📖 Why case law matters for Polity
Much of Indian constitutional law isn't just in the text — it has been shaped by how the Supreme Court has interpreted that text over decades. A handful of judgments come up repeatedly across UPSC and state PSC exams.
⚖️ The essential list
- Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967) — Held that Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights at all. (Later overruled.)
- Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) — Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution, including FRs, but not its "basic structure." The single most important case in Indian constitutional law.
- Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) — Expanded Article 21: "procedure established by law" must now be fair, just, and reasonable, not merely enacted by the legislature — linking Articles 14, 19 and 21 together.
- Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980) — Balance between Fundamental Rights and DPSPs is itself part of the basic structure.
- S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) — Made the imposition of President's Rule (Article 356) subject to judicial review; also held secularism to be part of the basic structure.
- Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) — The "Mandal case"; upheld OBC reservations but capped total reservation at 50% (with limited exceptions).
- K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) — Declared the Right to Privacy a Fundamental Right under Article 21.
- Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) — Decriminalised consensual homosexual acts by reading down Section 377 of the IPC.
