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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 139
Conferment on the Supreme Court of powers to issue certain writs

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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 139 / Part V

Conferment on the Supreme Court of powers to issue certain writs

included in edition
THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

Parliament can give the Supreme Court additional powers to issue specified writs beyond the Article 32 purpose. The Article is an enabling provision, not itself a new individual petition form.

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

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

The superior judiciary needs a defined jurisdiction, staffing and procedural framework to perform the specific judicial function described above.

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 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
139. Conferment on the Supreme Court of powers to issue certain writs.—Parliament may by law confer on the Supreme Court power to issue directions, orders or writs, including writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari, or any of them, for any purposes other than those mentioned in clause (2) of article 32.
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. Ins. by the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, s. 24 (w.e.f. 1-2-1977). 2. Subs. by the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, s. 21, for cl. (1) (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.