Under Article 131, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes between States, including those relating to ______ boundaries which often have linguistic dimensions.
- river water
- inter-State
- coastal
- mineral
Answer: inter-State
Article 131: SC has exclusive original jurisdiction in federal disputes including inter-State boundary disputes. Many boundary disputes (e.g., Belagavi between Karnataka-Maharashtra) have linguistic dimensions. SC adjudicates based on: historical evidence, administrative convenience, linguistic affinity, people's wishes. Balances legal principles with socio-political realities in federal disputes.