{"id":102028,"date":"2026-05-05T17:55:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T12:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=102028"},"modified":"2026-05-05T17:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T12:25:28","slug":"jurisdiction-of-supreme-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/jurisdiction-of-supreme-court\/","title":{"rendered":"Jurisdiction of Supreme Court, Original, Appellate, Writ &#038; Advisory"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Jurisdiction of Supreme Court of India means the kinds of cases it has the authority to hear. As the highest court, it deals with important matters like disputes between governments, appeals from lower courts, and cases involving the protection of fundamental rights. The Jurisdiction of Supreme Court covering Original, Appellate, Writ and Advisory Jurisdiction have been discussed in detail in this article.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Original Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Original jurisdiction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means a case can be filed <\/span><b>directly in the <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/supreme-court-of-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">Supreme Court of India<\/a><\/b> <b>without going to lower courts first.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Court acts as the first court to hear the case.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It mainly deals with disputes between<\/span><b> different governments in India,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between the <\/span><b>Central Government<\/b> <b>and one or more States<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between the <\/span><b>Centre and States on one side<\/b> <b>and other States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the other side<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between<\/span><b> two or more States<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In these matters, the Supreme Court has <\/span><b>exclusive original jurisdiction,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which means:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Only the Supreme Court<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can hear these cases (no other court can).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case<\/span><b> starts here directly, not as an appeal.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These disputes must involve a <\/span><b>legal right (not just political issues)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and can include questions of law or facts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This power is important because it:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps in <\/span><b>resolving serious disputes quickly<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintains <\/span><b>balance between Centre and States<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has a major impact on laws and governance in India<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, this power has a limitation. <\/span><b>The Supreme Court will not have jurisdiction over disputes that arise from:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any treaty, agreement, covenant, engagement, sanad, or similar arrangement<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If such<\/span><b> arrangements were made before the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of India came into force<\/span><b> (1950)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and are still in effect, or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the agreement itself clearly states that such disputes should not be handled by the Supreme Court<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Appellate Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Appellate jurisdiction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> refers to the power of the Supreme Court of India <\/span><b>to hear and decide appeals against the judgments of lower courts,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> especially the High Courts. This means the Supreme Court does not hear the case for the first time, but reviews decisions already given.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court acts as the highest court of appeal in India, so if a person is <\/span><b>not satisfied with a High Court decision, they can approach the Supreme Court, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">making it the final authority in the judicial system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This jurisdiction <\/span><b>covers constitutional, civil, and criminal matters,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ensuring that laws are interpreted in a <\/span><b>uniform manner across the country<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and that justice is consistently delivered.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>constitutional matters (Article 132),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> an appeal can be made if the High Court certifies that the case involves a <\/span><b>substantial question of law related to the interpretation of the Constitution, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">meaning the issue is serious and affects how the Constitution is understood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>civil matters (Article 133),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> an appeal is allowed when the High Court certifies that the case involves a <\/span><b>substantial question of law of general importance, and that the matter should be decided by the Supreme Court.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This ensures that only significant civil cases reach the Supreme Court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>criminal matters (Article 134), <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">appeals can be made in serious situations, such as when the High Court:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reverses a lower court\u2019s decision of acquittal and sentences the accused to death, or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Takes up a case from a lower court and directly awards a death sentence.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under<\/span><b> Article 136,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Supreme Court has a special power called <\/span><b>Special Leave Petition (SLP), <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which allows it to hear appeals <\/span><b>from any court or tribunal (except military courts).<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is a discretionary power, meaning the Court can choose whether or not to accept the case, usually in situations where justice demands intervention.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court mainly focuses on <\/span><b>questions of law, meaning it checks whether legal principles were correctly applied. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It usually does not re-examine all the facts unless there is a clear mistake or injustice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has a three-tier judicial system &#8211; <\/span><b>District Courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and appellate jurisdiction ensures a proper system of review at each level.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, interlocutory appeals are allowed, which means appeals can be made against certain decisions during the ongoing trial, such as orders related to bail or evidence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court is very important because it:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Helps in correcting errors<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made by lower courts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Ensures justice and fairness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Maintains uniform interpretation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of laws across India<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Strengthens the rule<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of law and constitutional values<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Writ Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Writ jurisdiction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> refers to the <\/span><b>power of the Supreme Court of India to issue special legal orders called writs,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which direct a person, authority, or government body to either do something or stop doing something, especially when someone\u2019s rights are violated.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This power is given under <\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/article-32-of-indian-constitution\/\" target=\"_blank\">Article 32 of the Constitution of India<\/a>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which is considered a very important provision because it allows citizens to <\/span><b>directly approach the Supreme Court if their fundamental rights are violated.