Supreme Court — REET Notes (Social Studies)
The Supreme Court is the highest organ of India's judiciary, and the Constitution gives it five distinct kinds of jurisdiction — original, writ, appellate, advisory, and review. REET asks precise questions that require matching each jurisdiction to its correct article and example.
- 2 questions in REET 2024
- Class 8 level
- 11 min read
How REET asks this topic
Both REET 2024 questions tested a deeper understanding of the Supreme Court's different jurisdictions — one asked which jurisdiction covers a dispute between two states (original jurisdiction, Article 131), the other asked under which article the Court can review its own judgment (Article 137). In other words, this goes beyond a general introduction — you need to know the exact article number for each jurisdiction precisely.
Structure and Appointment of the Supreme Court
- Established
- Established on 28 January 1950; it took the place of the earlier Federal Court. Harilal J. Kania was its first Chief Justice.
- Current sanctioned strength
- 34 judges including the Chief Justice of India (CJI) — this number was fixed by the 'Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019'.
- Appointment
- By the President, after necessary consultation (Article 124).
- Eligibility
- Must be a citizen of India, and either have been a High Court judge for 5 years, or a High Court advocate for 10 years, or be, in the President's opinion, a distinguished jurist.
- Retirement age
- 65 years (High Court judges retire at 62).
Jurisdictions of the Supreme Court
| Jurisdiction | Article | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Original | 131 | Disputes between the Centre and states, or between states, are heard directly by the Supreme Court |
| Writ | 32 | Petitions for writs, filed directly with the Supreme Court, when Fundamental Rights are violated |
| Appellate — Constitutional | 132 | Appeal against a High Court decision, when the case involves a constitutional question |
| Appellate — Civil and Criminal | 133, 134 | Appeal against High Court decisions in civil and criminal matters |
| Special Leave Petition (SLP) | 136 | Discretionary appeal against the decision of any court/tribunal (except a military court) |
| Advisory | 143 | The President can seek the Supreme Court's opinion on a question of law or fact; this opinion is not binding |
| Review | 137 | The Supreme Court can review its own earlier judgment or order |
REET 2024's inter-state dispute question was based on Article 131 (original jurisdiction), and the review question was based on Article 137.
Court of Record and Binding Authority
Under Article 129, the Supreme Court is a 'Court of Record', meaning its decisions are preserved as records and it also has the power to punish for contempt. Under Article 141, the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts in India, and under Article 142, it can pass any order necessary to secure 'complete justice'.
Constitution Bench and Judicial Review
- Constitution Bench
- Under Article 145(3), when a case involves a substantial question of law about interpreting the Constitution, only a bench of at least 5 judges can decide it.
- Judicial Review
- The Supreme Court and High Courts have the power to declare a law or an executive order unconstitutional (void) if it is found to be against the Constitution — this power comes from Articles 13, 32 and 226 together.
- Relationship with High Courts
- The Supreme Court is the country's highest court of appeal; the final appeal against any High Court's decision is heard here, and its decisions are binding on all High Courts.
- Oath of judges
- Supreme Court judges take the oath of office and secrecy before the President (or a person appointed by the President), pledging loyalty to the Constitution and the law and to perform their duties without fear or favour.
- Principal seat
- The Supreme Court's principal seat is in New Delhi; under Article 130, other seats can be established with the President's permission, though this has not been done so far.
- Removal (impeachment)
- Under Article 124(4), a judge can only be removed from office by an order of the President, after a motion is passed by a special majority in both Houses of Parliament, on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity — this process is called impeachment.
How to teach this to children
Classroom activity (Class 8)
Put a hypothetical dispute before children (like 'sharing of river water between two states') and ask where this case would be heard — this builds a practical understanding of original jurisdiction.
Teaching aid
A triangle chart showing the 'checks and balances' between the judiciary, executive and legislature, highlighting the Supreme Court's role.
Common misconception
Children often think the Supreme Court is only a court that hears appeals — whereas under writ (Article 32), original (Article 131), and advisory (Article 143) jurisdiction, it also hears cases directly and gives opinions.
Assessment idea
Make cards for different situations (like 'dispute between two states', 'violation of a fundamental right', 'President's request for advice') and have children match them to the correct jurisdiction.
Trick to remember / exam tip
Remember jurisdictions and articles with this formula: '32 writ, 131 original, 137 review, 143 advisory' — note that writ jurisdiction (32) is about protecting fundamental rights, while 'original' jurisdiction (131) is about disputes between states — these two similar-sounding names cause the most confusion in REET.
REET 2024 Questions (with solutions)
Question 133
Settlement of dispute between two States in India falls under which jurisdiction of the Supreme Court ?
- Aसलाहकारी
- Bमौलिक
- Cअपीलीय
- Dरिट
Explanation
संविधान के अनुच्छेद 131 के अनुसार केन्द्र और राज्यों के बीच या दो या अधिक राज्यों के बीच विवाद सीधे सर्वोच्च न्यायालय में सुने जाते हैं – इसे मौलिक/प्रारम्भिक (original) क्षेत्राधिकार कहते हैं। सलाहकारी क्षेत्राधिकार अनुच्छेद 143 और रिट क्षेत्राधिकार अनुच्छेद 32 से सम्बंधित है।
Question 104
According to Article 137 among the following who has the right to review the decision of the Supreme Court ?
