High Courts — Landmark Judgments
Landmark Judgments
Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
1973Established the basic structure doctrine limiting Parliament's amendment powers, with significant implications for High Courts' role in constitutional interpretation. The judgment…
Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India
1978Revolutionized the interpretation of Article 21 and expanded the scope of High Court writ jurisdiction under Article 226. The judgment established that High Courts could examine…
S.P. Gupta v. Union of India (First Judges Case)
1981Addressed judicial independence and the appointment process for High Court judges, establishing that consultation in judicial appointments should be meaningful and based on merit.…
Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India (Second Judges Case)
1993Established the collegium system for judicial appointments, fundamentally changing how High Court judges are appointed. The judgment made the Chief Justice of India's opinion…
L. Chandra Kumar v. Union of India
1997Reaffirmed High Courts' supervisory jurisdiction over tribunals and established that tribunal decisions are subject to High Court writ jurisdiction under Article 226. The judgment…