Judicial Review — Landmark Judgments

Landmark Judgments

Shankari Prasad v. Union of India

1951

This case established the initial restrictive approach to judicial review of constitutional amendments. The Supreme Court held that Parliament's power under Article 368 to amend…

Golak Nath v. State of Punjab

1967

This landmark case marked a dramatic reversal of the Shankari Prasad doctrine. The Supreme Court ruled that fundamental rights are 'transcendental' and beyond Parliament's…

Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala

1973

The most significant case in Indian constitutional law that established the 'basic structure' doctrine. The 13-judge bench ruled that while Parliament has wide powers to amend the…

Minerva Mills v. Union of India

1980

This case further refined the basic structure doctrine by striking down clauses 4 and 5 of Article 39C inserted by the 42nd Amendment. The Court held that the balance between…

I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu

2007

This 9-judge bench decision clarified the scope of judicial review over laws placed in the Ninth Schedule. The Court ruled that laws added to the Ninth Schedule after Kesavananda…

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• Valid & invalid arguments
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