 | It has been suggested that Nyay Ki Devi be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2024. |
| Supreme Court of India | |
|---|---|
| Bhārata kā Sarvōcca Nyāyālaya | |
 Insignia of the Supreme Court of India (since 1 September 2024) | |
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| 28°37′21″N 77°14′22″E / 28.62250°N 77.23944°E | |
| Established | October 1, 1937 |
| Jurisdiction |  India |
| Location | Tilak Marg, New Delhi, Delhi: 110001, India |
| Coordinates | 28°37′21″N 77°14′22″E / 28.62250°N 77.23944°E |
| Motto | Yatō Dharmastatō Jayaḥ Where there is righteousness and moral duty, there is victory. |
| Composition method | Collegium of the Supreme Court of India |
| Authorised by | Article 124 of the Constitution of India |
| Appeals from | High courts of India |
| Judge term length | Mandatory retirement at 65 years of age |
| Number of positions | 34 (33+1; present strength)[1] |
| Language | English |
| Website | www |
| Chief Justice of India | |
| Currently | Sanjiv Khanna |
| Since | 11 November 2024 |
| Lead position ends | 13 May 2025 |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Judiciary of India |
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| Law of India |
The Supreme Court of India (ISO: Bhārata kā Sarvōcca Nyāyālaya) is the supreme judicial authority and the highest court of the Republic of India. It is the final court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India. It also has the power of judicial review. The Supreme Court, which consists of the Chief Justice of India and a maximum of fellow 33 judges, has extensive powers in the form of original, appellate and advisory jurisdictions.[2]
As the apex constitutional court, it takes up appeals primarily against verdicts of the High Courts of various states and tribunals. As an advisory court, it hears matters which are referred by the President of India. Under judicial review, the court invalidates both normal laws as well as constitutional amendments as per the Basic structure doctrine that it developed in the 1960s and 1970s.
It is required to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens and settles legal disputes among the central government and various state governments. Its decisions are binding on other Indian courts as well as the union and state governments.[3] As per the Article 142 of the Constitution, the court has the inherent jurisdiction to pass any order deemed necessary in the interest of complete justice which becomes binding on the President to enforce.[4] The Supreme Court replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as the highest court of appeal since 28 January 1950, two days after India was declared a republic.
With expansive authority to initiate actions and wield appellate jurisdiction over all courts and the ability to invalidate amendments to the constitution, the Supreme Court of India is widely acknowledged as one of the most powerful supreme courts in the world.[5][6]
- ^ "Chief Justice & Judges". Supreme Court of India. Archived from the original on 25 October 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ^ "Rule of law index 2016". Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ^ "History of Supreme Court of India" (PDF). Supreme Court of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
- ^ "Constitution of India | Legislative Department | India". Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ Zwart, Tom (2003). "Review of Judicial Activism in India: Transgressing Borders and Enforcing Rights". Journal of Law and Society. 30 (2): 332–337. ISSN 0263-323X. JSTOR 1410775. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
- ^ Chandra, Aparna; Hubbard, William H. J.; Kalantry, Sital (2019), Rosenberg, Gerald N.; Bail, Shishir; Krishnaswamy, Sudhir (eds.), "The Supreme Court of India: An Empirical Overview of the Institution", A Qualified Hope: The Indian Supreme Court and Progressive Social Change, Comparative Constitutional Law and Policy, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 43–76, ISBN 978-1-108-47450-4, archived from the original on 28 September 2023, retrieved 10 March 2023