Supreme Court, High Courts & the Collegium System

📚 This topic overlaps across exams — read our in-depth, shared write-up: Supreme Court and High Courts →

⚖️ SC & HC Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court (Art 124-147) has original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction, and is the final interpreter of the Constitution; High Courts (Art 214-231) are the highest courts within each state, with writ jurisdiction under Art 226 — wider than the Supreme Court's under Art 32, since HCs can issue writs for 'any other purpose' too, not just Fundamental Rights.

👥 The Collegium System

Judicial appointments are made through the Collegium system — a judge-led body (the Chief Justice of India plus senior-most SC judges for SC appointments) that recommends names to the government, evolved through the 'Three Judges Cases' (1981, 1993, 1998) reinterpreting 'consultation' under Art 124 and 217 as effectively requiring 'concurrence.' The government's attempt to replace it with the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015 as violating the Basic Structure (judicial independence).

🎯 Exam relevance

APPSC tests the origin of the Collegium through the Three Judges Cases, and the NJAC's 2015 strike-down — this connects to Judicial Review, Activism & PIL, already covered on this site.

💡 Key Facts

HC writ jurisdiction (Art 226) is wider than SC's (Art 32) — covers 'any other purpose' too.
The Collegium system evolved from the Three Judges Cases (1981, 1993, 1998).
The NJAC, meant to replace the Collegium, was struck down by the SC in 2015.

🔖 60-Second Revision

SC (Art 124-147) vs HC (Art 214-231) — HC's Art 226 writ power is broader.
Collegium ← Three Judges Cases (1981/1993/1998).
NJAC struck down, 2015 — Basic Structure (judicial independence).