24/04/2026
🏛️ APRIL 24 - The Day the Constitution Found Its "Soul".
Did you know that on April 24, 1973, the largest bench in Indian history delivered a seminal judgment that is as important even today as it was then ? It wasn't just a case about land reforms; it was the case that saved our democracy.
The Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala verdict turns 53 today. For a law student or a judiciary aspirant, this isn't just a case name—it's the "North Star" of Indian Law.
Trivia you should know:
Full title: His Holiness Kesavananda Bharati Sripadagalavaru vs. State of Kerala.
The Bench: The largest ever - 13 Judges.
The Verdict: A razor-thin majority of 7:6.
The Doctrine: It gave us the 'Basic Structure Doctrine'.
The Rule: Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution (including Fundamental Rights), but it cannot touch its "Basic Structure."
💡 What is the "Basic Structure"?
The Court didn't give a final list, but think of it as the DNA of India:
✅ Secularism
✅ Federalism
✅ Democracy
✅ Judicial Review
✅ Supremacy of the Constitution
Judges in majority:
1. Chief Justice S.M.Sikri,
2. Justice J.M. Shelat,
3. Justice A.N.Grover,
4. Justice K.S. Hegde,
5. Justice A.K. Mukherjea,
6. Justice P. Jaganmohan Reddy, &
7. Justice H.R. Khanna.
Judges who dissented:
1. Justice A.N. Ray
2. Justice D.G. Palekar
3. Justice K.K.Mathew
4. Justice M.H.Beg
5. Justice S.N. Dwivedi
6. Justice Y.V. Chandrachud
This judgment didn't just limit Parliament; it balanced the "Power of the People" with the "Will of the Constitution".
To understand constitutional law better, one must also know the cases of A.K. Gopalan, Sankari Prasad, Sajjan Singh, and I.C. Golak Nath which are landmark precedents in the history of Indian constitutional law.
Coming Soon on Gear Kanooni: Audio-focussed lectures on YoutTube.
