Home The Constitution Part V Article 129

Art. 129 Part V: The Union

Supreme Court to Be a Court of Record

Exact text — Constitution of India

The Supreme Court shall be a court of record and shall have all the powers of such a court including the power to punish for contempt of itself.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article gives the Supreme Court 'court of record' status — meaning its proceedings and judgments are officially recorded and treated as having evidentiary value, and — significantly — it has the inherent power to punish for CONTEMPT of itself, without needing separate legislation to establish that power.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is the constitutional foundation for contempt of court proceedings against the Supreme Court — a genuinely significant power the Court can exercise to protect its own authority and the administration of justice, directly from the Constitution's text rather than depending entirely on the Contempt of Courts Act.

Read alongside this one

Art. 215 — High Courts to Be Courts of Record

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 129

Can the Supreme Court punish someone for contempt even without a specific law defining what counts as contempt?

Yes, in principle — this Article gives the Court INHERENT contempt power directly from the Constitution, though the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 provides additional statutory definition and procedure that generally works alongside this constitutional power.

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The text above reproduces Article 129 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.