Women and Gender Justice — Landmark Judgments

Landmark Judgments

Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan

1997

This landmark judgment established guidelines for preventing sexual harassment of women at the workplace, filling a legislative vacuum. The Supreme Court recognized sexual…

Mary Roy v. State of Kerala

1986

This case challenged the discriminatory provisions of the Travancore Christian Succession Act, 1916, which denied Christian women equal inheritance rights with their male…

Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum

1985

Shah Bano, a divorced Muslim woman, sought maintenance from her former husband under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The Supreme Court upheld her right to…

Shayara Bano v. Union of India (Triple Talaq Case)

2017

The Supreme Court, in a 3:2 majority, declared the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) unconstitutional. The Court held that this practice, which allowed Muslim men…

Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala (Sabarimala Case)

2018

The Supreme Court, in a 4:1 majority, ruled that the Sabarimala temple's custom of prohibiting women of menstruating age (10-50 years) from entering was unconstitutional. The…