{"id":1235,"date":"2023-04-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/24-04-2023\/50-years-of-kesavananda-bharati-case-and-its-legacy\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T13:40:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T08:10:07","slug":"50-years-of-kesavananda-bharati-case-and-its-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/24-04-2023\/50-years-of-kesavananda-bharati-case-and-its-legacy","title":{"rendered":"50 Years of Kesavananda Bharati Case and its Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>In Context<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The seminal ruling in Kesavananda Bharati, in which <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>the Supreme Court laid down the \u201cbasic structure\u201d doctrine<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> on the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>limits of Parliament\u2019s power <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">to amend the Constitution, recently completed 50 years.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>Who was Kesavananda Bharati?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Born in 1940, Kesavananda Bharati was the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>head to the Edneer Mutt<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Hindu monastery in Kasargod, Kerala<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">He challenged the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> Constitution (29th Amendment) Act, 1972, <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">which placed the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> and its amending Act into the 9th Schedule of the Constitution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>The 9th Schedule:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The 9th Schedule was added to the Constitution by the First Amendment in 1951 along with Article 31-B to provide a \u201cprotective umbrella\u201d to land reforms laws in order to prevent them from being challenged in court.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">He argued that this<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> action violated his <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">fundamental <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>right to religion <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">(Article 25), freedom o<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>f religious denomination<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> (Article 26), and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>right to property<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> (Article 31).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>Kesavananda Bharati Vs. State of Kerala (1973)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>The case:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">It involved a property dispute which was decided by a special bench of the Supreme Court of India consisting of 13 judges which ruled with a 7\u20136 majority on 24 April, 1973.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Judgment:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">While the court upheld the land ceiling laws that were challenged,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> it struck down a portion of the 25th Amendment (1972)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> which stated that \u201cif any law is passed to give effect to the Directive Principles\u201d it cannot \u201cbe deemed to be void on the ground that it takes away or abridges any of the rights contained in Article 14, 19 or 31\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The Court propounded what has come to be known as <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>the \u201cBasic Structure of the Constitution\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> which could not be abrogated even by a constitutional amendment\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>About the \u2018Basic structure\u2019<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The phrase \u2018basic structure\u2019 was recognised for the first time in the historic case of Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala in 1973 by the Supreme Court.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Meaning:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Indian courts define basic structure as <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>inherent features <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">that are built on the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>basic foundation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, i.e., the dignity and freedom of the individual and of supreme importance which cannot by any form of amendment be destroyed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Any law or amendment that violates these principles <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">can be <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>struck down<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> by the SC on the grounds that they distort the basic structure of the Constitution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Important features\/Basic structure of the constitution:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Supremacy of the Constitution;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Republican and Democratic forms of Government.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Secular character of the Constitution;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Separation of powers between the Legislature, the executive and the judiciary;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Federal character of the Constitution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Rule of law<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Judicial review<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Parliamentary system<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Rule of equality<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Harmony and balance between the Fundamental Rights and DPSP<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Free and fair elections<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Limited power of the parliament to amend the Constitution<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Power of the Indian Supreme Court under Articles 32, 136, 142 and 147<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Power of the High Court under Articles 226 and 227<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>Analysis of Basic structure doctrine&nbsp;<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>About:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Over the decades, the basic structure doctrine<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> has been criticised repeatedly <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">for\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">diluting the principle of separation of powers,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">undermining the sovereignty of Parliament, and\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">as a vague and subjective form of judicial review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">A scrutiny of the application of the doctrine over the past half-century reveals that although the highest<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> court has invoked \u201cbasic structure\u201d sparingly<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, it has<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> mostly struck down amendments <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">where<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> judicial powers have been curtailed<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Application of the doctrine in 50 years:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Since 1973, the year of the Kesavananda Bharati judgment, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Constitution has been amended more than 60 times<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In these five decades, the Supreme Court has tested constitutional amendments against the doctrine of basic structure<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> in at least 16 cases<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> nine of these 16 cases<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, the Supreme Court has upheld constitutional amendments that had been challenged on grounds of violation of the basic structure doctrine.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Six of these cases relate to <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">reservations \u2014 including the quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS), and reservations in promotions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>NJAC:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The Supreme Court has struck down a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> constitutional amendment entirely just once<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> \u2014 The <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, 2014.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The Act established the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), the body that would have been responsible for the appointment and transfer of judges, replacing the current Collegium system.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The amendment was struck down by a five-judge Constitution Bench in 2015 on the grounds that it threatened \u201cjudicial independence\u201d, which the court ruled was a basic feature of the Constitution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Partially struck down:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In six instances since 1973, including the Kesavananda ruling itself, the Supreme Court has \u201cpartially struck down\u201d a constitutional amendment.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In all these cases, the provision that was struck down related to the denial of judicial review.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Just one of these six rulings<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> involve an amendment that was not made during the Indira Gandhi era \u2014 in <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Kihoto Hollohan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, which dealt with the Tenth Schedule.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhu And Others (1992):\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The Supreme Court upheld The Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act that introduced the Tenth Schedule or the so-called \u201canti-defection law\u201d in the Constitution.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The only portion of the amendment that was struck down was the one that stated that the decisions of the Speaker relating to disqualification cannot be judicially reviewed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">In 2021, a three-judge Bench of the court struck down a portion of The Constitution<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong> (Ninety-seventh Amendment) Act, 2011<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">, but <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>on procedural \u2014 not basic structure \u2014 grounds<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">The amendment changed the legal regime for cooperative societies<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>Way ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Proponents of the basic structure doctrine <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>consider it to be a safety valve against majoritarian authoritarianism<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">Without it, it is plausible that <strong>Indira Gandhi\u2019s 1975 <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-06-2025\/50-years-of-emergency\"><strong>Emergency<\/strong> <\/a>could have had far more deleterious effects on the health of Indian democracy.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">However, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>opponents claim<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> that the doctrine <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>amounts to judicial overreach<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"> over the legislature \u2013 something that itself is undemocratic.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div>\n<table cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse; border:none; table-layout:fixed; width:624px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #000000; border-left:1px solid #000000; border-right:1px solid #000000; border-top:1px solid #000000; vertical-align:top\">\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong><u>Daily Mains Question<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\"><strong>[Q] Over the decades, the basic structure doctrine has been criticised repeatedly, how the doctrine is helpful to the Judiciary in upholding fundamental rights<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size:13pt\"><span style=\"font-family:'Book Antiqua',serif\"><span style=\"color:#000000\"><span style=\"background-color:#ffffff\">?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In Context Who was Kesavananda Bharati? Kesavananda Bharati Vs. State of Kerala (1973) About the \u2018Basic structure\u2019 Analysis of Basic structure doctrine&nbsp; Way ahead Daily Mains Question [Q] Over the decades, the basic structure doctrine has been criticised repeatedly, how the doctrine is helpful to the Judiciary in upholding fundamental rights?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[30,49,73,71],"class_list":["post-1235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis","tag-gs-2","tag-indian-constitution","tag-parliament-state-legislatures","tag-significant-provisions"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1235"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46208,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1235\/revisions\/46208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}