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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 133
Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in appeals from High Courts in regard to civil matters

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26 Parts12 Schedules506 indexed article entries, including historical omissions
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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 133 / Part V

Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in appeals from High Courts in regard to civil matters

included in edition
THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

A civil appeal from a High Court can reach the Supreme Court through the certification conditions stated here. It is not an automatic appeal from every civil judgment.

The Union's President, ministers, Parliament, Supreme Court and Comptroller and Auditor-General.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

A court hierarchy needs a defined route for covered cases to reach the highest court, with conditions distinguishing ordinary appeals from exceptional review.

Historical evidence

This Article number belongs to the original constitutional framework, but its present wording may include later amendments or substitutions. A provision-specific original Assembly debate has not been verified here. The explanation of function above is editorial inference from the text, not an attributed single motive of the framers. The original draft-making archive is a research resource, not proof of a particular historical reason. The later amendment records linked below document changes affecting this Article; their Bill statements explain those proposals, not necessarily every original clause or the complete present legal outcome.

The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.

Limits, exceptions & reading carefully

Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.

Read the official constitutional text
133. Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in appeals from High Courts in regard to civil matters.—[(1) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court from any judgment, decree or final order in a civil proceeding of a High Court in the territory of India [if the High Court certifies under article 134A—] (a) that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance; and (b) that in the opinion of the High Court the said question needs to be decided by the Supreme Court.] (2) Notwithstanding anything in article 132, any party appealing to the Supreme Court under clause (1) may urge as one of the grounds in such appeal that a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution has been wrongly decided. (3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, no appeal shall, unless Parliament by law otherwise provides, lie to the Supreme Court from the judgment, decree or final order of one Judge of a High Court.
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. Cl. (2) omitted by the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, s. 17, for "if the High Court certifies" (w.e.f. 1-8-1979). 2. Certain words omitted by s. 17, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-8-1979). 3. Subs. by the Constitution (Thirtieth Amendment) Act, 1972, s. 2, for cl. (1) (w.e.f. 27-2-1973). 4. Subs. by the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, s.18, for "if the High 5. Subs. by s. 19, ibid., for "certifies" (w.e.f. 1-8-1979).

Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.