Certiorari

noun

/ˌsɜːr.ʃi.əˈrɛər.aɪ/

A writ issued by a superior court to a lower court or tribunal directing it to transmit the record of a case for review, typically to quash an order passed without jurisdiction or in violation of natural justice principles.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

When an administrative tribunal acts beyond its conferred jurisdiction or breaches the principles of natural justice, the High Court, exercising its powers under Article 226, may issue a writ of certiorari to quash the impugned order and uphold the rule of law.

Synonyms

writ of reviewjudicial reviewsupervisory writcertcertoration

Antonyms

mandamusprohibition

🌱 Word Family

certiorari (n), certiorari petition (n compound), writ of certiorari (n compound)

🔡 Root

Law Latin certiorārī = to be informed/made certain; Latin certiorāre = to certify; Latin certus = certain; 15th-c. common law

📜 Etymology

From Law Latin certiorārī ("to be informed, to be made certain"), from certiorāre ("to certify, inform"), from certus ("certain, sure"); the full original phrase was certiorārī volumus ("we wish to be informed"), dating to 15th-century English common law.

🧠 Memory Hook

Think "CERTAIN to RE-view" — certiorari shares its root with "certain" (Latin certus); the higher court calls up the record to make certain the lower court got it right.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Indian Judiciary — Supreme Court, High...

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