4.5.2 Jurisdictions of Courts

A. Supreme Court (Art. 133):1. Judicial review (133(1)) — any Nepali citizen may petition to declare a law void for inconsistency with the Constitution; federal laws, provincial laws and local laws are all reviewable. Such petitions, and disputes over jurisdiction between federation, provinces and local levels, election disputes, and questions of serious constitutional interpretation, are decided by the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court (CJ + 4 Justices — Art. 137).2. Writ jurisdiction (133(2)–(3)) — for the enforcement of fundamental rights, of legal rights lacking an effective remedy, or to settle constitutional/legal questions of public interest, the Court may issue the five writs: habeas corpus, mandamus, certiorari, prohibition, quowarranto — the ordinary channel for public-interest litigation (PIL).3. Original and appellate jurisdiction (133(4)–(5)) — cases of original jurisdiction as provided by law, appeals from High Court decisions (including PIL and constitutional-interpretation appeals), and review of its own judgments (by a bench that did not decide the original case).4. Ancillary powers — Court of Record with contempt power; supervision of judicial administration (Art. 128); binding precedent (Art. 128(4)); case-transfer powers (Art. 134).B. High Courts (Art. 144):1. Writs (144(1)–(2)) — same five writs within the province, for enforcement of rights and public-interest disputes (mirrors the Supreme Court's power territorially).2. Original and appellate jurisdiction (144(3)) — appeals from District Courts and from quasi- judicial…