Legal Framework — Legal Precedents

Legal Precedents

A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras

1950

This was one of the earliest cases challenging preventive detention laws post-independence. The Supreme Court, in a majority judgment, upheld the validity of the Preventive…

Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India

1978

This landmark judgment dramatically expanded the scope of Article 21, overturning the narrow interpretation of A.K. Gopalan. The Supreme Court held that 'procedure established by…

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India

1994

This judgment significantly curtailed the arbitrary use of Article 356 (President's Rule). The Supreme Court ruled that the power under Article 356 is not absolute and is subject…

Inder Singh v. State of Rajasthan

1957

This case dealt with the constitutional validity of the Preventive Detention Act, 1950, and specifically the requirement of informing the detenu of the grounds of detention. The…

Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India

1998

This landmark judgment upheld the constitutional validity of AFSPA but laid down crucial guidelines for its implementation. The Supreme Court emphasized that the declaration of an…

PUCL v. Union of India (Right to Privacy case - Aadhaar)

2017

While primarily concerning the Aadhaar scheme, the nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court declared privacy a fundamental right under Article 21. This judgment has far-reaching…

Shaheen Welfare Association v. Union of India

1996

This case dealt with the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), which was notorious for its stringent provisions. The Supreme Court, while upholding the…

Union of India v. K.A. Najeeb

2021

This recent Supreme Court judgment provided a significant clarification regarding bail under UAPA, particularly concerning Section 43D(5) which makes bail difficult if the court…