- Aप्रधानमंत्री
- Bलोकसभाध्यक्ष
- Cउच्चतम न्यायालय
- Dराज्यसभा के सभापति
Explanation
अनुच्छेद 137 के अनुसार उच्चतम न्यायालय को अपने द्वारा दिए गए किसी निर्णय या आदेश का पुनर्विलोकन (review) करने की शक्ति है, जो संसद के कानून और अनुच्छेद 145 के नियमों के अधीन है। प्रधानमंत्री, लोकसभा अध्यक्ष या राज्यसभा सभापति को न्यायालय के निर्णय की समीक्षा का अधिकार नहीं है।
Practice Questions
Question 1
Under which Article is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appointed?
- Aअनुच्छेद 74
- Bअनुच्छेद 124
- Cअनुच्छेद 131
- Dअनुच्छेद 143
Explanation
Article 124 deals with the composition of the Supreme Court and the appointment of its judges. The President makes appointments under this article after necessary consultation.
Question 2
To become a judge of the Supreme Court, a person must have a minimum of how many years of experience as an advocate in a High Court?
- A5 वर्ष
- B7 वर्ष
- C10 वर्ष
- D15 वर्ष
Explanation
To become a Supreme Court judge, a person must have been an advocate in a High Court for at least 10 years, or a High Court judge for 5 years.
Question 3
Under which Article can the President seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on a question of law or fact?
- Aअनुच्छेद 32
- Bअनुच्छेद 131
- Cअनुच्छेद 137
- Dअनुच्छेद 143
Explanation
Article 143 empowers the President to seek the Supreme Court's opinion on a question of law or fact of public importance. This opinion is not binding on the Supreme Court.
Question 4
What is the current sanctioned total number of Supreme Court judges (including the Chief Justice)?
- A26
- B31
- C34
- D8
Explanation
Under the 'Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019', the Supreme Court can have a total of 34 judges, including the Chief Justice.
Question 5
On which date was the Supreme Court established?
- A26 जनवरी 1950
- B28 जनवरी 1950
- C26 नवंबर 1949
- D15 अगस्त 1947
Explanation
The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, while the Supreme Court was formally established two days later, on 28 January 1950, taking the place of the earlier Federal Court.
Question 6
Except for the decision of a military court, a discretionary appeal against the decision of any court or tribunal in the country lies to the Supreme Court under which Article?
- Aअनुच्छेद 132
- Bअनुच्छेद 134
- Cअनुच्छेद 136
- Dअनुच्छेद 141
Explanation
Under Article 136, the Supreme Court has the power to hear a discretionary appeal, through a Special Leave Petition (SLP), against the decision of any court or tribunal in the country (except a military court).
Question 7
The law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts in India — this provision is found in which Article?
- Aअनुच्छेद 129
- Bअनुच्छेद 141
- Cअनुच्छेद 142
- Dअनुच्छेद 145
Explanation
Under Article 141, the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts within the territory of India. Article 129 declares the Court a Court of Record.
Question 8
If there is a legal dispute between the Central Government and a State Government, under which jurisdiction of the Supreme Court will it be heard directly?
- Aअपीलीय क्षेत्राधिकार
- Bमौलिक क्षेत्राधिकार
- Cसलाहकारी क्षेत्राधिकार
- Dरिट क्षेत्राधिकार
Explanation
Under Article 131, a legal dispute between the Centre and a state, or between two or more states, is heard directly under the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction.
Question 9
From which Article does the Supreme Court derive the power to punish for contempt?
- Aअनुच्छेद 129
- Bअनुच्छेद 136
- Cअनुच्छेद 137
- Dअनुच्छेद 143
Explanation
Article 129 declares the Supreme Court a 'Court of Record' and also gives it the power to punish for contempt of itself.
Question 10
What is the most effective way to explain the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in class?
- Aकेवल अनुच्छेद संख्याएँ रटवाना
- Bहर क्षेत्राधिकार को एक वास्तविक जीवन उदाहरण (जैसे नदी-जल विवाद) से जोड़कर समझाना
- Cविषय को छोड़ देना क्योंकि यह कठिन है
- Dकेवल पाठ्यपुस्तक की परिभाषा पढ़वाना
Explanation
Linking each jurisdiction to a real-life example (like a river-water dispute = original jurisdiction) helps children understand that the Court plays a different role in different situations — something rote-learning article numbers alone cannot make clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many REET questions come from the Supreme Court?+
REET 2024 had 2 questions from this topic, both related to jurisdiction. Within the civics section, the Supreme Court is a topic asked regularly every year.
What is the current sanctioned total number of Supreme Court judges, including the Chief Justice?+
34 judges including the Chief Justice (CJI), a number fixed by the 'Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019'. At its establishment in 1950, this number was only 8 (CJI + 7).
What's the difference between original jurisdiction and writ jurisdiction?+
Original jurisdiction (Article 131) covers disputes between the Centre and states, or among states, while writ jurisdiction (Article 32) covers a citizen's right to go directly to the Supreme Court when a Fundamental Right is violated.
When can the Supreme Court review its own decision?+
Under Article 137, subject to laws made by Parliament and rules under Article 145, the Supreme Court has the power to review its own earlier judgment or order.
What is the retirement age of Supreme Court judges?+
Supreme Court judges retire at 65, while High Court judges retire at 62.
What is a Constitution Bench?+
Under Article 145(3), when a case involves a substantial question of law about interpreting the Constitution, the Supreme Court must form a bench of at least 5 judges (a Constitution Bench) to hear it, rather than a regular bench of 2-3 judges.
Who was the Supreme Court's first Chief Justice?+
Harilal J. Kania became the Supreme Court's first Chief Justice (CJI) when it was established on 28 January 1950; he had also served as the last Chief Justice of the Federal Court.
Read next
Official Sources
Change Log
- 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked