Under Articles 32 and 226 of the Indian Constitution, how many different types of writs can be issued by the Supreme Court and the High Courts to protect fundamental and other legal rights?

Introduction / Context:
This question relates to the writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the High Courts in India. Writs are powerful judicial orders used to enforce fundamental rights and, in the case of High Courts, certain other legal rights as well. Knowing the number and names of these writs is a core part of Indian polity, because they embody the idea of constitutional remedies that give real meaning to fundamental rights.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The question refers to writs issued under Articles 32 and 226.
It asks for the number of different types of writs available under the Constitution.
The options are 5, 4, 3, and 2.
We assume the classic list of writs borrowed from English law as adopted in the Indian Constitution.

Concept / Approach:
The Constitution of India empowers the Supreme Court under Article 32 and the High Courts under Article 226 to issue certain writs. These writs are Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo Warranto. Together they form five distinct types of writs. The Supreme Court issues them primarily for the enforcement of fundamental rights, while the High Courts can issue them for fundamental as well as other legal rights. Therefore, the correct answer is the total count of these writs, which is five.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the list of writs: Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo Warranto.Step 2: Count the distinct writs in this list, which gives a total of five.Step 3: Recognise that both the Supreme Court and the High Courts draw on this same set of five writs under their writ jurisdiction.Step 4: Select the option that matches this count, which is 5.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this from any standard polity textbook, which clearly enumerates these five writs and often explains them individually. There is no sixth writ added in the Constitution, and the number has not been reduced over time. While there are many court orders, the term writ in this constitutional sense refers specifically to these five types. As all authentic sources agree on this number, you can be confident that five is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Four is incorrect because it omits one of the recognised writs; there are not just four but five types of writs in the Indian system.
Three and two are clearly wrong because they significantly understate the variety of writs and ignore several important ones such as Quo Warranto or Certiorari, which are frequently discussed in constitutional law.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to remember only the more frequently referenced writs like Habeas Corpus and Mandamus and forget the others, leading to a guess that there are fewer writs than actually provided. Another mistake is to think that some of the writs are only part of British law and not fully adopted by the Indian Constitution. To avoid these errors, memorise both the names and the total count of the writs: five in all, with clear functions for each in the protection of rights and good governance.

Final Answer:
The Supreme Court and the High Courts in India can issue five different types of writs under Articles 32 and 226.