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dr. B. R. Ambedkar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> called Article 32 the <\/span><b>\u201cheart and soul\u201d of the Constitution,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as it provides a strong mechanism for the protection of rights.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court can issue <\/span><b>five types of writs,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> each serving a different purpose:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Habeas Corpus:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This writ is used to protect personal liberty. It orders that a person who is detained must be brought before the court, and if the detention is illegal, the person must be released.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Mandamus:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This writ is issued to compel a public authority or government official to perform a duty that they are legally required to perform but have failed or refused to do.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Prohibition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This writ is issued by a higher court to a lower court or tribunal to stop it from continuing proceedings in a case where it is acting beyond its powers or violating legal principles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Certiorari: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This writ is used to cancel or quash the order of a lower court or tribunal when it has acted without proper authority or violated the rules of natural justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Quo Warranto: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This writ is used to question the legality of a person holding a public office, asking by what authority they are occupying that position.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The writ jurisdiction of the Supreme Court plays a crucial role in:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Protecting <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fundamental rights of citizens<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensuring that government authorities <\/span><b>act within legal limits<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preventing <\/span><b>misuse or abuse of power<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upholding the <\/span><b>rule of law<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the country<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, this power is <\/span><b>not exclusive to the Supreme Court.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/high-courts-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">High Courts of India<\/a><\/strong> also have the power to issue writs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is an important difference between the powers of the Supreme Court and High Courts:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court <\/span><b>can issue writs only for the enforcement of <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/fundamental-rights\/\" target=\"_blank\">Fundamental Rights<\/a> (Article 32).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High Courts can issue writs for <\/span><b>Fundamental Rights as well as for other legal rights (Article 226).<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of this, the writ jurisdiction of High Courts is considered <\/span><b>wider in scope, although the Supreme Court remains the highest authority.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Advisory Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Advisory jurisdiction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> means the power of the Supreme Court of India <\/span><b>to give its opinion or advice on important legal or constitutional questions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when such questions are <\/span><b>referred to it by the President of India,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> mainly to help in decision-making at the highest level.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This power is given under <\/span><b>Article 143 of the Constitution of India,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which allows the <\/span><b>President to seek the Court\u2019s opinion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on any matter involving questions of law or fact that are of public importance or may affect the country as a whole, especially in situations where there is confusion or lack of clarity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under this jurisdiction, the <\/span><b>Supreme Court does not act like a regular court<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> deciding disputes between parties; instead, it works in a <\/span><b>consultative role, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">where it carefully examines the issue and provides its expert legal opinion to guide the executive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>President may refer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> matters to the Court in various situations, such as:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When there is <\/span><b>doubt about the validity of a law, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whether it is constitutional or not<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When there is a <\/span><b>need to interpret provisions of the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> clearly<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When questions arise <\/span><b>regarding the legality of ordinances or orders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> issued by the government<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When there is <\/span><b>confusion about the powers or jurisdiction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of courts or authorities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When disputes <\/span><b>arise from agreements, treaties, or arrangements made before the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> came into force in 1950<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are broadly <\/span><b>two kinds of references<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under this jurisdiction:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>matters of general public importance,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Supreme Court has the discretion to accept or refuse to give its opinion depending on whether it finds the issue suitable for judicial consideration<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In matters related to <\/span><b>pre-Constitution treaties or agreements,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Court is generally expected to give its opinion, as these often involve significant legal implications<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The opinion given by the Supreme Court under advisory jurisdiction:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Is not binding on the President or the government, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">meaning they are not legally required to follow it<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However,<\/span><b> it carries great authority and persuasive value,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is usually respected and followed in practice due to the Court\u2019s position as the highest judicial body<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This jurisdiction plays an important role because it:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Helps in clearing legal and constitutional doubts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before they turn into disputes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Assists the government<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in taking well-informed and legally sound decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduces the chances of <\/span><b>future litigation and conflicts<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Strengthens the working of the Constitution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and governance system<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jurisdiction of Supreme Court of India includes original, appellate, writ, and advisory powers. Learn roles, articles, and importance in the judicial system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":101973,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[5107,5108,7362],"class_list":{"0":"post-102028","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-indian-polity","9":"tag-indian-polity-notes","10":"tag-jurisdiction-of-supreme-court","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102028"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102040,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102028\/revisions\/102040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/101973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}