Indian Judiciary: An Overview
Sidhant Raj, Maharishi University of Information Technology
Introduction
The judiciary is one of the most significant pillars of a democratic nation. In India, the judiciary plays a very significant role in safeguarding the constitutional provisions including fundamental rights, maintaining the rule of law and ensuring justice to all it’s citizen. The Indian Judiciary is one of the three organ of the Indian governing system and functions independently from the Legislative and the Executive branch of the government, thereby strengthening the branch of the democratic framework of the country. It acts as the guardian of the constitution and serves as the ultimate interpreter of the constitutional provisions.
Indian Judiciary is one of the highest, largest and most complex judiciary in the world which derives it’s powers from the constitution itself. It is designed in such a way that it deliver justice impartially and effectively to all it’s citizen without any discrimination or biasness.
Over so many years since India got it’s independence, the Indian Judiciary went through prolonged amendments, revisions, and legislative reforms. Despite facing multiple issues like: numerous number of pending cases across the country, infrastructural deficiencies and delayed justice system, the Judiciary still remains the strongest and most trusted body in the country.
This article provides an overview of the Indian judiciary, its structure, powers, functions, independence, landmark contributions, challenges, and the reforms required for strengthening the justice delivery mechanism.
History and background of Indian Judiciary
The Indian judicial system has evolved through centuries, drawing influence from ancient customs, religious doctrines, colonial administration, and constitutional governance. In ancient India, justice was administered according to local customs, traditions, and religious scriptures such as the Dharmashastras, with village councils and rulers playing a significant role in dispute resolution. During the Mughal period, Islamic jurisprudence and principles of Sharia influenced judicial administration across large parts of the subcontinent. However, the foundations of the modern Indian judicial system were laid during British colonial rule, when the British introduced codified laws, structured courts, and formal legal procedures. The establishment of Supreme Courts in the Presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras marked the beginning of a centralized and institutionalized judicial framework. Subsequently, the Indian High Courts Act, 1861 reorganized the judicial structure by creating High Courts that replaced the earlier Supreme Courts and Sadar Adalats, thereby introducing greater uniformity and efficiency into judicial administration.
