**Supreme Court**: Apex court of the country,

binding decisions.

**High Courts**: State-level judiciary, appellate

**Levels of Courts**
jurisdiction.

**Subordinate Courts**: District and session courts

1. **Structure of the Judiciary** for local matters.

Higher courts' decisions bind lower courts.

**Integrated System**
**Appellate System**: Allows appeal to higher
courts for unsatisfactory lower court 
judgments.

Between citizens.

**Dispute Resolution** Between government and citizens.

Between states or center and states.

Ensures laws comply with the Constitution.

2. **Key Roles of the Judiciary** **Judicial Review**
Strikes down unconstitutional laws.

Protects citizens' rights.

**Enforcement of Fundamental Rights**
Accessible to all via the Supreme Court or High

Court.

Judiciary is independent of legislature and

**Separation of Powers**
executive.

Judges appointed with minimal interference.

3. **Independence of Judiciary** **Appointment and Removal**
Difficult to remove once appointed.

Prevents misuse of power.

**Significance**
Ensures impartial justice. 

**Incident** Sudha Goel burned due to dowry demands.

Convicted husband, mother-in-law, and

**Trial Court**
brother-in-law with death penalty.

**High Court** Overturned the conviction, citing accidental fire.

**Judiciary in India** **4.1 State (Delhi Administration) vs Laxman
Kumar and Others (1985)** Reinstated conviction for husband and mother-
in-law with life imprisonment.
**Supreme Court**
Acquitted brother-in-law for lack of evidence.

Highlighted the appellate system.

**Impact**
Sparked public outcry against dowry deaths.

Eviction of pavement dwellers and slum

**Issue**
residents.

Right to Livelihood is part of the **Right to

Life** under Article 21.
**4.2 Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal
4. **Significant Cases** Corporation (1985)**
**Judgment**
Eviction without alternative housing violates
fundamental rights.

Landmark case for urban poor and housing

**Impact**
rights.

Early 1980s: Made judiciary accessible to

**Introduction**
marginalized groups.

PIL by People’s Union of Civil Liberties during

drought.

Supreme Court recognized Right to Food under

**4.3 Public Interest Litigation (PIL)** **Key Example** **Right to Food Case (2001)**:
**Right to Life**.

Mandated mid-day meals in schools and

cheaper food through ration shops.

Enabled collective justice for large-scale issues.

**Impact**
Simplified filing processes. 

Costly and complex procedures.

**Access to Justice** Long delays in case resolution.

Example: **Hashimpura Massacre Case** took 31

5. **Challenges to Judiciary** years for a verdict.

Significant vacancies at various levels.

**Shortage of Judges**
Affects efficiency and speed of justice delivery.