⚖️ Judiciary (เคจ्เคฏाเคฏเคชाเคฒिเคा)
๐ Meaning of Judiciary
- The Judiciary is the third important organ of the government. It is considered as an arbiter (เคชंเค) that resolves disputes between individuals and private institutions, protects the Rule of Law (เคाเคจूเคจ เคा เคถाเคธเคจ) and ensures the Supremacy of Law (เคाเคจूเคจ เคी เคธเคฐ्เคตोเค्เคเคคा).
- Judiciary must be independent (เคธ्เคตเคคंเคค्เคฐ) and free from political pressure to deliver fair decisions.
- It is accountable (เคเคตाเคฌเคฆेเคน) to the Constitution, democratic traditions, and the people.
- Neither the Legislature (เคตिเคงाเคฏिเคा) nor the Executive (เคाเคฐ्เคฏเคชाเคฒिเคा) should interfere in the functions of the judiciary.
- Judges must work without fear or discrimination (เคญเคฏ เคฏा เคญेเคฆเคญाเคต).
๐️ Establishment of Judiciary
- Under the Government of India Act, 1935, a Federal Court (เคธंเคीเคฏ เคจ्เคฏाเคฏाเคฒเคฏ) was established on 1 October 1937.
- The first Chief Justice was Sir Maurice Gwyer.
- After Independence, the Supreme Court of India was inaugurated on 28 January 1950 in Delhi.
๐บ Pyramid Structure of Judiciary
- The judiciary in India has a pyramid-like structure (เคชिเคฐाเคฎिเคก เคฐूเคชी เคธंเคฐเคเคจा) with the Supreme Court at the top, followed by High Courts, and then the Subordinate Courts at the base.
๐️ Independence of Judiciary
- Independence means that Legislature & Executive should not interfere in judicial work.
- Judiciary ensures the Supremacy of the Constitution and resolves Centre-State disputes.
- Protecting Fundamental Rights (เคฎौเคฒिเค เค เคงिเคाเคฐ) is the responsibility of judiciary.
- Hence, impartiality (เคจिเคท्เคชเค्เคทเคคा) and freedom (เคธ्เคตเคคंเคค्เคฐเคคा) are essential.
⚖️ Formation of Supreme Court
- Mentioned in Article 124 (1) of the Constitution.
- Initially, 1 Chief Justice + 7 other Judges = Total 8 judges.
- Parliament has the power to increase the number of judges.
- At present, the Supreme Court has 31 judges (including Chief Justice).
๐จ⚖️ Judges
- A judge must be a law expert (เคाเคจूเคจ เคตिเคถेเคทเค्เค) or have advocacy experience (เคตเคाเคฒเคค เคा เค เคจुเคญเคต).
- Judges hold office until retirement.
- They are financially independent of Legislature & Executive.
- Judges can be removed in special conditions only.
๐ Appointment of Judges
- Cabinet (เคฎंเคค्เคฐिเคฎंเคกเคฒ), Governor (เคฐाเค्เคฏเคชाเคฒ), Chief Minister (เคฎुเค्เคฏเคฎंเคค्เคฐी) and the Chief Justice of India play a role.
- By convention, the senior-most judge is appointed as Chief Justice, though this has been broken twice in history.
- Other judges are appointed by the President with the advice of the Chief Justice of India.
๐ Appointment of Chief Justice
- The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is appointed by the President of India.
❌ Removal of Judges
Judges can be removed from office by:
- Impeachment (เคฎเคนाเคญिเคฏोเค)
- Charges of incapacity or misbehavior (เค เคฏोเค्เคฏเคคा)
- Special majority (เคตिเคถेเคท เคฌเคนुเคฎเคค) in Parliament
- Approval of both Houses (เคฆोเคจों เคธเคฆเคจ)
๐️ High Courts
- Mentioned in Articles 214 to 232 (Part 6) of the Constitution.
- High Court is the highest court at the state level.
- Each High Court has a Chief Justice + other judges appointed by the President.
- The number of judges can be increased as per requirement.
- At present, India has 24 High Courts.
✅ Qualifications of High Court Judges
- Must be a citizen of India.
- Must have been a Judge of High Court for at least 5 years, OR an Advocate for 10 years in one/more High Courts, OR recognized as a distinguished jurist (เคชाเคฐंเคเคค เคตिเคงिเคตेเคค्เคคा) by the President.
