The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the State falls under its
Original jurisdiction
Federal disputes come to the Supreme Court in its original jurisdiction — option 2.
The provision. Article 131 gives the Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction in any dispute :
| Between |
|---|
| The Government of India and one or more States |
| The Government of India and any State or States on one side and one or more other States on the other |
| Two or more States |
“Original” means the case begins there, and no other court may hear it; “exclusive” means no High Court has any share in it. The dispute must involve a question of legal right, not merely a political disagreement, and the article expressly excludes disputes arising out of a treaty or agreement entered into before the Constitution came into force.
The Court’s four jurisdictions, for contrast.
| Jurisdiction | Article | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Original | 131 | Centre-State and inter-State disputes; also writs under Article 32 |
| Appellate | 132–134, 136 | Appeals from High Courts in constitutional, civil and criminal matters, and special leave under Article 136 |
| Advisory | 143 | Opinion on a question of law or fact of public importance referred by the President; the opinion is not binding, and the Court may decline to answer |
| Writ | 32 | Enforcement of fundamental rights — called by Ambedkar “the heart and soul of the Constitution” |
Why option 4 is a trap. There is no separate head called “constitutional jurisdiction” in the Constitution. It sounds plausible because such disputes are constitutional in subject matter — but the classification the Constitution uses is by how the case reaches the Court, and a Centre-State dispute reaches it directly.
Some instances. States have used Article 131 against the Union over the NCT of Delhi’s powers, over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and in inter-State water and boundary disputes — though water disputes under Article 262 are ordinarily excluded from the courts and go to tribunals instead.
Hence, the answer is Original jurisdiction.
Important Questions from Judiciary
Who appoints the judges of the Supreme Court?
Which Article of the Constitution of India described the Power of the President to "consult" the Supreme Court of India?
If a question arises about the age of a Judge of a High Court, who will decide about this matter?
How Supreme Court protects the Supremacy of the Constitution ?
i. By due process of law
ii. By procedure established by law
In the context of judicial Review what is a duty of Supreme Court:
