Supreme Court — Key Cases & Reports
Key Cases & Reports
Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
1973This landmark 13-judge bench decision established the basic structure doctrine, fundamentally limiting Parliament's power to amend the Constitution. The 7:6 majority judgment held…
Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India
1980This case further strengthened the basic structure doctrine by striking down clauses (4) and (5) of Article 368 inserted by the 42nd Amendment. These clauses had declared that no…
Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
1978This revolutionary judgment transformed the interpretation of Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) from a narrow procedural safeguard to a substantive right…
S.R. Bommai v. Union of India
1994This landmark 9-judge bench decision established comprehensive guidelines for the imposition of President's Rule under Article 356, significantly curtailing its misuse by…
Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan
1997In this groundbreaking judgment, the Supreme Court laid down comprehensive guidelines for prevention and redressal of sexual harassment at workplaces in the absence of specific…
I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu
2007This 9-judge bench decision subjected laws placed in the 9th Schedule to judicial review if they violate the basic structure of the Constitution. The Court held that…
Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India
2017This historic 9-judge bench decision unanimously declared privacy as a fundamental right under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. The judgment overruled earlier…
Shayara Bano v. Union of India (Triple Talaq Case)
2017This 3:2 majority judgment declared the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) as unconstitutional and void. The Court held that this practice violated Articles 14 and…
Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala (Sabarimala Case)
2018This 4:1 majority judgment allowed women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple, overturning the traditional practice that barred women aged 10-50 years. The Court held that…
Common Cause v. Union of India (Right to Die with Dignity)
2018This landmark judgment recognized passive euthanasia and living wills as part of the right to life and dignity under Article 21. The Court held that the right to life includes the…