Article 137 of the Indian Constitution
Title: Review of judgments or orders by the Supreme Court
📜 What Article 137 States:
“Subject to the provisions of any law made by Parliament or any rules made under Article 145, the Supreme Court shall have power to review any judgment pronounced or order made by it.”
✅ Key Provisions Explained:
-
Review Power of the Supreme Court:
-
The Supreme Court has the constitutional power to review its own judgments or orders.
-
This is to correct errors or prevent injustice that may have occurred in its earlier decision.
-
-
Grounds for Review (As per Court Rules & Case Law):
-
Apparent error on the face of the record
-
New and important evidence not available earlier
-
Violation of natural justice
-
Any miscarriage of justice
-
-
Limitations:
-
The review must be filed within 30 days of the judgment (as per SC rules).
-
Only the same Bench or a larger Bench of the Supreme Court usually hears the review.
-
The Court’s decision on the review is final.
-
-
Subject to Rules and Laws:
-
The power of review is subject to:
-
Any law made by Parliament
-
Any rules made by the Supreme Court under Article 145
-
-
🏛️ Why Article 137 Is Important:
-
Ensures justice is not denied due to oversight or technical error.
-
Gives the Supreme Court a self-correcting mechanism.
-
Reflects the principle that even the highest court can revisit its own decisions.
🧾 Example:
If the Supreme Court delivers a judgment and later discovers a clear factual or legal error, an affected party can file a review petition under Article 137. A famous example is the review of the Nirbhaya case judgment.
Here is a summary chart of Articles 131 to 137 of the Indian Constitution, covering the jurisdiction and powers of the Supreme Court of India:
🏛️ Articles 131–137: Supreme Court Jurisdiction & Powers – Summary Chart
| Article | Jurisdiction / Power | Scope / Type | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 131 | Original Jurisdiction | Centre vs. State(s), State vs. State | Only SC can hear such disputes; must involve legal/constitutional rights |
| 132 | Appellate Jurisdiction (Constitutional) | Civil, criminal, or other cases | Appeal allowed if the case involves a substantial constitutional question and High Court certifies it |
| 133 | Appellate Jurisdiction (Civil) | High Court → Supreme Court | Allowed if the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance, and High Court certifies it |
| 134 | Appellate Jurisdiction (Criminal) | High Court → Supreme Court | Direct appeal allowed in death sentence cases or if High Court certifies the case is fit for SC |
| 135 | Inherited Jurisdiction | Pre-Constitution Federal Court matters | SC continues powers of old Federal Court unless changed by Parliament |
| 136 | Discretionary Appeal (Special Leave Petition – SLP) | From any court/tribunal (except military) | SC may grant special leave to appeal at its discretion, even if no appeal is otherwise allowed |
| 137 | Review Power | Review of SC’s own judgments/orders | SC can review its own decisions to correct error/miscarriage of justice; subject to rules & law |
Follow Us