Context
President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the new flag and insignia of Supreme Court to mark the 75th year of its established order.
About
- The flag features the Ashoka Chakra, the Supreme Court building and the book of the Constitution of India.
- The new Supreme Court flag is blue in color. The insignia has ‘Supreme Court of India’ and ‘Yato Dharmastato Jayah’ (in Devanagari script) inscribed on it.
- The phrase “Yato Dharmastato Jayah” is a Sanskrit expression that translates to “Where there is Dharma, there is victory” or “Victory lies wherein Dharma (righteousness) prevails.”
- Ashok Chakra represents the dharmachakra or “wheel of the regulation”. This symbol is stimulated by the Sarnath Lion Capital, which was created in the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
Establishment of Supreme Court (SC) of India
- Article 124 of the Constitution states that “There will be a Supreme Court of India.”
- On 28 January 1950, days after India became a Sovereign Democratic Republic, the Supreme Court was inaugurated.
- The first President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the present building of the Supreme Court of India on 4 August 1958.
- The authentic Constitution of 1950 envisaged a Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and 7 puisne Judges – leaving it to Parliament to increase this variety.
- Considering the increase in workload, Parliament expanded the quantity of Judges from 8 in 1950 to eleven in 1956, 14 in 1960, 18 in 1978, 26 in 1986, 31 in 2009 and 34 in 2019 (current strength).
- The Supreme Court Officers and Servants (Conditions of Service and Conduct) Rules, 1961 contains the guidelines with respect to the conditions of service and conduct of the personnel connected to the Supreme Court of India.
Mother and Child Sculpture
- A black bronze sculpture of 210 centimeter height was established in the lawn of the Supreme Court in 1978.
- It portrays Mother India in the form of the figure of a lady.
- The lady is sheltering the young Republic of India represented by the symbol of a child, who’s upholding the laws of land symbolically shown in the form of an open book.
- In the book, a balance is proven, which represents dispensation of identical justice to all. The sculpture was made by the famed artist Shri Chintamoni Kar.
Brief on Judiciary in India
- The Supreme courtroom is the very best court in India, with the authority to interpret the Constitution, adjudicate disputes between states and the middle, and oversee the legality of laws and government actions.
- Each state or institution of states has a High Court, which handles appeals from lower courts and troubles related to state-level criminal subjects.
- District Courts handle civil and criminal cases on the district level, and various specialised courts aloong with family courts, customer courts, and labor courts.
- Each branch operates independently but is designed to work in concord with the others, offering a system of checks and balances to ensure fair governance and adherence to the Constitution.
Key features of the Supreme Court of India
- Judicial Review: It reviews the constitutionality of laws and executive actions. If a regulation or action is determined to violate the Constitution, the Court can strike it down.
- Original Jurisdiction: It has the authority to hear certain types of cases immediately, including disputes between states or between the imperative government and states. This is referred to as original jurisdiction.
- Appellate Jurisdiction: It hears appeals from lower courts and tribunals. This consists of civil, criminal, and constitutional matters.
- The Supreme Court can overturn or regulate decisions made by lower courts.
- Constitutional Interpretation: It interprets the provisions of the Constitution.
- This characteristic is essential for clarifying the meaning and application of constitutional standards.
- Protection of Fundamental Rights: It ensures the protection of essential rights assured by the Constitution.
- Advisory Jurisdiction: The President of India can seek for the Court’s opinion on felony or constitutional questions.
- While the Court’s recommendation is not binding, it’s exceptionally influential.
- Judicial Administration: It oversees the functioning of lower courts and gives suggestions for their operation. It also plays a function in the appointment and transfer of judges.
- Public Interest Litigation (PIL): The Court entertains PILs, permitting people or companies to seek judicial redress for issues affecting the general public at large.
Source: ToI