Indian Polity & Governance·Landmark Judgments

Communalism and Religious Extremism — Landmark Judgments

Updated 7 Mar 2026

Landmark Judgments

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India

1994

This landmark judgment significantly curtailed the arbitrary use of Article 356 (President's Rule) and firmly established secularism as a 'basic feature' of the Indian…

Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala

1973

While not directly about communalism, this case established the 'Basic Structure Doctrine,' which holds that certain fundamental features of the Constitution cannot be amended by…

Bal Patil v. Union of India

2005

This case dealt with the issue of minority status and the criteria for its determination. The Supreme Court emphasized that the concept of 'minority' is not static and should be…