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Landmark cases
Cases that shaped Indian law
Plain-language case pages for lawyers and students: who fought, what was decided, how the hearing went, and what came after.
1973 | 13 judges
Kesavananda Bharati v State of Kerala
The case that gave India the basic structure doctrine, after 68 days of hearing and a 7:6 split.
2017 and 2018 | 9 and 5 judges
Aadhaar and the right to privacy (Puttaswamy)
Two judgments from one petition: privacy is a fundamental right, and Aadhaar survives, with limits.
1981 to 2015 | Collegium
The Three Judges Cases
Who picks India's judges? Three Supreme Court rulings and an NJAC sequel built the collegium system.
2013 | 2 judges
Lily Thomas v Union of India
The case that ended the three-month cushion for convicted MPs and MLAs: disqualification now follows conviction.
2014 | 2 judges
Arnesh Kumar v State of Bihar
A dowry case that ended with a checklist: police cannot arrest just because an offence is cognizable and non-bailable.