The five writs
Literal meaning, what each does, and where it cannot be used — Article 32 and Article 226
| Writ | Literal meaning | What it does | Remember |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habeas Corpus | To have the body of | Safeguards people from illegal arrest / detention | May be applied by a stranger or social worker, not only the affected person |
| Mandamus | We command | Commands a public authority to perform its legal duty | Can go even against officials, government or courts that refuse a public duty |
| Prohibition | To stop (to forbid) | Stops a subordinate court from acting beyond its jurisdiction | Only against judicial / quasi-judicial bodies — not against administrative authorities |
| Certiorari | To be certified (to certify) | Quashes an order a subordinate court passed by overstepping its jurisdiction | Not available against legislative bodies and private individuals |
| Quo Warranto | By what authority (or warrant) | Prevents illegal usurpation of a public office | Cannot be applied against a ministerial office |
Remember
- Article 32 = Supreme Court ('heart and soul of the Constitution' — Ambedkar); Article 226 = High Courts. High Courts can issue writs for any legal right, the Supreme Court only for Fundamental Rights — so 226 is WIDER.
- Trap: 'Only the Supreme Court can issue Habeas Corpus' is FALSE — both the Supreme Court and the High Courts issue all five writs.
- Tamil names vary: TNPSC's Tamil papers call Certiorari 'நெறிமுறை உறுத்தும்' and Mandamus 'செயலுறுத்தும் / கட்டளை'; match by the English name or the meaning, not the Tamil label alone.
Asked in TNPSC
- Match List-I (Writs) with List-II (Literal Meaning): Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Certiorari, Quo Warranto — By what authority / To be certified / We command / To have the body of (2025, GST2AM/2025)
- Five kinds of writs are Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Certiorari, Prohibition and ---------------- (2019, ATOGS/19)
- Which one of the following Articles empower the Supreme Court and High Courts to issue writs? (2022, CCS4T/2022)
- Match the following: Writs (Habeas Corpus, Prohibition, Certiorari, Quo-warranto) with Feature … (2012, HLE12)
- Consider the following statements: … 4. Only Supreme Court can issue Habeas Corpus writ. Which of the above statements are correct? (2023, JAGS/2023)
Built from: Samacheer Class 10 Social Science (English and Tamil), Indian Constitution, lesson 1; Samacheer Class 10 Social Science, State Government, lesson 3; Samacheer Class 12 Political Science (Tamil), Indian Judiciary, lesson 4; TNPSC papers GST2AM/2025, PSGS/17, HLE12, ACFGS/2023, CCS4T/2022, ACGS/18
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