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Constitution of India · Part V: The Union · Chapter IV: The Union Judiciary

Article 133: Appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in appeals from High Courts in regard to civil matters

In plain words

In civil cases, an appeal lies to the Supreme Court from a High Court's judgment, decree or final order if the High Court certifies under article 134A that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance that needs to be decided by the Supreme Court.

  • The appellant can also argue that a constitutional question was wrongly decided.
  • Unless Parliament provides otherwise, no appeal lies from the decision of a single High Court Judge.

A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.

Official text

[(1) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court from any judgment, decree or final order in a civil proceeding of a High Court in the territory of India [if the High Court certifies under article 134A—]

(a) that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance; and

(b) that in the opinion of the High Court the said question needs to be decided by the Supreme Court.]

(2) Notwithstanding anything in article 132, any party appealing to the Supreme Court under clause (1) may urge as one of the grounds in such appeal that a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of this Constitution has been wrongly decided.

(3) Notwithstanding anything in this article, no appeal shall, unless Parliament by law otherwise provides, lie to the Supreme Court from the judgment, decree or final order of one Judge of a High Court.

Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the article 133