NCERT Class 11 Political Science — Chapter 7: Judiciary

mcqeasy

Which of the following imposes the primary legal limitation on the powers and functioning of the Supreme Court of India?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

AThe Bar Council of India.
BThe Constitution of India.
CThe Prime Minister's Office.
DThe United Nations Charter.

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is The Constitution of India..

Explanation

The Supreme Court of India is a constitutional body established under Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. Its existence, authority, jurisdiction, and limitations are derived directly from the Constitution, which serves as the supreme law of the land.

Detailed Analysis:

The Constitution of India. The Constitution of India: This is the correct answer. The Constitution explicitly defines the Original, Appellate, and Advisory jurisdictions of the Supreme Court (Articles 131 to 143). It sets the boundaries within which the Court must function. While the Parliament is empowered to regulate the organization and procedure of the Court, and in some cases extend its jurisdiction, the fundamental powers and limitations are entrenched in the Constitutional text. The Court cannot exercise power beyond the mandate provided by the Constitution.
The United Nations Charter. The United Nations Charter: While India is a signatory to the UN Charter, international treaties do not automatically limit the powers of domestic constitutional bodies unless incorporated into municipal law. The Supreme Court interprets laws in harmony with international obligations, but its powers are not legally limited by the Charter.
The Prime Minister's Office. The Prime Minister's Office: Under the doctrine of Separation of Powers, the Executive (including the PMO) cannot limit the judicial powers of the Supreme Court. The Judiciary is independent of the Executive.
The Bar Council of India. The Bar Council of India: This is a statutory body established to regulate the legal profession and legal education. It has no authority to limit the jurisdiction or powers of the Supreme Court.

Key Takeaway:

The Supreme Court is a creature of the Constitution; therefore, the scope of its powers and the limitations thereon are primarily determined by the Constitution of India.

Your note

More from Chapter 7: Judiciary

The Supreme Court can declare a law unconstitutional if it violates: 1. Fundamental Rights. 2. The federal distribution of powers. 3. The political manifesto of the ruling party. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Which country's constitution explicitly incorporates Public Interest Litigation in its Bill of Rights?

easy

The Kesavananda Bharati case (1973) is historically significant for establishing:

medium

In the Kesavananda Bharati judgment, what was the Supreme Court's stance on the Right to Property?

medium

Consider the following statements about the removal of judges: 1. No judge of the Supreme Court has ever been removed from office so far. 2. The motion to remove Justice V. Ramaswami was passed by the Parliament but vetoed by the President. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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The correct option is The Constitution of India..

Explanation

Detailed Analysis:

The Constitution of India. The Constitution of India: This is the correct answer. The Constitution explicitly defines the Original, Appellate, and Advisory jurisdictions of the Supreme Court (Articles 131 to 143). It sets the boundaries within which the Court must function. While the Parliament is empowered to regulate the organization and procedure of the Court, and in some cases extend its jurisdiction, the fundamental powers and limitations are entrenched in the Constitutional text. The Court cannot exercise power beyond the mandate provided by the Constitution.
The United Nations Charter. The United Nations Charter: While India is a signatory to the UN Charter, international treaties do not automatically limit the powers of domestic constitutional bodies unless incorporated into municipal law. The Supreme Court interprets laws in harmony with international obligations, but its powers are not legally limited by the Charter.
The Prime Minister's Office. The Prime Minister's Office: Under the doctrine of Separation of Powers, the Executive (including the PMO) cannot limit the judicial powers of the Supreme Court. The Judiciary is independent of the Executive.
The Bar Council of India. The Bar Council of India: This is a statutory body established to regulate the legal profession and legal education. It has no authority to limit the jurisdiction or powers of the Supreme Court.

Key Takeaway:

The Supreme Court is a creature of the Constitution; therefore, the scope of its powers and the limitations thereon are primarily determined by the Constitution of India.