Judiciary Class 8 Notes CBSE Political Science Chapter 5 (Free PDF Download)

Judiciary

The judiciary is the system of courts that decides on legal disputes and legal cases. 

Importance of Judiciary

• Judiciary is the guardian of the constitution.

• The judiciary plays an important role in the interpretation of laws.

• It keeps a check on the powers of the legislature and the executive.

Role of Judiciary

• Resolution of dispute

• Judicial review

• Validating the law and applying fundamental rights

What is an Independent Judiciary?

The courts are not under the government. The independent functioning ensures that no power is misused by the executive or the legislature. The judges to the Supreme Court and High Court are appointed by the President of India after consultation with the Governor of the concerned state and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Structure of Courts in India

• District court

• High court 

• Supreme court

The decision that is made in a higher court is bound to the lower courts.

Who has Access to Courts?

• All the citizens of India have access to the courts.

• Every citizen has the right to demand justice from the courts of India.

• In the early 1980s, the Supreme Court started the mechanism of public interest litigation (PIL).

Why do we Need Judiciary?

Judiciary follows the principle of equality. When any law is violated, a certain set of fixed procedures need to be followed to uphold the law and to provide justice to the aggrieved person or persons. In order to enforce this rule of law, we need a judicial system. In India, this judicial system consists of the mechanism of courts, and citizens can approach these courts when a law is violated.

The judiciary is a critical organ of the government and it plays a crucial role in the efficient functioning of India’s democracy. The answer to why do we need an independent judiciary is that this independence allows the judiciary to play its role in a non-biased or influenced manner.

Role of Judiciary

The role of the judiciary can be understood by understanding its functioning. The judiciary performs the following roles.

• Dispute Resolution: The mechanism of the judicial system helps in resolving disputes between the citizens, between the citizens and the government, between two state governments, and between the Centre and the State governments.

• Judicial Review: The judiciary can strike down certain laws passed by the Parliament under its power of judicial review. This happens when the judiciary believes that these laws are a violation of the basic structure of the Constitution.

• Upholding the Law and Enforcing Fundamental Rights: If the citizens of India believe that their Fundamental Rights have been violated, they can approach the Supreme Court or the High Court.

Independent Judiciary

An Independent Judiciary implies that:

• The other branches of government which are the legislature and the executive, cannot interfere in the work of such a judiciary.

• In an independent judiciary, the courts are not under the government and do not act on its behalf. This allows the courts in ensuring that the legislature and the executive leg do not misuse the power.

• An independent judiciary plays a critical role in protecting the Fundamental Rights of citizens.

What is the Structure of Courts in India?

The structure of courts in India comprises if three tiers. Its three different levels are:

1. District Court: The district courts are also called subordinate or Tehsil level courts and they settle the disputes for most people in the country.

2. High Court: The highest court of every state in the country is the High court.

3. Supreme Court: This is the court at the highest level. The Supreme Court of India is in Delhi. The decisions made by the Supreme Court are binding on all other lower courts in India.

As per the integrated judicial system followed in India, the decisions made by higher courts are binding on the lower courts. Under the appellate system of the judiciary in India, a person can appeal to a higher court if they believe that the judgment passed by the lower court is not right or justified.

Importance of Notes for CBSE Class 8 SST Chapter 5 Judiciary

The introduction of political science in the Social Science syllabus begins with various topics at various levels. In Class 8, students will study a crucial topic called the Judiciary and its importance for a democratic country. This chapter explains what the judiciary is and how it is formulated.

It also explains the different terms and topics linked to the judiciary. Hence, this new conceptual topic needs more attention from the students to study. Apart from the textbook content, students will need a precise version of the topics in the form of notes.

These notes have been prepared by following the CBSE guidelines to cover all the topics of this chapter in a concise manner. Studying these notes will offer a simpler explanation of all these topics to help students with their preparation for Class 8 SST Chapter 5.

Students can refer to these notes for revising the entire chapter in no time. The simpler format followed in these notes will enable them to memorise and recall the topics faster. They can also recall the same during an exam and can formulate the right answers to all the questions asked.

Benefits of CBSE Class 8 SST Chapter 5 Judiciary Notes

• These notes, as mentioned earlier, have been formulated after carefully researching the whole chapter. All the topics have been concisely explained in these notes so that you can focus on the main points better and remember.

• Recalling the easier version of the topics will not be a hassle. You can easily concentrate on these notes and complete preparing this chapter in no time. It will also make formulating precise answers during an exam easier.

• These notes can be accessed anytime you want according to your study curriculum. Hence, resolving doubts will become a lot easier. You can find answers to all your queries quickly and can proceed with the preparation.