Question 2 from UPSC CSE 2014 - Polity

Question

The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under its

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. original jurisdiction

Strategy: Associate the phrase 'decide disputes between Centre and States' with the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction. Eliminate appellate and advisory jurisdictions as they involve appeals and presidential opinions, not direct dispute resolution. Also, eliminate writ jurisdiction, as it primarily concerns the enforcement of fundamental rights, not inter-governmental disputes.

Key Info: The Supreme Court of India's powers and jurisdictions are defined in the Constitution.

- **Original Jurisdiction:** Under Article 131, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction for disputes involving the Government of India and one or more States, or between different States. Such cases are brought directly to the Supreme Court, bypassing lower courts.
- **Advisory Jurisdiction:** Article 143 allows the Court to provide advisory opinions to the President on questions of law or fact. This power is not used for resolving actual disputes between governmental units.
- **Appellate Jurisdiction:** This involves hearing appeals from lower courts in civil, criminal, and constitutional matters.
- **Writ Jurisdiction:** Under Article 32, this jurisdiction is primarily for the enforcement of fundamental rights through writs like habeas corpus or mandamus, not for settling Centre-State disputes.

This original jurisdiction is a key feature of the Supreme Court's role as the federal court of the country.

Answer

Option A: advisory jurisdiction

Answer

Option B: appellate jurisdiction

Answer

Option D: writ jurisdiction