Unit 2 of Constitutional Law – I (syllabus: Module 2 — Articles 12 and 13 with the doctrines of eclipse, severability and waiver; Articles 14–18; Article 19; Articles 20 and 22; Articles 21 and 21A). Below: what the unit covers, the provisions it turns on, and the cases an examiner expects you to name.
Full case summaries
- Pradeep Kumar Biswas v Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (Supreme Court, 2002) — the test for "other authorities" under Article 12
- Keshavan Madhava Menon v State of Bombay (Supreme Court, 1951) — Article 13(1) is prospective
- Bhikaji Narain Dhakras v State of Madhya Pradesh (Supreme Court, 1955) — the doctrine of eclipse
- State of West Bengal v Anwar Ali Sarkar (Supreme Court, 1952) — the test of reasonable classification
- E.P. Royappa v State of Tamil Nadu (Supreme Court, 1973) — equality as a guarantee against arbitrariness
- Indra Sawhney v Union of India (Supreme Court, 1992) — the Mandal Commission case
- M. Nagaraj v Union of India (2006) and Jarnail Singh v Lachhmi Narain Gupta (2018) — reservation in promotion after Indra Sawhney
- Bennett Coleman & Co. v Union of India (Supreme Court, 1972) — the newsprint policy and freedom of the press
- Shreya Singhal v Union of India (Supreme Court, 2015) — section 66A and speech on the internet
- Maneka Gandhi v Union of India (Supreme Court, 1978) — "procedure established by law" must be fair, just and reasonable
- D.K. Basu v State of West Bengal (Supreme Court, 1997) — the eleven requirements on arrest and custody
- Chintaman Rao v State of Madhya Pradesh (Supreme Court, 1950) — what makes a restriction "reasonable"