Law and Justice

SUPREME COURT

• The Supreme Court of India at present comprises the Chief Justice and 28 other Judges appointed by the President of India.
• Supreme Court Judges retire upon attaining the age of 65 years.
• In order to be appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court, a person must be:
• a citizen of India and must have been,
• a Judge of a High Court for 5 years, OR
• Advocate of a High Court for at least 10 years, OR
• He must be in the opinion of the President, a distinguished jurist.
• Provisions exist for the appointment of a Judge of a High Court as an Ad-hoc Judge of the Supreme Court and for retired Judges of the Supreme Court or High Courts to sit and act as Judges of that Court.
• A Judge of the Supreme Court cannot be removed from office except by an order of the President passed after an address in each House of Parliament supported by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of members present and voting, and presented to the President in the same session for such removal on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
• A person who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court is debarred from practising in any court of law or before any other authority in India.
• The proceedings of the Supreme Court are conducted in English only.
• Supreme Court Rules, 1966 are framed under Article 145 of the Constitution to regulate the practice and procedure of the Court.
• The Supreme Court of India has original jurisdiction in any dispute arising: (a) between the Government of India and one or more states or (b) between the Government of India and any state or states on the one side and one or more states on the other, or (1) between two or more states.
• An appeal can be brought to the Supreme Court from any judgement, decree or final order of a High Court in the territory of India, whether in a civil, criminal or other proceedings.

HIGH COURTS

• There are 24 High Courts in the country, 3 having jurisdiction over more than one state.
• Among the Union Territories, Delhi alone has a High Court of its own. Other six union territories come under the jurisdiction of different state High Courts.