with the power to hear that category of dispute, not with the formal label of the body.
4. Decision can be enforced: This option simply does not engage with the missing jurisdiction at all, treating the decision as valid without addressing the defect the facts describe.

Since none of the other three options actually respond to the missing subject matter jurisdiction, only the option built around that exact defect survives.

Therefore, the correct answer is Decision cannot be enforced because decision is null and void.