CH6

JUDICIARY

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q. 1. What do you mean by the judicial system?
Ans. Judicial System is the mechanism of courts that a citizen can
approach in case of violation of the law.

Q. 2. What are the components (structure) of the Indian judiciary?

Ans. The components of the Indian judiciary are Supreme Court, High
Courts, Subordinate Courts and Lok Adalat.

Q. 3. Why do people need Courts ?

Ans. People need courts to get justice in case of disputes. Courts also
protect their Fundamental Rights.

Q. 4. What is Public Interest Litigation-PIL?

Ans. It is a legal mechanism introduced in 1980s to increase access to
justice.

Q. 5. What do you mean by a criminal law?

Ans. The Law relating to the crimes against society is known as criminal
law. For example cases of theft, robbery, physical injury etc.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. What are the qualifications of a judge of the Supreme Court?
Ans. The Qualifications of a judge of the Supreme Court are :
(I)He must be citizen of India.
(ii)He must be an advocate of the state High Court for a period of ten
years at least.
(iii) He must be an advocate of the state High Court for a period of ten
years at least.
(iv) He should be an eminent personality in the sphere of law in the
eyes of the President.

Q. 2. Why do we need Lok Adalats?

Ans. The Indian courts take unusually long time to decide cases, the
parties in dispute also have to spend a lot of money. To reduce the time
and expenditure Lok Adalats are needed.

Q. 3. Describe the main features of the criminal law cases.

Ans. The main features of the criminal law are as:
(i) The criminal law deals with conduct or acts that the law defines as
offences for example murder, robbery, dowry etc.
(ii) The criminal law case usually begins with the lodging of an First
Information Report (FIR) with the police.
(iii) The Police investigate the crime after which a case is filed in the
court.

Q. 4. What are the main features of the civil law?

Ans. The main features of the Civil law are:
(i) It deals with any harm or injury to the rights of individuals. For
example, land dispute, rent matters, divorce etc.
(ii) Only the affected party can file a petition before the relevant court.
(iii) The court can give specific relief to the party. For example, the
court can give order to the tenant to vacate the building and to pay the
pending rent.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q. 1. Write a short note on the Supreme Court.

Ans. Supreme Court: The Supreme Court is the highest court of justice
in our country. It functions in New Delhi. It consists of a chief Justice
and 30 other judges. The Parliament can increase or decrease the
number of its judges. The President of India appoints the Chief Justice
of India and all the other judges of the Supreme Court. The Supreme
Court entertains appeals against all the State High Courts. Thus, the
Supreme Court is the final court that decides appeals. The Supreme
court may give its advice or opinion to President which may or may not
be accepted by the President. The Supreme Court has got appellate
jurisdiction in all the three types of cases i.e. Constitutional, civil and
criminal.
(iii) He must be an advocate of the state High Court for a period of
ten years at least.

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(iv) He should be an eminent personality in the sphere of law in the

eyes of the President.

Q. 2. Why do we need Lok Adalats?

Ans. The Indian courts take unusually long time to decide cases, the
parties in dispute also have to spend a lot of money. To reduce the
time and expenditure Lok Adalats are needed.

Q. 3. Describe the main features of the criminal law cases. Ans. The
main features of the criminal law are as :

(i) The criminal law deals with conduct or acts that the law defines as
offences for example murder, robbery, dowry etc.

(ii) The criminal law case usually begins with the lodging of an First
Information Report (FIR) with the police.
(iii) The Police investigate the crime after which a case is filed in the
court.

Q. 4. What are the main features of the civil law ?

Ans. The main features of the Civil law are :

(i) It deals with any harm or injury to the rights of individuals. For
example, land dispute, rent matters, divorce etc.

(ii) Only the affected party can file a petition before the relevant
court.

(iii) The court can give specific relief to the party. For example, the
court can give order to the tenant to vacate the building and to pay
the pending rent.

IV. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q. 1. Write a short note on the Supreme Court.

Ans. Supreme Court : The Supreme Court is the highest court of

justice in our country. It functions in New Delhi. It consists of a chief
Justice and 30 other judges. The Parliament can increase or decrease
 the number of its judges. The President of India appoints the Chief
Justice of India and all the other judges of the Supreme Court. The
Supreme Court entertains appeals against all the State High Courts.
Thus, the Supreme Court is the final court that decides appeals. The
Supreme court may give its advice or opinion to President which may
or may not be accepted by the President. The Supreme Court has got
appellate jurisdiction in all the three types of cases i.e.
Constitutional, civil and criminal.

Q. 2. Discuss about the High Courts in India.

Ans. The High Court is the highest judicial authority in a State. At
present there are 24 High courts in our country. Some High courts are
shared by two or more states or union territories. A High court consists
of a chief justice and other judges. The High court of a state can hear
original cases. It also passes rules on petitions relating to election
disputes. it hears appeals in both civil and criminal cases against the
decisions of the District Courts. It also controls and supervises the
working of the lower courts.

Q. 3. What are the functions of the judiciary? Ans. The Functions of the
Judiciary are:
(i) It resolves dispute between citizens, between citizens and
government, between two or more state governments and between
centre and state governments.
(ii) The Judiciary is final interpreter of the constitution. It has the power
to reject particular law passed by the parliament, if it believes that
these laws are in violation of the basic structure of the constitution.
(ii) The Judiciary upholds the law and enforces Fundamental Rights. Any
citizen of the country can approach the Supreme Court or High Court if
he she believes that his/her Fundamental Rights have been violated.

Q. 4. Discuss about the people's accessibility to the court.

Ans. The People's Accessibility of the Court: Any citizen of the country
can approach the courts if he she believes that their rights have been
violated, but in practice access to court has always been difficult for a
vast majority of the poor in India. Because legal procedures take a lot of
time and money. So, to increase access to justice the Supreme Court
introduced a legal mechanism called Public Interest Litigation. In it any
individual or organization can file a PIL in the High court or Supreme
Court. It is very simple even a letter or telegram addressed to the
Supreme Court or High court is treated as a PIL.

Q. 5. Why do you think the introduction of Public Interest Litigation-PIL

is a significant step in ensuring access to justice for all?
Ans. We think so because the judiciary is playing a significant role in
democratic India. It serves as a check on the power of the executive and
legislature and protects the Fundamental Rights of citizens by PIL any
citizen of the country can approach the court if he/she believes that
his/ her rights have been violated. Because PIL process is very simple,
time and money saver. It increases, access to justice The Mid-day meal
that the children receive in government schools is a result of a PIL.