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Indian Judiciary

Explanation of Supreme Court, High Court, Subordinate Courts, Judicial Independence

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⚖️ Supreme Court - Supreme Court of India (Part V, Ch.IV, Art.124-147)

Supreme body of Indian Judiciary - Guardian of Constitution

📊 Supreme Court Structure - SVG
⚖️ Supreme Court of India (Art.124-147) SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Established: 28 Jan 1950 | "Guardian of Constitution" 📋 Composition (Art.124) • Original:1 CJI + 7 Judges = 8 • Present:1 CJI + 33 = 34(2019 Amendment) • Appointment:President(Collegium System) Collegium:CJI + 4 Senior Judges Removal:Impeachment (Art.124(4)) • 1st CJI:H.J. Kania(1950) 📜 Qualifications (Art.124(3)) • Indian Citizen • HC Judge for5 yearsOR • HC Advocate for10 yearsOR • Distinguished Jurist (President opinion) • Term:65 yearsretirement • No minimum age prescribed ⚖️ 3 Types of Jurisdiction 📗 Original (Art.131) • Center vs State • State vs State • Center vs State(s) •Exclusiveto SC 📙 Appellate (Art.132-136) • Constitutional (132) • Civil (133) • Criminal (134) • Special Leave (136) 📕 Advisory (Art.143) • President seeks opinion • On law or fact •Not bindingon SC • Can refuse to answer
📋 SC Key Articles
Article Subject Details
124 Establishment & Constitution SC composition, appointment, removal
129 Court of Record Punish for contempt
131 Original Jurisdiction Federal disputes
132 Appellate - Constitutional Substantial question of law
136 Special Leave Petition Any court/tribunal (except military)
137 Review Jurisdiction Review own judgments
141 Law declared by SC Binding on all courts
143 Advisory Jurisdiction President's reference
144 Civil & Judicial Authorities Must act in aid of SC
🔨 Writs (Art.32) - SC & (Art.226) - HC
Writ Meaning Against Purpose
Habeas Corpus "To have the body" Public + Private Illegal detention
Mandamus "We command" Public only Perform duty
Prohibition "To forbid" Judicial/Quasi-judicial Stop proceedings
Certiorari "To be certified" Judicial/Quasi-judicial Quash order
Quo Warranto "By what authority" Public office holder Question authority
Memory Trick:"HMPCQ" - Habeas, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, Quo Warranto

⚖️ High Court - High Court (Part VI, Ch.V, Art.214-231)

Supreme Judiciary of the State - Guardian of Fundamental Rights in States

📊 High Court Structure - SVG
⚖️ High Courts of India (Art.214-231) HIGH COURTS OF INDIA Total: 25 High Courts | First: Calcutta, Bombay, Madras (1862) 📋 Composition (Art.216-217) • 1 Chief Justice + Other Judges •No fixed strength(President decides) • Appointment:President • CJ: CJI + State Governor consulted • Other Judges: CJ of HC also consulted 📜 Qualifications (Art.217(2)) • Indian Citizen • Judicial Office in India for10 yearsOR • HC Advocate for10 years • Term:62 yearsretirement • Removal: Same as SC Judge (Impeachment) ⚖️ HC Jurisdictions •Original: Writs (Art.226), Revenue cases •Appellate: Civil & Criminal appeals •Supervisory: Over subordinate courts (Art.227) •Court of Record: Art.215 📋 Art.226 vs Art.32 Art.32 (SC): Only FR enforcement Art.226 (HC): FR +Any other purpose 📌 Art.226 isWIDERin scope 📌 Art.32 is FR itself (can't be suspended) 🏛️ 25 High Courts of India Oldest (1862):Calcutta, Bombay, Madras |Latest:Telangana (2019), Andhra Pradesh (2019) Common HC:Punjab & Haryana (Chandigarh), Goa & Maharashtra (Bombay), Assam & 3 NE States (Guwahati)
📋 HC Key Articles
Article Subject Details
214 High Courts for States HC for each State
215 Court of Record Punish for contempt
216 Constitution of HC CJ + Other Judges
217 Appointment & Conditions President appoints
226 Writ Jurisdiction FR + Any other purpose
227 Superintendence Over subordinate courts
228 Transfer of Cases Constitutional question
231 Common HC For 2+ States
📊 SC vs HC Comparison
Feature Supreme Court High Court
Part V (124-147) VI (214-231)
Retirement 65 years 62 years
HC Experience 5 years 10 years
Advocate Experience 10 years (HC) 10 years (HC)
Write Article 32 (FR only) 226 (Wider)
Court of Record Art. 129 Art. 215
Judges Strength 34 (Fixed) Not Fixed

