The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial authority and the guardian of the Constitution. These notes trace its history from the colonial Regulating Act through the Federal Court to its first sitting in 1950, then cover its key Articles (Article 124 to Article 147), composition, the office of the Chief Justice, appointment through the collegium, eligibility and retirement, its original, appellate and advisory jurisdictions, the power of judicial review, and finally the removal of judges by impeachment.
The present Supreme Court is the successor to a long line of colonial-era courts, evolving step by step into the apex court of independent India.
Which Act established the Supreme Court of Judicature at Calcutta as a Court of Record?
On which date did the Supreme Court of India hold its first sitting?
The Federal Court of India was established in the year .
The India High Courts Act created High Courts and abolished the Supreme Courts at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay.
The Supreme Court is established under Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution, with Article 124 as its foundational provision.
Which Article deals with the establishment and constitution of the Supreme Court?
Who was the first Chief Justice of India?
The provisions governing the Supreme Court run from Article 124 to Article .
Under Article 124(2), the judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the .
A set of high-frequency exam facts about the Court's seat, salary and notable "firsts".
From which fund is the salary of Supreme Court judges paid?
Who was the first woman judge of the Supreme Court?
The seat of the Supreme Court is Delhi under Article .
The first Supreme Court judge to act as President was Justice M. .
To be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court, a person must be a citizen of India and satisfy one of the experience or jurist criteria under Article 124(3).
| Requirement | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Citizen of India |
| High Court judge experience | 5 years as a High Court judge |
| High Court advocate (lawyer) experience | 10 years as a High Court advocate |
| Distinguished jurist | In the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist |
| Mental condition | No mental disability and not insolvent |
| Minimum age | None (no minimum age prescribed) |
| Maximum age | 65 years (retirement age) |
How many years of experience as a High Court advocate is required to be eligible as a Supreme Court judge?
What is the retirement age of a Supreme Court judge?
A candidate needs years of experience as a High Court judge to be eligible.
There is no age prescribed for appointment as a Supreme Court judge.
The strength of the Court has grown from its original 8 judges to 34, and judges sit in benches of varying size depending on the importance of the case.
What is the present sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court?
The largest bench, of 13 judges, was constituted in 1973 in which case?
Originally the Supreme Court had judges.
Parliament can increase or decrease the number of judges under Article .
Judges are appointed by the President, but in practice selection is driven by the collegium — a feature created by judicial interpretation rather than the text of the Constitution.
The CJI is appointed by the President on the advice of:
How many judges make up the collegium?
The collegium system is mentioned in the Constitution.
The collegium system is based on judges' — judges select judges.
A short-lived attempt to replace the collegium with a statutory commission, struck down for violating the basic structure of the Constitution.
The NJAC was created by which amendment?
In which year did the Supreme Court strike down the NJAC?
The NJAC was created through Article A of the Constitution.
The NJAC Commission comprised members.
The Supreme Court exercises original, appellate and advisory jurisdiction, and its declarations of law bind every court in the country.
| Jurisdiction / Function | Article | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Original jurisdiction (federal disputes) | Article 131 | Disputes between Centre and State, between two or more states, and election disputes of the President and Vice-President |
| Appellate jurisdiction | Article 132–134, 136 | Takes up appeals against verdicts of High Courts, other courts and tribunals |
| Advisory jurisdiction | Article 143 | Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court; the Court can also act suo moto |
| Binding effect of law declared | Article 141 | Law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts in India and on the Union and State governments |
The original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court over federal disputes is under which Article?
Election disputes of the Lok Sabha fall under the original jurisdiction of which court?
The advisory jurisdiction, where the President consults the Court, is under Article .
moto means the Court can take up cases on its own motion.
As the guardian of the Constitution, the Supreme Court can test laws against the Constitution and protect citizens' fundamental rights.
Under which Article can the Supreme Court issue writs for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights?
Under which Article can the Court pass any order to do complete justice, as used in the Ayodhya verdict?
Under Article 141, the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all in India.
The Supreme Court is the guardian of the .
A Supreme Court judge can be removed only by impeachment — a rigorous parliamentary process designed to protect judicial independence.
The procedure for removal of a Supreme Court judge was borrowed from which country's Constitution?
What are the two grounds for removal of a Supreme Court judge?
The removal of a Supreme Court judge is governed by Article .
No Supreme Court judge has ever been .
A consolidated reference of the Supreme Court Articles, all located in Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution.
| Article | Subject matter |
|---|---|
| Article 124 | Establishment and constitution of the Supreme Court |
| Article 125 | Salaries, etc., of judges |
| Article 126 | Appointment of acting Chief Justice |
| Article 127 | Appointment of ad hoc judges |
| Article 128 | Attendance of retired judges at sittings |
| Article 129 | Supreme Court to be a court of record |
| Article 130 | Seat of the Supreme Court |
| Article 131 | Original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court |
| Article 132 | Appellate jurisdiction in appeals from High Courts (constitutional matters) |
| Article 133 | Appellate jurisdiction in civil matters |
| Article 134 | Appellate jurisdiction in criminal matters |
| Article 136 | Special leave to appeal |
| Article 137 | Review of judgments or orders |
| Article 140 | Ancillary powers of the Supreme Court |
| Article 141 | Law declared by the Supreme Court binding on all courts |
| Article 142 | Enforcement of decrees and orders (Ayodhya, Rajiv Gandhi assassination, Union Carbide Bhopal) |
| Article 143 | Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court (advisory) |
| Article 145 | Rules of court; Parliament may increase/decrease the number of judges |
| Article 146 | Officers, servants and expenses of the Supreme Court |
Under which Article is the Supreme Court declared a court of record?
Which Article deals with special leave to appeal?
Article deals with the review of judgments or orders of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court Articles lie in Part V, Chapter of the Constitution.
Take 5 questions at a time — tap an option to check. After each round, revise the notes above and take the retest for 5 fresh questions, until you've mastered the whole chapter.