President's invocation of Article 143 rare but not first time, say experts

President Murmu's referral to the Supreme Court under Article 143(1) revives a rare constitutional tool used to seek advisory opinions on complex legal questions

President Droupadi Murmu invoking powers under the Presidential Reference to consult the Supreme Court is one of the rare occasions that the special provision has been used, according to legal experts.

 

It is, however, not the first time that the President has used powers granted under Article 143(1) of the Constitution to take the views of the court on questions of law or a matter of public importance, they said.

 

Murmu on Wednesday posed 14 questions to the Supreme Court on several aspects of law, including on the ambit of powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, which gives the