📊 கீழ் நீதிமன்றங்கள் & முக்கிய வழக்குகள் 

🏛️ Subordinate Courts (Part VI, Ch.VI, Art.233-237)
Level Civil Criminal
District Level District Judge (Art.233) Sessions Judge
Below District Subordinate Judge, Munsif Chief Judicial Magistrate
Lowest Small Cause Court Judicial Magistrate
Key Articles:
Art.233 Appointment of District Judges (Governor in consultation with HC)
Art.234 Recruitment of other judicial officers
Art.235 Control over subordinate courts vested in HC
Art.236 Interpretation of "District Judge"
📋 Landmark Judicial Cases
Case Year Key Principle
Shankari Prasad Case 1951 Parliament can amend FR
Golaknath Case 1967 FR cannot be amended (overruled)
Kesavananda Bharati 1973 Basic Structure Doctrine
Indira Gandhi Case 1975 Basic Structure applied
Minerva Mills Case 1980 Judicial Review is Basic Structure
Maneka Gandhi Case 1978 Art.21 - Due Process of Law
S.R. Bommai Case 1994 Art.356 - Judicial Review of President's Rule
Vishaka Case 1997 Sexual Harassment Guidelines
I.R. Coelho Case 2007 9th Schedule - Judicial Review
Navtej Singh Johar 2018 Section 377 - Decriminalized
📋 Tribunals (Art.323A & 323B)
Tribunal Article Established Purpose
CAT 323A 1985 Central Administrative Tribunal
SAT 323A Various State Administrative Tribunal
NCLT 323B 2016 National Company Law Tribunal
NGT 323B 2010 National Green Tribunal
ITAT 323B 1941 Income Tax Appellate Tribunal
Art.323A: Administrative Tribunals (Service matters)
Art.323B: Other Tribunals (Tax, Labour, Land, etc.)
📋 Judicial Independence Features
Security of Tenure Removal only by Impeachment
Fixed Salary Charged on Consolidated Fund (not voted)
Conduct Discussion Cannot be discussed in Parliament (except impeachment)
Post-retirement Bar SC Judge cannot practice in any court; HC Judge in same HC
Contempt Power Can punish for contempt (Art.129, 215)
Collegium System Judges appoint Judges (2nd Judges Case 1993)

🎯 TNPSC Shortcuts - Indian Judiciary!

🧠 Master Memory Formula - SVG
🎯 Indian Judiciary - Memory Tricks 🎯 ⚖️ Supreme Court (Part V, Art.124-147) 📌 Established:28 Jan 1950 📌 Judges: Original8→ Present34 📌 Retirement:65 years 📌 1st CJI:H.J. Kania 📌 Write:Art. 32(FR only) 📌 Court of Record:Art. 129 ⚖️ High Court (Part VI, Art.214-231) 📌 Total:25 High Courts 📌 Oldest (1862):Calcutta, Bombay, Madras 📌 Retirement:62 years 📌 Write:Art. 226(FR + Any purpose) 📌 Court of Record:Art. 215 📌 Strength:Not Fixed 📜 5 Writs - "HMPCQ" HAbeas Corpus: "To have body" (Detention) Mandamus: "We command" (Perform duty) Pprohibition: "Stop proceedings" Certiorari: "Quash order" |Quo Warranto: "By what authority" ⚖️ SC Jurisdictions - "OAA" Ooriginal: Art.131(Centre vs State) Appellate: Art.132-136(Constitutional, Civil, Criminal) Advisory: Art.143(President's reference) 📌 SLP: Art.136(Special Leave Petition) 📋 Landmark Cases - "SGKIM" (Basic Structure Journey) SHankari Prasad (1951): Parliament can amend FR |Golaknath (1967): FR cannot be amended (overruled) KEsavananda Bharati (1973):BASIC STRUCTURE DOCTRINE|Indira Gandhi (1975): Basic Structure applied MInerva Mills (1980): Judicial Review is Basic Structure Maneka Gandhi (1978): Art.21 expanded 🔢 Numbers Memory 📌 SC:34Judges |65yrs | PartV 📌 HC:25Courts |62yrs | PartVI 📋 Tribunals 📌 Art.323A: Administrative (CAT, SAT) 📌 Art.323B: Other (NGT, NCLT, ITAT) 🎯 FINAL: "SC=V(124-147)=34=65 | HC=VI(214-231)=25=62" Writs=HMPCQ | Art.32=SC(FR) | Art.226=HC(Wider) | Basic=Kesavananda 1973
📝 TNPSC One-Liners
📌 Which Part of SC? Part V (Art.124-147)
📌 Which Part of HC? Part VI (Art.214-231)
📌 SC Judges? 34 (1 CJI + 33)
📌 Total HCs? 25
📌 SC Retirement? 65 years
📌 HC Retirement? 62 years
📌 Basic Structure Case? Kesavananda Bharati (1973)
📌 Art.21 Expanded Case? Maneka Gandhi (1978)
📌 Write Article SC? Art.32 (FR only)
📌 Write Article HC? Art.226 (FR + Any purpose)
📌 1st CJI? H.J. Kania
📌 Collegium System Case? 2nd Judges Case (1993)
🔥 FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Q1:Difference between Art.32 vs Art.226?
A: Art.32 = FR only (SC), Art.226 = FR + Any purpose (HC - Wider)
Q2:Basic Structure Doctrine Which Case?
A: Kesavananda Bharati (1973) - 7:6 majority
Q3:How many SC Judges?
A: 34 (Original 8, 2019 Amendment)
Q4:How Judge Removal?
A: Impeachment - Special Majority in Parliament (Art.124(4))
Q5:Oldest High Courts?
A: Calcutta, Bombay, Madras (1862)
🎯 Quick Revision Chart
Topic SC HC
Part V VI
Articles 124-147 214-231
Retirement 65 yrs 62 yrs
Writ Art 32 226
Court of Record 129 215
Judges 34 (Fixed) Not Fixed
HC Exp Needed 5 yrs 10 yrs
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