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Indian Law

A guide for researching Indian law

India's court hierarchy

The Constitution provides for the establishment of a Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of India has greater jurisdiction than any comparable court around the world. It can deal with disputes between the Union of India and other states, it can hear appeals from the state high courts on civil, criminal and constitutional matters, and has special appellate power to grant leave to appeal from any court or tribunal. Thus, the Supreme Court is a forum for any grievance in the country that requires judicial intervention.

Supreme Court cases: Authorised versus unauthorised reports

The only authorised Indian law report series is the Supreme Court Reports (SCR), and for Supreme Court decisions, this should be cited wherever possible. These are available from:

Unauthorised reports are available from:

  • All India Reporter (AIR) (see entry below in the Report Series box). This series is often cited in preference to the SCR and in Indian courts it has the status of an authorised series. The Law Library has the AIRs in print.

Indian cases are often reported in multiple report series, for example: (1970) AIR 1133, [1970] 3 SCR 383, (1970) KLT 181(SC), (1970)1 SCC 189.

In this example, the preferred citation is to the authorised SCR. 

Recommended case law databases

If you know the case you are looking for, and it is reported in either the Supreme Court Reports (SCR), and if it is important for you to have this version, use SCR first.

If it is not reported in either of these series, use another report series or an unreported version such as Manupatra or Kanoon.

If you don't have a specific case in mind and are, for example, searching for cases on a topic or legislative provision, use the following:

Other case law databases

Online and print report series in the Law Library

Law reports series are sometimes also (somewhat confusingly) called 'law journals'. Many of these contain scholarly articles as well as case reports.

The Law Library has access to several law report series, in print and online. 

Online law report series

Print report series (located on Level 4 of the Law Library)

Finding cases on a topic

Finding cases on legislative provisions

Subsequent judicial consideration of a case: Case citators

Books on Indian courts and cases


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