Answer By law4u team
Original Jurisdiction refers to the authority of a court to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to reviewing a lower court's decision (which is appellate jurisdiction). In India, the concept of original jurisdiction is defined mainly in the context of the Supreme Court and the High Courts. 1. Supreme Court's Original Jurisdiction (Article 131 of the Constitution): The Supreme Court has exclusive original jurisdiction in disputes involving: - The Government of India and one or more states - Two or more states This does not include disputes arising out of treaties or agreements in operation before the Constitution. 2. High Courts' Original Jurisdiction: Some High Courts (like Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Madras) have original jurisdiction in both: - Civil cases (above a certain pecuniary value) - Writ jurisdiction under Article 226 to enforce fundamental rights and other legal rights. 3. Other Instances: - The Supreme Court also has original jurisdiction under Article 32 to enforce Fundamental Rights directly. - Trial courts (like District Courts) also exercise original jurisdiction when they try civil or criminal cases for the first time. In short, a court has original jurisdiction when a case begins there and not by way of appeal.
