Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India - The Constitution of India 2024 (English Version)↗
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Article 142: Enforcement of decrees and orders of Supreme Court and orders as to discovery, etc.
Empowers the Supreme Court to pass orders necessary for complete justice in matters before it and addresses enforcement of its decrees and orders.
Part Vactive
In this article
What it means
Plain-language explanation
Where you notice it
Daily civic life
How it protects you
Citizen protection
What to remember
Exam and recall pointers
What it means
Simple explanation
Article 142 gives the Supreme Court a special power to do complete justice in cases before it.
Practical daily-life use
Where citizens notice it
- Relevant when the Supreme Court crafts case-specific relief.
- Helps understand extraordinary remedies beyond routine orders.
How it protects you
Citizen protection context
- Allows flexible relief where ordinary rules may not fully solve the dispute.
- Supports effective enforcement of Supreme Court decisions.
Example situations
General civic examples
- The Supreme Court structures relief to resolve a long-running constitutional dispute.
- A decree of the Supreme Court needs enforcement across India.
Citizen note
Learning note
Article 142 is powerful but case-specific and must operate within constitutional limits.
Exam pointers
What to remember
- Article 142 is associated with complete justice.
- It is often discussed in judicial activism and restraint debates.
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Source references
Verification basis
Last reviewed against official sources: 2026-05-20.