Landmark Supreme Court Judgments & Doctrines
The Supreme Court of India has shaped constitutional democracy through transformative judicial rulings and structural doctrines. In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), a 13-judge bench established the Basic Structure Doctrine, asserting that Parliament's amending power under Article 368 cannot destroy essential features of the Constitution. In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978), the apex court expanded Article 21's right to life, mandating that procedures depriving personal liberty must be 'just, fair, and reasonable' rather than merely prescribed by statute. Other milestone verdicts include Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) for workplace sexual harassment guidelines, K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) affirming the fundamental right to privacy, and Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) decriminalizing Section 377.
Key Concepts & Examination Highlights
- Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) established the Basic Structure doctrine by an 7-6 majority verdict of a 13-judge Constitution bench.
- Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) ruled that procedure under Article 21 must satisfy the tests of reasonableness, fairness, and justice.
- K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) unanimously affirmed the Right to Privacy as an intrinsic part of Article 21 and Part III.
- Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan (1997) laid down binding workplace sexual harassment guidelines prior to the enactment of the POSH Act, 2013.