Master10
Indian Polity & Constitution15 Concepts & Facts

Supreme Court of India: Articles 124 to 147, Writs & Powers

The Supreme Court of India, established under Part V, Chapter IV (Articles 124 to 147) of the Constitution, operates as the apex judicial authority and the ultimate interpreter of constitutional law. Inaugurated on January 28, 1950, it superseded the Federal Court of India and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The constitutional genesis of this integrated judicial framework guarantees an independent and impartial judiciary, central to the philosophy of a democratic republic governed by the rule of law. The institutional structure presently comprises the Chief Justice of India and thirty-three puisne judges, tasked with safeguarding fundamental rights, resolving federal disputes, and maintaining the structural integrity of the Constitution against arbitrary executive action or unconstitutional legislative enactments.

The operational mechanics of the Supreme Court are defined by its expansive jurisdictional boundaries, which include original, appellate, writ, and advisory capacities. Under Article 131, the Court exercises exclusive original jurisdiction over federal disputes between the Union and states or among states themselves. Article 32 empowers the Court to issue prerogative writs to enforce fundamental rights. Additionally, Article 136 grants the extraordinary discretionary power to grant special leave to appeal from any judgment passed by any court or tribunal in the Indian territory. The administrative hierarchy and appointment procedure rely on the Collegium system, an interpretative mechanism evolved through the Three Judges Cases (1982, 1993, 1998), which mandates the primacy of the Chief Justice and senior judges in higher judicial appointments and transfers.

Practical implementation of the Supreme Court's mandate has fundamentally shaped Indian governance through landmark constitutional bench rulings. The historic Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) judgment established the Basic Structure Doctrine, decisively limiting Parliament's amending power under Article 368 to prevent the destruction of essential constitutional features. In Minerva Mills (1980), the Court reinforced judicial review as an unalterable constitutional element. The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act was famously struck down in 2015 to preserve judicial independence. For UPSC Civil Services and SSC CGL examinations, an exact understanding of jurisdictional articles, the evolution of the Collegium system, constitutional amendments affecting the judiciary, and prominent Supreme Court verdicts is strictly necessary for scoring well in the polity and governance segments.
Reviewed by the Master10 Editorial Board for accuracy, clarity and competitive-exam relevance.Editorial Policy

Key Concepts & Self-Assessment15 Key Facts

Review key Supreme Court & Indian Judicial System exam facts and rate your mastery to track revision.

Progress: 0/15 Rated 0 Mastered 0 Review Later
  1. #1
    Part V, Chapter IV (Articles 124-147) establishes the Supreme Court of India, currently consisting of 34 judges (1 Chief Justice and 33 puines judges) who serve until the age of 65.
  2. #2
    Under Article 131, the Supreme Court has exclusive original jurisdiction in disputes between the Government of India and one or more States, or between two or more States.
  3. #3
    Article 32 empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs (Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Quo-Warranto, Certiorari) for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, designated by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as the heart and soul of the Constitution.
  4. #4
    Under Article 143, the President of India may seek the advisory opinion of the Supreme Court on questions of law or public importance, though the advice is non-binding.
  5. #5
    In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), a 13-judge constitutional bench established the Basic Structure doctrine, limiting Parliament's amending power under Article 368.
  6. #6
    The Supreme Court was inaugurated on January 28, 1950 in New Delhi, succeeding the Federal Court of India established under the Government of India Act 1935.
  7. #7
    Under Article 129, the Supreme Court is a Court of Record possessing the inherent constitutional power to punish for contempt of itself.
  8. #8
    Article 136 confers discretionary Special Leave to Appeal upon the Supreme Court against any judgment, decree, or order from any court or tribunal in India.
  9. #9
    Article 141 establishes that the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts within the territory of India.
  10. #10
    Article 142 empowers the Supreme Court to pass any decree or make any order necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.
  11. #11
    In the Second Judges Case (1993) and Third Judges Case (1998), the Supreme Court instituted the Collegium System for judicial appointments, comprising the CJI and senior puines judges.
  12. #12
    The National Judicial Appointments Commission Act and the 99th Constitutional Amendment Act were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in October 2015.
  13. #13
    H.J. Kania functioned as the first Chief Justice of India from January 1950 until his death in November 1951.
  14. #14
    Justice M. Fathima Beevi became the first female judge appointed to the Supreme Court of India in October 1989.
  15. #15
    In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978), the Supreme Court expanded Article 21, establishing that state procedure depriving personal liberty must be just, fair, and reasonable.

Subject Specialist Commentary

Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board

Educator's Insight
The Supreme Court of India was inaugurated on January 28, 1950 in New Delhi, succeeding the Federal Court under the Government of India Act 1935. As the apex judicial authority, it consists of 34 judges including the Chief Justice of India. Supreme Court judges serve until age 65. The court protects fundamental rights through writs under Article 32, resolves federal disputes under Article 131, and its declared law binds all Indian courts under Article 141.
For competitive exams like UPSC and State PSC, questions test specific jurisdictional articles. Memorize Article 131 for exclusive original jurisdiction, Article 143 for presidential advisory opinions, and Article 136 for Special Leave Petitions. A common statement trap in prelims confuses High Court retirement age (62) with Supreme Court retirement age (65). For revision, remember landmark rulings: Kesavananda Bharati (1973) established the basic structure doctrine, while Maneka Gandhi (1978) expanded personal liberty under Article 21.

Related Knowledge Topics to Discover

Indian Polity & Constitution
Indian Constitution & Fundamental Rights

Explore the Fundamental Rights guaranteed under Part III (Articles 12 to 35) of the Indian Constitution, constitutional remedies, and judicial safeguards.

Explore Topic
Indian Polity & Constitution
Attorney General & Solicitor General of India

As India's chief legal advisor under Article 76, the Attorney General advises the Union government alongside the Solicitor General in major court cases.

Explore Topic
Indian Polity & Constitution
Constitutional Amendments & Schedules of India

See how the Indian Constitution evolves through Article 368 amendments, landmark judicial cases, and the roles of its twelve foundational schedules.

Explore Topic
Indian Polity & Constitution
What Is Judicial Review and How Does It Work in India?

Learn how Judicial Review empowers Indian courts under Articles 13, 32, and 226 to examine legislative acts and protect constitutional supremacy.

Explore Topic
Indian Polity & Constitution
Judicial Review & Basic Structure Doctrine in India

Trace the evolution of Judicial Review and the Basic Structure Doctrine in India, from Shankari Prasad to the landmark 1973 Kesavananda Bharati ruling.

Explore Topic
Indian Polity & Constitution
Separation of Powers: Montesquieu Doctrine, Checks and Balances & Constitutional Law

The doctrine of separation of powers divides authority across the legislature, executive, and judiciary, maintaining essential constitutional checks.

Explore Topic

Looking for more GK practice?

Explore 52,789+ questions across 65 General Knowledge categories.

Open Interactive Search