⏳ Tenure of Judges
- Judges of Supreme Court (including Chief Justice) retire at the age of 65 years.
⚖️ Jurisdiction of Supreme Court
๐น Original Jurisdiction (เคฎौเคฒिเค เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- Some cases are directly heard in the Supreme Court without going to lower courts.
- Includes Centre-State disputes.
๐น Writ Jurisdiction (เคฐिเค เคธंเคฌंเคงी เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- To protect Fundamental Rights, the Court issues writs (เคตिเคถेเคท เคเคฆेเคถ).
- High Courts also have this power.
๐น Appellate Jurisdiction (เค เคชीเคฒी เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- Supreme Court is the highest court of appeal.
- Cases from High Court can be appealed here with a certificate of appeal.
๐น Advisory Jurisdiction (เคธเคฒाเคน เคธंเคฌंเคงी เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- The Supreme Court also gives advice (เคชเคฐाเคฎเคฐ्เคถ) to the President on legal matters.
๐ Quick Recap (เคธाเคฐांเคถ)
- Judiciary = Independent & impartial protector of law and Constitution ⚖️
- Supreme Court established in 1950, top of judicial pyramid ๐️
- Judges appointed by President, removed only by impeachment ❌
- Ensures protection of Fundamental Rights ✅
⚖️ Special Powers & Functions of Judiciary
๐ Special Leave Petition (เคตिเคถेเคทाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- Appeals can be filed against any judgment of an Indian court through a Special Leave Petition (SLP – เคตिเคถेเคท เค เคจुเคฎเคคि เคฏाเคिเคा).
- In India, the main tool of Judicial Activism (เคจ्เคฏाเคฏिเค เคธเค्เคฐिเคฏเคคा) has been Public Interest Litigation (เคเคจเคนिเคค เคฏाเคिเคा) or Social Action Litigation (เคธाเคฎाเคिเค เคต्เคฏเคตเคนाเคฐ เคฏाเคिเคा).
- Since 1979–80, judges started taking up cases where weaker sections of society could not approach courts easily.
- For this purpose, courts allowed public-spirited citizens, social organizations, and lawyers to file petitions on behalf of the needy and poor.
- Judicial activism made the judicial system more democratic (เคฒोเคเคคांเคค्เคฐिเค) and forced the Executive (เคाเคฐ्เคฏเคชाเคฒिเคा) to become accountable.
- It also tried to make the election system freer and fairer.
- The Supreme Court directed candidates to submit an affidavit (เคถเคชเคฅ เคชเคค्เคฐ) declaring their property, income, and educational qualifications so that voters could make informed choices.
๐️ Appellate Jurisdiction (เค เคชीเคฒीเคฏ เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- Hearing appeals from civil, criminal, and constitutional cases decided by subordinate courts.
๐ฃ️ Advisory Jurisdiction (เคธเคฒाเคนเคाเคฐी เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ)
- The Supreme Court advises the President of India on matters of public interest (เคเคจเคนिเคค) and important legal questions (เคाเคจूเคจी เคฎเคธเคฒे).
⚖️ Functions of the Supreme Court of India
- Its judgments are binding on all courts in India.
- It can transfer judges of High Courts.
- It can withdraw any case from a lower court.
- It can transfer cases from one High Court to another.
๐️ Functions of High Court
- Hears appeals against decisions of subordinate courts (เคจिเคเคฒी เค เคฆाเคฒเคคें).
- Can issue writs to restore Fundamental Rights.
- Decides cases falling under the jurisdiction of the state (เคฐाเค्เคฏ เคा เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐाเคงिเคाเคฐ).
- Supervises and controls subordinate courts under it.
๐ข Functions of District Court
- Hears cases filed within the district.
- Listens to appeals against decisions of lower courts.
- Decides serious criminal cases (เคंเคญीเคฐ เคเคชเคฐाเคงिเค เคฎाเคฎเคฒे).
⚠️ Negative Aspects of Judicial Activism
- Increased workload (เคाเคฎ เคा เคฌोเค) on the judiciary.
- Blurred the distinction between the roles of Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.
- Example: Issues like air & noise pollution, corruption investigation, and election reforms are administrative matters but taken up by judiciary.
