Explain the composition of the Supreme Court.

(1) The Supreme Court consists of the CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA and such number of other judges as Parliament may by law determine — at present not more than 33 other judges, making 34 in all. (2) The judges are APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT, in consultation with such judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts as he thinks necessary; the senior-most judge is by convention appointed Chief Justice. (3) A judge HOLDS OFFICE until the age of 65. He may resign by writing to the President, or be removed by impeachment for proved misbehaviour or incapacity. The Court sits at New Delhi.

Three marks: the number of judges, the appointment, and the term. On numbers, say that PARLIAMENT fixes the strength — that is always true, whereas the exact figure has been raised several times (older textbooks say 26 or 31; it is now 34 including the Chief Justice). The consultation requirement is worth naming, since it is part of what keeps the judiciary independent of the executive.