Supreme Court & High Courts Jurisdiction
India features an integrated judicial hierarchy with the Supreme Court of India at the apex, established under Article 124 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court exercises original jurisdiction under Article 131 over federal disputes, appellate jurisdiction under Articles 132–134 in constitutional, civil, and criminal appeals, and discretionary Special Leave Petition (SLP) powers under Article 136. Under Article 141, the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts across India. High Courts, governed under Articles 214–231, possess supervisory and judicial authority within their respective states. Crucially, High Courts exercise broader writ jurisdiction under Article 226 for fundamental rights and any other legal purpose, compared to the Supreme Court's fundamental-rights-focused writ jurisdiction under Article 32.
Key Concepts & Examination Highlights
- Article 124 governs the establishment and constitution of the Supreme Court of India, which was inaugurated on January 28, 1950.
- The Supreme Court exercises original exclusive jurisdiction over inter-governmental disputes between the Union and States under Article 131.
- Article 32 enables citizens to move the Supreme Court directly for Fundamental Rights enforcement, while Article 226 grants writ powers to High Courts.
- Article 141 stipulates that the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts within the territory of India.