Fundamental Rights — Legal Precedents

Legal Precedents

Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala

1973

Established the Basic Structure doctrine, holding that Parliament cannot amend the Constitution to destroy its basic features including Fundamental Rights. This landmark judgment…

Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India

1978

Revolutionized the interpretation of Article 21 by establishing that 'procedure established by law' must be fair, just, and reasonable. This case expanded the scope of life and…

ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla

1976

Known as the 'Habeas Corpus case,' this controversial judgment held that during Emergency, the right to approach courts for enforcement of Articles 14, 21, and 22 is suspended.…

Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan

1997

Established guidelines for prevention of sexual harassment at workplace in absence of specific legislation, demonstrating judicial activism in protecting women's rights. The…

Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India

2018

Decriminalized homosexuality by reading down Section 377 of IPC, recognizing sexual orientation as integral to dignity and privacy. This judgment expanded the understanding of…

K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India

2017

Recognized privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21, overruling earlier judgments that denied privacy as a constitutional right. This nine-judge bench decision established…

Indra Sawhney v. Union of India

1992

Known as the 'Mandal Commission case,' this judgment upheld reservation for OBCs while establishing the 50% ceiling on reservations and excluding the creamy layer. It balanced…

Minerva Mills v. Union of India

1980

Struck down clauses 4 and 5 of Article 368 inserted by the 42nd Amendment, which gave unlimited amending power to Parliament and placed Directive Principles above Fundamental…

Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation

1985

Recognized the right to livelihood as part of Article 21, establishing that the right to life includes the means of living. This judgment expanded Article 21 to include…

Mohini Jain v. State of Karnataka

1992

First recognized education as a fundamental right under Article 21, though later modified in Unnikrishnan case. This judgment established the foundation for treating education as…

Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India

1984

Addressed bonded labor and forced labor issues, giving wide interpretation to Article 23. The judgment established that the state has a positive duty to eliminate conditions that…

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India

1994

While primarily about federalism and Article 356, this case also established that secularism is part of the basic structure and cannot be destroyed. It reinforced the protection…

T.M.A. Pai Foundation v. State of Karnataka

2002

Clarified the scope of minority rights under Articles 29 and 30, balancing minority rights with regulatory powers of the state. This judgment addressed the tension between…

Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of India

2011

Addressed the right to die with dignity as part of Article 21, distinguishing between active and passive euthanasia. This judgment expanded the understanding of life and personal…

Common Cause v. Union of India

2018

Recognized living will and advance directive for passive euthanasia, further expanding the right to die with dignity. This judgment provided detailed guidelines for implementing…