Supreme Court's Original Jurisdiction Explained

The question asks which statement accurately describes the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India. Original jurisdiction refers to the power of a court to hear a case for the first time, as opposed to appellate jurisdiction, where the court hears appeals from lower courts.

Understanding Original Jurisdiction in India

In India, the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction is primarily defined by Article 131 of the Constitution. This jurisdiction allows the Supreme Court to directly hear certain types of disputes without them going through lower courts first. These specific disputes are:

• Between the Government of India and one or more states.
• Between the Government of India and any state(s) on one side and one or more other states on the other side.
• Between two or more states, if the dispute involves any question (whether of law or fact) on which the existence or extent of a legal right depends.

It's important to note that this jurisdiction does not cover disputes involving private individuals or entities, unless they also involve the specific inter-governmental or state-vs-state nature described above.

Analyzing the Options

Let's examine each option in the context of the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction:

• Option 1: It reviews the decisions of tribunals
  Reviewing decisions of tribunals typically falls under the Supreme Court's writ jurisdiction (under Article 32) or its appellate jurisdiction, not its original jurisdiction as defined in Article 131.
• Option 2: It grants pardons to criminals
  The power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment is primarily vested in the President (Article 72) and the Governors of states (Article 161). The Supreme Court does not have this power under its original jurisdiction.
• Option 3: It settles disputes between the Union and states
  This statement accurately reflects a key aspect of the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction as outlined in Article 131 of the Constitution. The Court acts as the ultimate arbiter in disputes between the central government and the states, or among the states themselves.
• Option 4: It deals with criminal appeals only
  The Supreme Court hears appeals in both civil and criminal matters that have been decided by lower courts. This is known as appellate jurisdiction. Its original jurisdiction is distinct and covers specific types of disputes, not solely criminal appeals.

Conclusion on Original Jurisdiction

Based on the constitutional provisions, specifically Article 131, the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction is directly invoked for resolving disputes between the Union and the states. Therefore, the statement 'It settles disputes between the Union and states' is true regarding the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India.