Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Article 129 — Court of Record
"Constitutional provision establishing the Supreme Court as a court of record with the power to punish for contempt of itself"
Article 129 of the Indian Constitution states: '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.' As a court of record, the Supreme Court's judgments, proceedings, and acts are recorded for perpetual testimony and cannot be questioned in any other court. Its records carry evidentiary value and are admissible in all courts without further proof. The contempt power under Article 129 is a constitutional power — it exists independent of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, and cannot be taken away by Parliament. Article 215 grants the same status and contempt power to High Courts.
Frequently tested in UPSC Prelims (constitutional provisions, powers of SC/HC). UPSC asks about the meaning of 'court of record,' the source of contempt power (constitutional vs. statutory), and the difference between Articles 129 and 215. For GS-2 Mains, the concept connects to judicial independence, separation of powers, and the debate over contempt reform.
- 1 [object Object]
- 2 [object Object]
- 3 Records of court of record are admissible as evidence without further proof
- 4 Contempt power under Article 129 is constitutional — cannot be removed by Parliament
- 5 The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 codifies procedure but does not create the power
In the NCERT textbook ban (February 2026), the Supreme Court exercised its Article 129 power as a court of record to take suo motu cognisance and issue contempt notices — a power that exists independently of the Contempt of Courts Act.
