What is Article 131 of the Indian Constitution?

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

The Supreme Court’s Original Jurisdiction is addressed under Article 131 of the Indian Constitution. The Supreme Court is said to have original jurisdiction. A dispute between the Government of India and one or more States, or a disagreement between the Government of India and any State or States on one side and one or more other States on the other, shall all fall under the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, subject to the provisions of this Constitution.

Table of content

1. Article 131 of Indian Constitution (1949)
2. What is Article 131 of the Indian Constitution?

Article 131 of Indian Constitution (1949)

Article 131 of the constitution of India states, “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction in any case, exclusive of any other court: if and insofar as the dispute includes any matter (whether of law or fact) on which the existence or scope of a legal right depends between the Government of India and one or more States.”

Therefore, Article 131 permits a state to bring a lawsuit to the Supreme Court, using the court’s “original jurisdiction,” in case of any conflict with the federal government.
The Supreme Court’s “writ jurisdiction” under Article 32 of the Constitution, which permits the enforcement of fundamental rights, has been invoked in the other petitions challenging the CAA that have been submitted.
A lawsuit, as opposed to a petition, permits the Supreme Court to conduct a more extensive inquiry into the subject by allowing it to examine more documents and witnesses.

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