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

Article 143: Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court

In plain words

If the President thinks a question of law or fact of public importance has arisen or is likely to arise, the President can refer it to the Supreme Court for its opinion. The Court can hold the hearing it thinks fit and report its opinion to the President.

  • The President can also refer for opinion a dispute of the kind excluded by the proviso to article 131, about pre-Constitution treaties, agreements, sanads and similar instruments.

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) If at any time it appears to the President that a question of law or fact has arisen, or is likely to arise, which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it is expedient to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court upon it, he may refer the question to that Court for consideration and the Court may, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon.

(2) The President may, notwithstanding anything in *** the proviso to article 131, refer a dispute of the kind mentioned in the [said proviso] to the Supreme Court for opinion and the Supreme Court shall, after such hearing as it thinks fit, report to the President its opinion thereon.

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 143