Judiciary
One integrated judiciary from the Supreme Court down. The questions cluster around jurisdiction — original, appellate, advisory, writ — and around who appoints and removes judges.
Mental model
Picture the judiciary as one single pyramid — India has an integrated judiciary, unlike the American double system. Supreme Court (Part V, Articles 124-147) at the apex, High Courts (Part VI, Articles 214-231) below, then subordinate courts. Its independence is protected by a fixed set of devices worth listing as a group: security of tenure, removal only by the difficult impeachment route, salaries charged on the Consolidated Fund, ban on practice after retirement, and power to punish for contempt. Its powers come in four flavours you should be able to name — original (Article 131, Centre-state disputes), writ (Article 32), appellate, and advisory (Article 143, where the President seeks an opinion the Court is not bound to give). Article 141 makes its law binding on all courts.
Associations
A short trigger on the left, everything it pulls with it on the right.
Original, appellate, advisory, writ — four jurisdictions.
Original jurisdiction covers disputes between the Union and states or between states. Appellate covers appeals from High Courts. Advisory is Article 143, where the President seeks the Court's opinion, which is not binding. Writ jurisdiction is Article 32.
65 and 62.
Supreme Court judges retire at 65, High Court judges at 62. Two numbers, and the exam asks them often enough to be worth a moment of drilling.
Things to remember
The night-before list. Short enough to recall cold.
- 1The Supreme Court is established under Article 124; its judgments are binding on all courts in India under Article 141.
- 2Supreme Court and High Court judges are appointed by the President and can be removed only by an address of both Houses of Parliament on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
- 3Under Article 143 the President may seek the Supreme Court's advisory opinion, and that opinion does not bind the President.
- 4High Court writ jurisdiction under Article 226 is wider than the Supreme Court's under Article 32, because it extends to legal rights and not only fundamental rights.
- 5The Gujarat High Court was established in 1960 with the formation of the state; it sits at Ahmedabad.
- 6Public interest litigation relaxed the rule of locus standi, letting any public-spirited person move the court on behalf of those who cannot.
In detail
- A Supreme Court judge holds office until the age of 65 and a High Court judge until 62; both are removed by the same address-and-impeachment procedure under Article 124(4).
- Article 141 makes the law declared by the Supreme Court binding on all courts within India; Article 143 gives the President power to seek its advisory opinion.
- The Gujarat High Court, established in 1960 when the state was formed, sits at Ahmedabad.
- Judicial review rests on Article 13, which declares laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights void, and the collegium system for appointments emerged from the Supreme Court's Judges cases.
- Public Interest Litigation relaxed the rule of locus standi, allowing any public-spirited person to move the court on behalf of those unable to approach it.
Where people slip
- The Supreme Court's advisory opinion under Article 143 is not binding on the President; only its judgments under Article 141 bind courts.
Check yourself
Nothing here is scored — it will not change your mastery figures.
The retirement age of a judge of a High Court in India is:
From the question bank
As per the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019, what is the sanctioned strength of judges of the Supreme Court of India, including the Chief Justice of India?
From the question bank
In which city is the seat of the Gujarat High Court located?
Books to read
- NCERT Class XI — Indian Constitution at Work
- Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
- Introduction to the Constitution of India by D. D. Basu
Official sources
Hand-checked official domains only — the notes above carry no links of their own.