The original Constitution of 1950 envisaged a Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and ________________ puisne Judges - leaving it to Parliament to increase this number.

Correct option is D

(d) The original Constitution of 1950 envisaged a Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and 7 puisne Judges.

The Constitution of India, enacted in 1950, initially provided for a Supreme Court comprising the Chief Justice of India and 7 puisne Judges (associate judges). This number was intended to handle the caseload at the time and could be increased by Parliament as necessary. Over the years, the number of judges has been expanded multiple times to address the growing volume of cases.

Important Key Points:

1. The Supreme Court was inaugurated on January 28, 1950, two days after India became a republic.
2. Puisne Judges are ordinary judges other than the Chief Justice.
3. The Parliament increased the number of judges several times:
   • To 10 in 1956,
   • To 13 in 1960,
   • To 17 in 1977,
   • To 34 (including the Chief Justice) in 2019.
4. The expansion reflects the Supreme Court's evolving role in handling constitutional, civil, and criminal cases.
5. The Supreme Court is the apex judicial body in India, responsible for upholding the Constitution.
6. Article 124 outlines the composition, appointment, and tenure of Supreme Court judges.