Why in News? 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to protect 250 students from facing hurdles in education due to the shifting of their institute's campus. 

What is Article 142 of the Indian Constitution? 

Article 142 grants the Supreme Court of India the authority to issue any order or decree necessary to ensure complete justice in any matter before it. This is a discretionary and exclusive power vested only in the apex court. 

Purpose and Significance 

• The concept of complete justice allows the Court to go beyond procedural technicalities, address legal gaps and even interpret or override existing laws when needed to uphold constitutional values, fundamental rights and public welfare. 
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the framers of the Constitution deliberately reserved this extraordinary power solely for the Supreme Court, recognizing its role as the final guardian of justice. 

Criticism 

• Critics argue that Article 142 gives the judiciary broad powers without enough accountability, which may lead to judicial overreach. However, these powers are intended for exceptional cases where existing laws are insufficient.