Emergency Provisions — Legal Precedents

Legal Precedents

A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras

1950

This early Supreme Court judgment established a restrictive interpretation of fundamental rights during emergencies, allowing the government wide powers to detain individuals…

Minerva Mills Ltd. v. Union of India

1980

This landmark judgment struck down key provisions of the 42nd Amendment that had unlimited emergency powers and restricted judicial review. The court established the 'basic…

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India

1994

This is the most important judgment on Article 356 (President's Rule), establishing comprehensive guidelines for its use and making it subject to judicial review. The nine-judge…

State of Rajasthan v. Union of India

1977

This case arose during the post-Emergency period and dealt with the validity of laws passed during the 1975-77 Emergency. The Supreme Court held that laws passed during a validly…