What is concurrent jurisdiction?

A situation in which two or more authorities each have the power to act on the same subject matter or dispute.

Why does concurrent jurisdiction need a conflict rule?

Because when both authorities exercise their power and the results clash, something must determine which prevails, which for legislation is the repugnancy provision.

Concurrent Jurisdiction

noun (uncountable; legal term of art)

/kənˈkɜːrənt ˌdʒʊərɪsˈdɪkʃən/

The authority of two or more courts or legislative bodies to deal simultaneously with the same subject matter. Under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, Schedule III lists subjects on which both Parliament and State Legislatures may legislate; in case of repugnancy, the central law prevails under Article 254. In judicial terms, concurrent jurisdiction means a matter may be heard by more than one forum, such as High Courts and NCLT over certain company law disputes.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Education, being placed on the Concurrent List after the 42nd Amendment (1976), is subject to concurrent jurisdiction, enabling both Parliament and state legislatures to legislate on it, with parliamentary law prevailing in cases of conflict.

Synonyms

shared jurisdictionoverlapping authorityjoint competencedual jurisdiction

Antonyms

exclusive jurisdictionsole jurisdictionsingle-court competence

🌱 Word Family

concurrent (adjective), jurisdiction (noun), jurisdictional (adjective), concurrently (adverb)

🔡 Root

Latin concurrere (to run together) ← con- (together) + currere (to run) + jurisdictio ← juris (of law) + dictio (saying)

📜 Etymology

Both components are Latin. Concurrent from concurrere (to coincide, to run together); jurisdiction from jurisdictio (the saying of the law), used in Roman legal texts. The combined term became standard in common law treatises by the 18th century.

🧠 Memory Hook

CONCURRENT = running together at the same time (think concurrent sessions). CONCURRENT JURISDICTION = two lawmakers or courts running the same legal race simultaneously.

🎯 How This Word Works in UPSC Writing

The situation in which more than one authority has power over the same subject or dispute. In Indian federalism it describes the Concurrent List, where both Parliament and State legislatures may legislate, and in judicial contexts it describes two courts each competent to hear a matter. The consequence worth stating is that concurrency requires a conflict rule, which for legislation is supplied by the repugnancy provision.

⚖️ Don’t Confuse It With

Concurrent jurisdiction means two authorities are each competent. Exclusive jurisdiction means only one is. Original jurisdiction is the power to hear a matter first; appellate jurisdiction is the power to review a decision. Concurrency is about who may act, not about the order in which they act.

🇮🇳 Hindi Meaning

समवर्ती क्षेत्राधिकार (samavartī kshetrādhikār); समवर्ती सूची is the Concurrent List.

❓ Common Questions

What is concurrent jurisdiction?: A situation in which two or more authorities each have the power to act on the same subject matter or dispute.
Why does concurrent jurisdiction need a conflict rule?: Because when both authorities exercise their power and the results clash, something must determine which prevails, which for legislation is the repugnancy provision.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Preamble of the Indian Constitution

Relevant across:GS2 · Polity, Governance & IR

Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation