The Supreme Court

India's courts form one single system, like a pyramid:

• the Supreme Court at the top;
• High Courts at the state level;
• subordinate courts at the district level, at the base.

The Supreme Court began on the same day as the Constitution: 26 January 1950. Article 124 of the Constitution sets it up, and it sits in New Delhi.

Its most important role: it is the final interpreter of the Constitution.

What does that mean? Laws are written in words, and words can be read in more than one way. Someone must have the last word on what the Constitution means. That is the Supreme Court.

Its logo carries a Sanskrit motto: 'yato dharmastato jayah', "Where there is dharma, there is victory."

The head of the Supreme Court is called the Chief Justice of India. Today the court has 33 + 1 judges: the Chief Justice and 33 other judges. All are appointed by the President under Article 124.

Who can become a Supreme Court judge? The person must be a citizen of India, and also one of these:

• a High Court judge for 5 years; or
• an advocate (lawyer) of a High Court for 10 years; or
• a distinguished jurist (a great legal expert) in the President's opinion.

Notice the third route. It lets a great legal scholar join the court even without years as a judge or lawyer.

Supreme Court judges retire at 65. (Remember: High Court judges retire at 62.)