Appointment of ad hoc Judges

Quick Summary (TL;DR)

Article 127 (Appointment of ad hoc Judges): Defines the jurisdiction, judicial independence, and appellate powers of the Supreme Court of India.

In Simple Citizen Words

Article 127 ('Appointment of ad hoc Judges') belongs to Part V, Chapter IV (The Union Judiciary). It defines the institutional architecture and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India—covering judicial appointments, salaries, Court of Record status (contempt power), original federal disputes (Art 131), constitutional/civil/criminal appeals (Arts 132–136), review of judgments (Art 137), or binding precedents (Art 141). Specifically: (1) If at any time there should not be a quorum of the Judges of the Supreme Court available to hold or continue any session of the Court, the Chief Justice of India may, with the previous consent of the President and after consultation...

Key Constitutional Provisions

Constitutional Mandate (Art. 127): Directly codifies the legal rule for 'Appointment of ad hoc Judges' under Part V

Structured across 2 clause(s) with clear procedural conditions

Backed by independent judicial oversight of the Supreme Court to protect constitutional legality

Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions

Supreme Court powers are exercised by independent Benches according to constitutional rules and judicial discipline, insulated from political interference.

Why This Matters in Daily Life

Makes the Supreme Court the ultimate guardian of the Constitution and the final court of appeal for every citizen seeking justice.

Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates:

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Dr. B. R. Ambedkar & Alladi Krishnaswamy Iyer

Drafting Committee Architects • May 24–27, 1949

🏛️ Constituent Assembly Debates (1946–1949)

Core Constitutional Debate & Dilemma

Framing context for Article 127: Creating a single integrated Supreme Court with wider appellate and constitutional jurisdiction than any other apex court in the world, while insulating judges from political pressure.

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"Our Judiciary must both be independent of the Executive and must also be competent in itself... The Supreme Court of India has wider powers than the highest court in any federation known to history."

Assembly Resolution & Final Synthesis

Constitutional resolution in Article 127: Enacted Articles 124–147 establishing the Supreme Court of India as guardian of the Constitution with original, appellate, SLP (Art 136), complete justice (Art 142), and binding precedent (Art 141) powers.

🏛️ Constitutional Significance: During the Constituent Assembly deliberations, Article 127 was codified as an integral pillar of India's constitutional governance.

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Authoritative statutory text as enacted and amended by Parliament • Clause-by-Clause Statutory Breakdown

India Code • Govt. of India Archive

Clause (1)

If at any time there should not be a quorum of the Judges of the Supreme Court available to hold or continue any session of the Court, the Chief Justice of India may, with the previous consent of the President and after consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned, request in writing the attendance at the sittings of the Court, as an ad hoc Judge, for such period as may be necessary, of a Judge of a High Court duly qualified for appointment as a Judge of the Supreme Court to be designated by the Chief Justice of India.

Clause (2)

It shall be the duty of the Judge who has been so designated, in priority to other duties of his office, to attend the sittings of the Supreme Court at the time and for the period for which his attendance is required, and while so attending he shall have all the jurisdiction, powers and privileges, and shall discharge the duties, of a Judge of the Supreme Court.

Public Domain & Statutory Authenticity Notice

Under Section 52(1)(q) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Constitution of India, Bare Acts of Parliament, Gazette Notifications, and Judicial Judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts are in the Public Domain. Text is reproduced from the official Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India (India Code) archives.

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Appointment of ad hoc Judges

🟢 Original 1950 Text Intact (Zero Textual Repeal) Baseline: Jan 26, 1950 → Today

ORIGINAL BASELINE (1950)

Enacted on 26 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly of India. The foundational constitutional text of Article 127 (Appointment of ad hoc Judges) has remained intact since Day 1 without parliamentary deletion or repeal.

CURRENT ENFORCEABLE STATUS (TODAY)

100% Original 1950 Text Enforceable Today: Article 127 (Appointment of ad hoc Judges): Defines the jurisdiction, judicial independence, and appellate powers of the Supreme Court of India.

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications

Original Enactment by the Constituent Assembly

Year 1950

Why it happened: Crafted by the Founding Fathers & Mothers with enduring constitutional clarity; its core text has stood untouched for over 75 years.

                                    Status: 🟢 Unchanged Since 26 January 1950 — Original Constitutional Mandate Preserved Intact                                

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Emergency Citizen Helplines

Appointment of ad hoc Judges

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications