# TNPSC Group IV – Day 14: Indian Judiciary, Rule of Law and Weekly Polity Revision
## 1. What Is the Judiciary? The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets laws, resolves legal disputes, delivers judgments and protects constitutional rights. India has an integrated judicial system: the Supreme Court is at the top, followed by High Courts and District/Subordinate Courts. **Rule of Law** means that public authorities and ordinary citizens are subject to the law; nobody is above the law.
## 2. Why Is Judicial Independence Important? The legislature makes laws, the executive implements them, and the judiciary interprets them and resolves disputes. Judicial independence means judges can decide cases without improper political pressure. Security of tenure, prescribed removal procedures and constitutional safeguards help protect this independence. Judicial independence is connected with the basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
## 3. Supreme Court of India **Article 124** concerns the Supreme Court. The Court came into existence when the Constitution commenced on **26 January 1950**, and it was inaugurated on **28 January 1950**. The first Chief Justice of India was **Harilal J. Kania**. The Supreme Court is located in New Delhi. Supreme Court judges retire at **65 years**. Under **Article 141**, law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on other courts in India.
## 4. Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court **Original jurisdiction:** The Court directly hears specified legal-rights disputes between the Union and States or between States under **Article 131**. It also hears petitions to enforce Fundamental Rights under **Article 32**. **Appellate jurisdiction:** The Court hears appeals under constitutional and statutory provisions; **Article 136** provides discretionary special leave to appeal. **Advisory jurisdiction:** Under **Article 143**, the President may refer specified legal or public-importance questions to the Supreme Court for its opinion. This is different from a normal appeal. **Court of Record:** Under **Article 129**, the Supreme Court is a Court of Record and has contempt powers.
## 5. High Courts and Subordinate Courts **Article 214** provides for High Courts for States; legislation can establish a common High Court for more than one State. High Court judges retire at **62 years**. Under **Article 226**, High Courts can issue writs for enforcing Fundamental Rights **and for other purposes**. **Article 227** concerns High Court superintendence over subordinate courts. District courts deal with civil and criminal matters within their jurisdiction.
## 6. The Five Constitutional Writs **Habeas Corpus (ஆட்கொணர்வு நீதிப் பேராணை):** Directs production of a person alleged to be unlawfully detained so the court can examine the detention. **Mandamus (கட்டளையிடும் பேராணை):** Directs a public authority to perform a legally required public duty. **Prohibition (தடைப் பேராணை):** Prevents a subordinate court or tribunal from proceeding beyond its jurisdiction. **Certiorari (ஆவணக் கேட்பு பேராணை):** Enables a superior court to review and quash certain unlawful orders of a subordinate judicial or quasi-judicial authority. **Quo Warranto (தகுதிவினா பேராணை):** Questions the legal authority under which a person holds a public office. **Key distinction:** Article 32 empowers the Supreme Court to enforce Fundamental Rights; Article 226 empowers High Courts to issue writs for Fundamental Rights and other legal purposes.
## 7. Judicial Review, PIL and Lok Adalat **Judicial review** is the power of courts to examine whether laws and government actions comply with the Constitution. **Public Interest Litigation (PIL)** allows a qualified petitioner to approach a court for issues affecting public or disadvantaged groups; not every personal dispute qualifies as PIL. **Lok Adalat** is an alternative dispute-resolution forum given statutory status by the **Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987**. A regular Lok Adalat works through compromise between parties. Its settlement award is treated like a civil-court decree. When there is no settlement, the case returns to the appropriate forum. Some rules differ for Permanent Lok Adalats.
## 8. Tamil Nadu Focus The **Madras High Court** was established in **1862**. Its principal seat is in Chennai and it has a bench in Madurai. It exercises jurisdiction relating to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority supports legal-aid activities, including Lok Adalats. District courts in Tamil Nadu function within the supervisory judicial structure of the High Court.
## 9. Important Dates and Articles **1937:** Federal Court of India began functioning. **26 January 1950:** Supreme Court of India came into existence. **28 January 1950:** Supreme Court inaugurated. **1862:** Madras High Court established. **1987:** Legal Services Authorities Act. **Article 32:** Supreme Court remedies for Fundamental Rights. **Article 124:** Constitution of the Supreme Court. **Article 131:** Certain original disputes before the Supreme Court. **Article 136:** Special leave to appeal. **Article 141:** Binding effect of law declared by the Supreme Court. **Article 143:** Advisory jurisdiction. **Article 214:** High Courts for States. **Article 226:** High Court writ jurisdiction. **Article 227:** Superintendence over subordinate courts.
## 10. Planned Weekly Revision – Indian Polity Connect the subjects studied this week: Constitution and Preamble → Fundamental Rights and Duties → Union and State governments → Federalism → Local Government → Elections → Judiciary. **Memory map:** Article 14 – Equality before law; Article 21 – Life and personal liberty; Article 32 – Constitutional remedies; Article 324 – Election Commission of India; Article 326 – Adult suffrage; Article 243K – Panchayat elections; Article 243ZA – Municipal elections. These Articles address different subjects and must not be confused. Today's 7 PM practice will include judiciary and planned weekly polity revision. No quiz is included in this 1 PM lesson.
## 11. Samacheer Kalvi Textbook References and Book-Back Progress **Primary mapping:** Class 8 Social Science, Civics, Term III, *The Judiciary* (called Civics Unit 2 in term-based guides and Chapter 7 in some compiled guides). **Revision mapping:** Class 9 Social Science, Civics, *Forms of Government and Democracy* and *Election, Political Parties and Pressure Groups*, plus relevant Constitution units from Classes 6–10. **Complete book-back exercise list, numbering and totals for the original 2026–27 edition: source not yet verified.** Authenticated book-back completions today: **0**. Additional book-back batch: **0/?**, total not established. A batch number will be assigned only after the complete source exercise inventory is checked. **Verified Group IV PYQs with official final-answer keys for today's topic: 0.** No question is misrepresented as an authenticated PYQ.
## 12. Spaced Revision Revise today's lesson on **27 October (+1)**, **29 October (+3)**, **2 November (+7)** and **9 November (+14)**. Today also revisit the 25 October Elections lesson (+1) and, where original notes are available, the 23 October polity lesson (+3).
