When appeals lie to the Supreme Court
Full Text
Subject to the provisions in Chapter IV of Part V of the Constitution and such rules as may, from time to time, be made by the Supreme Court regarding appeals from the Courts of India, and to the provisions hereinafter contained, an appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court from any judgment, decree or final order in a civil proceeding of a High Court, if the High Court certifies—
(i) that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance; and
(ii) that in the opinion of the High Court the said question needs to be decided by the Supreme Court.
Plain English Summary
Section 109 aligns statutory civil appeals to the Supreme Court with Article 133 of the Constitution, allowing appeals from any judgment, decree, or final order of a High Court only when the High Court certifies that the case involves a substantial question of law of general importance requiring Supreme Court determination.
Key Legal Elements
- Constitutional Subordination: Operates strictly subject to Chapter IV of Part V (Articles 132–136) of the Constitution.
- Target Decisions: Applicable to any judgment, decree, or final order passed in a civil proceeding by a High Court.
- Condition 1 (Substantial Question of General Importance): The case must involve a question of law having broad public or institutional impact.
- Condition 2 (Need for Apex Determination): High Court must form an opinion that the question requires definitive resolution by the Supreme Court.
- High Court Certificate: Mandatory issuance of a certificate under Order XLV as a prerequisite for statutory appeal.
Practical Note
Constitutional Harmonization with Article 133 & High Court Certificate: (1) Post-1972 Constitutional Alignment: The 30th Constitutional Amendment Act (1972) and CPC Act 49 of 1973 removed valuation requirements and harmonized Section 109 directly with Article 133(1) of the Constitution. (2) Dual Conjunctive Tests: For obtaining a Certificate of Fitness from the High Court under Order XLV, the appellant must satisfy two cumulative tests: (i) the question of law must be of 'general importance' (affecting the public or a large class of persons, not merely the immediate litigants), and (ii) it must be an unsettled question that genuinely 'needs' determination by the Supreme Court. (3) Final Order Prerequisite: The appeal lies only against a 'judgment, decree or final order' (an order that conclusively disposes of the rights of parties). Interlocutory orders cannot be certified under Section 109; the only recourse is Article 136 SLP.
हिंदी पाठ
संविधान के भाग 5 के अध्याय 4 के उपबंधों के और ऐसे नियमों के, जो भारत के न्यायालयों से अपीलों के बारे में उच्चतम न्यायालय द्वारा समय-समय पर बनाए जाएं, तथा इसमें इसके पश्चात् अंतर्विष्ट उपबंधों के अधीन रहते हुए, किसी उच्च न्यायालय की सिविल कार्यवाही के किसी निर्णय, डिक्री या अंतिम आदेश से अपील उच्चतम न्यायालय में होगी, यदि उच्च न्यायालय प्रमाणित करे—
(i) कि उस मामले में व्यापक महत्व का कोई सारवान् विधि-प्रश्न अंतर्वलित है; और
(ii) कि उच्च न्यायालय की राय में उस प्रश्न का उच्चतम न्यायालय द्वारा विनिश्चय किया जाना आवश्यक है।