- Each organ of government must respect the powers & jurisdiction of the other.
๐ Judicial Review (เคจ्เคฏाเคฏिเค เคชुเคจเคฐाเคตเคฒोเคเคจ)
- Judicial Review means the Supreme Court can examine the constitutionality (เคธंเคตैเคงाเคจिเคเคคा) of any law.
- If a law is against the provisions of the Constitution, it can be declared unconstitutional (เคैเคฐ-เคธंเคตैเคงाเคจिเค).
- In Centre-State disputes, the Supreme Court also exercises judicial review.
- Judiciary interprets laws passed by the Legislature and ensures effective protection of the Constitution.
- It protects the rights of citizens (เคจाเคเคฐिเคों เคे เค เคงिเคाเคฐ).
- Public Interest Litigations (PILs) further strengthened the power of the judiciary in protecting citizens’ rights.
๐ Quick Recap (เคธाเคฐांเคถ)
- Judiciary has special powers like SLP, Judicial Review & PILs ⚖️
- Supreme Court = Apex body ๐️, binding authority over all courts.
- High Court = State’s highest court, supervises lower courts.
- District Court = Decides local cases.
- Judicial Activism → Strengthened democracy, but also created burden & role overlap.
⚖️ Judiciary and Parliament (เคจ्เคฏाเคฏเคชाเคฒिเคा เคเคฐ เคธंเคธเคฆ)
๐ Relation between Judiciary & Parliament
- The Indian Constitution defines a clear separation of powers (เคाเคฐ्เคฏ เคตिเคญाเคเคจ) among the three organs of government – Legislature (เคธंเคธเคฆ), Executive (เคाเคฐ्เคฏเคชाเคฒिเคा), and Judiciary (เคจ्เคฏाเคฏเคชाเคฒिเคा).
- Despite this separation, conflicts (เคเคเคฐाเคต) between Parliament & Judiciary, and between Executive & Judiciary, have been a regular feature of Indian politics.
- Major issues of conflict include:
- Right to Property (เคธंเคชเคค्เคคि เคा เค เคงिเคाเคฐ).
- Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution (เคธंเคตिเคงाเคจ เคธंเคถोเคงเคจ เคเคฐเคจे เคी เคถเค्เคคि).
- Whether Fundamental Rights (เคฎौเคฒिเค เค เคงिเคाเคฐ) can be restricted by laws such as Preventive Detention Laws (เคจिเคตाเคฐเค เคจเคเคฐเคฌंเคฆी เคाเคจूเคจ).
- Reservation laws (เคเคฐเค्เคทเคฃ เคธंเคฌंเคงी เคाเคจूเคจ) in jobs and education.
๐ Supreme Court’s Historic Judgment – 1973
- Declared that the Constitution has a Basic Structure (เคฎूเคฒ เคขांเคा) which cannot be altered by Parliament or even through Constitutional Amendments.
- On the Right to Property, the Court held that it is not part of the Basic Structure and hence reasonable restrictions can be imposed.
- The Court reserved with itself the power to decide whether any issue is part of the Basic Structure or not.
- This is the best example of Judicial Interpretation (เคธंเคตिเคงाเคจ เคी เคต्เคฏाเค्เคฏा เคเคฐเคจे เคी เคถเค्เคคि).
⚔️ Areas of Conflict
- Disputes between Parliament and Judiciary have been frequent.
- Constitution prohibits discussion in Parliament about the conduct of judges (เคจ्เคฏाเคฏเคงीเคถों เคा เคเคเคฐเคฃ), but at times criticisms have been made.
- Similarly, Judiciary has also criticized Legislature on several occasions.
๐️ Importance of Mutual Respect
- In a democracy (เคฒोเคเคคंเคค्เคฐ), it is essential that each organ of government respects the powers of the other.
- Harmony between Parliament, Executive, and Judiciary ensures the smooth functioning of the democratic system.
๐ Quick Recap (เคธाเคฐांเคถ)
- Judiciary vs Parliament conflicts → mainly on property rights, constitutional amendments & reservation laws.
- 1973 SC Judgment (Kesavananda Bharati case) → Basic Structure cannot be amended.
- Judges’ conduct not to be discussed in Parliament, but mutual criticism still happens.
- Democracy requires mutual respect & balance of power ⚖️.
