Types of Cases Filed in the Supreme Court of India

1. Writ Petitions (Under Article 32)

• Filed directly in the Supreme Court for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights.

• Can seek writs like habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto.

• Example: Right to privacy violation, illegal detention, internet shutdowns.

2. Public Interest Litigations (PIL)

• Subset of writ petitions for public causes, often affecting marginalized groups.

• Filed by individuals or NGOs for environmental issues, corruption, human rights, etc.

• No requirement for the petitioner to be personally affected.

3. Special Leave Petitions (SLP) – Article 136

• Allows the Court to grant leave to appeal against any judgment of a High Court or tribunal.

• Covers civil, criminal, tax, or service matters.

• It’s the most common category of litigation in the Supreme Court.

4. Civil Appeals

• Filed against judgments or decrees of lower courts (including High Courts).

• Covers property disputes, family matters, contract issues, etc.

5. Criminal Appeals

• Filed against High Court judgments in criminal matters.

• Often involve death penalty confirmations, acquittals, convictions, bail decisions.

6. Review Petitions (Article 137)

• Request for the Court to review its own judgment if there is an apparent error or new evidence.

• Must be filed within 30 days from the judgment date.

7. Curative Petitions

• Filed after a review petition is dismissed, under very rare circumstances.

• Based on gross miscarriage of justice or bias.

• Considered by the same bench that delivered the original judgment.

8. Transfer Petitions

• Request to transfer a case from one court to another (usually from one High Court to another).

• Filed under Article 139A or Section 406 of CrPC for civil or criminal cases.

9. Election Petitions

• Filed regarding disputes in presidential or vice-presidential elections.

• Only Supreme Court has jurisdiction (under Article 71).

10. Contempt Petitions

• Filed to punish or prevent contempt of court – either civil or criminal.

• Can be against individuals, institutions, or even government bodies.

11. Advisory Jurisdiction (Article 143)

• The President of India may refer legal or constitutional questions to the SC for advice.

• The advice is not binding.

12. Constitutional Bench References

• Larger benches (5+ judges) decide matters involving interpretation of the Constitution.

• Examples: Basic structure doctrine, reservation policy, federal disputes.

13. Interlocutory Applications

• Interim applications filed during the pendency of a main matter.

• For urgent reliefs like stay orders, injunctions, bail, etc.

14. Original Suits (Article 131)

• Filed by States or the Union for disputes between them.

• E.g., inter-state water disputes, boundary issues, tax jurisdiction.

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